A healthcare worker speaks with a woman queuing for a PCR Covid-19 test at the Lancet laboratory in Johannesburg on Nov 30, 2021. (EMMANUEL CROSET / AFP)
STOCKHOLM / NEW YORK / MADRID / LJUBLJANA / LONDON / LYON / DAKAR / APEST / PARIS –
Africa is transitioning out of the pandemic phase of the COVID-19 outbreak and moving towards a situation where it will be managing the virus over the long term, the head of the World Health Organization on the continent said on Thursday.
"I believe that we are transitioning from the pandemic phase and we will now need to manage the presence of this virus in the long term," Dr Matshidiso Moeti told a regular online media briefing.
Almost two years after Africa identified its first case of COVID-19 on February 14, 2020, the continent is on the track to end the disruption caused by the pandemic in 2022, the head of the World Health Organization on the continent said
"The pandemic is moving into a different phase … We think that we're moving now, especially with the vaccination expected to increase, into what might become a kind of endemic living with the virus," she said.
Almost two years after Africa identified its first case of COVID-19 on February 14, 2020, the continent is on the track to end the disruption caused by the pandemic in 2022, Moeti said.
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"Although COVID-19 will be with us for the long-term, there is light at the end of the tunnel. This year, we can end the disruption and destruction the virus has left in its path, and gain back control over our lives," she said
Over the last two years, the continent has witnessed four waves of COVID-19, each with higher peaks or more total new cases than the previous one, said Moeti.
"Against the odds, including huge inequities in access to vaccination, we've weathered the COVID-19 storm with resilience and determination, informed by Africa's long history and experience with controlling outbreaks," said Moeti, adding that great improvements were made in Africa's capacity to keep the pandemic under control.
Since the start of the pandemic, Africa's capacity to manage COVID-19 cases has gradually improved, with the increased availability of trained health workers, oxygen and other medical supplies.
Despite the improvements, oxygen availability remains a concern, and a large majority of patients who require oxygen as part of their clinical treatment plan are unable to access it, warned the WHO.
"As we enter this new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must use the lessons learned over the past two years to strengthen our continent's health systems so that we are better prepared to handle future waves of the disease," noted Moeti.
To date, around 672 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been received in Africa, of which 65 percent were facilitated by COVAX, 29 percent via bilateral deals and 6 percent through the African Union's Vaccines Acquisition Trust, according to the WHO.
Though with a steady supply of doses flowing in, according to Moeti, Africa still lags behind on vaccination, as only about 11 percent of the adult population are fully vaccinated.
Moeti said that vaccine uptake, which is the "best defense" against the virus, needs to be "urgently" accelerated across the continent.
"We need to maintain the groundswell that we're now seeing in support of local manufacturing of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics. Increased access, and affordability, is the only solution to the vaccine inequity witnessed since the start of this pandemic," highlighted Moeti.
EU
Top European Union officials said on Wednesday low absorption of COVID-19 vaccines in African countries had become the main problem in the global vaccine rollout following a recent increase in supplies of jabs.
African nations have begun their vaccine campaigns much later than wealthier states which secured the initially limited doses starting in late 2020.
But in recent months supplies have increased exponentially, and many states have trouble absorbing them, with some, such as Congo and Burundi, having used less than 20 percent of available doses, according to figures from Gavi, a nonprofit global vaccine alliance.
"The problem seems no longer to be the level of donations," France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told a news conference in Lyon.
"The problem is absorption," he added at the end of a meeting of EU health and foreign ministers, which he chaired as France holds the rotating presidency of the EU.
EU diplomats said that vaccines' short shelf life, limited storage facilities, poor healthcare infrastructure and vaccine hesitancy were among the main reasons that hampered vaccination in Africa.
Separately, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU would increase spending to boost vaccinations in African states that were lagging behind.
"We have to make efforts to accelerate vaccinations, especially in African countries where vaccination rates are the lowest," she said at a conference in Dakar, Senegal.
She added the EU would spend 125 million euros ($143 million) to help countries train medical staff and administer doses, in addition to 300 million euros already committed for this purpose by the EU and its states.
Only about 10 percent of Africans have been immunized against COVID-19 so far.
A man puts a poster that reads "Liberty Convoy" on a van before leaving for Paris, in Bayonne, southwestern France, Feb 9, 2022. (BOB EDME / AP)
France
French "freedom convoy" motorists protesting against COVID-19 restrictions will be blocked from entering Paris, the French capital's police authority said on Thursday.
Protesters set out from southern France on Wednesday in what they call a "freedom convoy" that will converge on Paris and Brussels to demand an end to COVID-19 restrictions, inspired by demonstrators who have gridlocked the Canadian capital Ottawa.
Departures are expected from more cities across France on Thursday.
The Paris prefecture said the protesters would be prohibited from entering the capital from Feb 11-14, citing the risk of public disorder.
In Canada, horn-blaring demonstrations demanding an end to Canadian COVID-19 vaccine mandates for cross-border truck drivers are now spilling to key Canada-United States border crossings.
Copycat protests have also sprung up in Australia and New Zealand. Protesters waved the Canadian flag as France's "freedom convoy" got underway.
Motorists who violated the order not to protest within Paris risked two years in prison, a 4,500 euro fine and suspended driver's license, the prefecture cautioned.
Hungary
Russian and Chinese vaccines against COVID-19 are effective and safe, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said on Wednesday.
"It is crystal clear that the eastern vaccines used in Hungary are working well, they are safe and effective," Szijjarto said in a video posted on his Facebook page.
"Therefore, it is time for international organizations to make a professional and not a political decision on this issue," he said in the video, which was recorded at Budapest airport, before the minister left for Lyon, France.
Szijjarto hinted that he was referring to Russia's Sputnik V, and China's Sinopharm vaccines. Both are widely used in Hungary, but still not recognized by many other European Union member-states.
Hungary was the first EU member to recognize and use Chinese vaccines. Hungarian President Janos Ader and Prime Minister Viktor Orban have both received Chinese jabs.
Russia
Russia reported 197,076 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, a record daily high, as the Omicron variant, which accounted for 70 percent of detected infections, continued to spread across the country.
Russia also recorded 701 deaths in the past 24 hours, the government's coronavirus task force said.
Slovenia
Slovenia's Prime Minister Janez Jansa tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.
Jansa said on his Twitter account that self-tests showed that his two sons were positive yesterday, and he tested positive today.
"All classic symptoms. Mild ones for now. Let it stay that way," he tweeted.
Slovenia's daily number of COVID-19 cases fell to 5,076 on Tuesday from 11,119 a day before and the record 24,178 on Feb 1, the National Institute of Public Health said on Wednesday.
To date, only 57.8 percent of the country's 2.1-million population has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Spain
King Felipe VI of Spain has tested positive for COVID-19, the Royal Palace said Wednesday.
Following the rules established by the health authorities, the King will remain in isolation for 7 days.
Spain's Royal Palace
In a statement, the Royal Palace said the king tested positive on Wednesday morning after showing mild symptoms on Tuesday night.
"Following the rules established by the health authorities, the King will remain in isolation for 7 days. Therefore, his official activities planned during that period are suspended from this moment," it said.
The statement added that the king "is in good health," and will continue to work from his residence.
People visit one of Stockholm's busiest shopping streets on Feb 4, 2022, during the ongoing coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. (JOANTHAN NACKSTRAND / AFP)Sweden
Sweden scrapped almost all of its few pandemic restrictions on Wednesday and stopped most testing for COVID-19, even as the pressure on the healthcare systems remained high and some scientists begged for more patience in fighting the disease.
Sweden's government, which throughout the pandemic has opted against lockdowns in favor of a voluntary approach, announced last week it would scrap the remaining restrictions – effectively declaring the pandemic over – as vaccines and the less severe Omicron variant have cushioned severe cases and deaths.
As of Wednesday, bars and restaurants will be allowed to stay open after 11 pm again, and with no limits on the number of guests
"As we know this pandemic, I would say it's over," Minister of Health Lena Hallengren told Dagens Nyheter. "It's not over, but as we know it in terms of quick changes and restrictions it is," she said, adding that COVID would no longer be classified as a danger to society.
As of Wednesday, bars and restaurants will be allowed to stay open after 11 pm again, and with no limits on the number of guests. Attendance limits for larger indoor venues were also lifted, as was the use of vaccine passes.
READ MORE: Global virus response program hobbled by budget woes
Swedish hospitals were still feeling the strain, however, with around 2,200 people with COVID requiring hospital care, about the same as during the third wave in the spring of 2021. As free testing was reduced earlier this month and effectively stopped from Wednesday, no one knows the exact number of cases.
"We should have a little more patience, wait at least a couple of more weeks. And we are wealthy enough to keep testing," Fredrik Elgh, professor of virology at Umea University and one of the staunchest critics of Sweden's no-lockdown policy, told Reuters.
"The disease is still a huge strain on society," he said.
Sweden's Health Agency said this week that large-scale testing was too expensive in relation to the benefits. Sweden spent around 500 million Swedish crowns ($55 million) per week on testing for the first five weeks of this year and around 24 billion crowns since the start of the pandemic.
On Wednesday, Sweden registered 114 new deaths where the deceased was infected with the virus. In total, 16,182 people have died either of the virus or while infected by it. The number of deaths per capita is much higher than among Nordic neighbours but lower than in most European countries.
People wait to get their booster doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in a vaccination clinic set up at St Columba's Church in Sheffield on Dec 15, 2021 as the UK steps up the country's booster drive to fight a "tidal wave" of Omicron.
(OLI SCARFF / AFP)
UK
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Wednesday that he plans to remove all remaining COVID-19 restrictions in England a month earlier than planned.
Providing the current encouraging trends in the data continue, it is my expectation that we will be able to end the last domestic restrictions, including the legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive, a full month early.
Boris Johnson, British PM
Current COVID-19 restrictions were set to expire on March 24 but Johnson suggested rules could expire later this month.
"Providing the current encouraging trends in the data continue, it is my expectation that we will be able to end the last domestic restrictions, including the legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive, a full month early," the prime minister told MPs.
During this week's instalment of Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, the lower house of the British Parliament, Johnson said he would present the government's "Living with COVID" strategy when the Commons returns from its recess on Feb 21.
As of the end of last month, people with COVID-19 in England can end their self-isolation after five full days, as long as they test negative on day five and day six.
As of Tuesday, Britain had recorded 17,932,803 COVID-19 cases and 158,677 related deaths, according to official figures.
More than 91 percent of people aged 12 and above in Britain have had their first vaccine dose, over 84 percent have received both, and some 65 percent have received booster jabs.
US
The governors of New York and Massachusetts announced on Wednesday that they would end certain mask mandates in their states, joining a growing list of US state leaders planning to lift face-covering rules as the latest COVID-19 surge eases.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said her state would stop requiring people to wear a mask or prove they had received a COVID-19 vaccine when entering most indoor public places, starting on Thursday, thanks to a decrease in COVID cases and hospitalizations.
"This is what we have been waiting for, tremendous progress after two long years," Hochul, a Democrat, said at a news conference. "We're not done, but this is trending in a very, very good direction."
ALSO READ: Babies of mRNA-jabbed moms 'have antibodies at 6 months'
In New York City, the United States' most populous city, a requirement that people show proof of vaccination to enter restaurants, gyms, theaters and other indoor places will remain in effect for the time being, the office of Democratic Mayor Eric Adams said.
In Massachusetts, students, teachers and staff will no longer be required to wear masks in schools after Feb 28, Governor Charlie Baker told a news briefing on Wednesday.
New York state officials will decide whether to keep the state's school mask mandate in place during the first week of March, after students return from midwinter break. That decision will take into consideration case numbers, positivity rates and other factors, Hochul said.
Mask mandates will remain in effect in state-regulated healthcare and correctional facilities, according to Hochul.
Meanwhile, the US government is planning to roll out COVID-19 shots for children under the age of 5 as soon as Feb 21, according to a document from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The US Food and Drug Administration is considering authorizing the use of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine in the age group even though it did not meet a key target in a clinical trial of two- to four-year-olds.
According to the CDC document, the US government is planning to ship an initial 10 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to states and other entities before the end of February, should the FDA authorize their use.
There are about 18 million children aged between 6 months to 4 years in the United States, and there will be additional supply beyond the first 10 million doses, the CDC said.
