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Covid live news: fourth wave hitting Germany with ‘full force’, Merkel warns; Belgium mandates working from home

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A woman wears a face mask as she passes by an empty terrace in the Marrolles quarter in Brussels, Belgium.
A woman wears a face mask as she passes by an empty terrace in the Marrolles quarter in Brussels, Belgium. Photograph: Olivier Matthys/AP
A woman wears a face mask as she passes by an empty terrace in the Marrolles quarter in Brussels, Belgium. Photograph: Olivier Matthys/AP

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That’s it from me, Samantha Lock, for today’s blog.

Please follow along with all our coronavirus coverage here.

Also feel free to send tips or suggestions to me at samantha.lock@theguardian.com or via Twitter @Samantha__Lock

I’ll be back with you shortly.

Summary

Here’s a quick summary of the latest headlines:

  • The US is set to boost vaccine manufacturing and produce at least a billion doses a year. The Biden administration is planning to dedicate billions of dollars to build up vaccine manufacturing in the US to produce at least a billion doses each year, in an effort to shore up global Covid-19 supply for poorer countries while also pre-empting future pandemics.
  • Europe is the only region with increasing Covid deaths, the World Health Organization reports. Covid deaths rose 5% in the last week as deaths in all regions other than Europe remained stable or declined, and totalled 50,000 worldwide last week. Of the 3.3 million new infections reported, 2.1 million came from Europe.
  • Sweden is introducing a digital Covid-19 vaccination certificate for public gatherings and events with more than 100 people indoors, authorities said Wednesday.
  • Spain has approved the use of a Covid-19 booster shot for people between 60-69 years old and for health workers, as part of an effort to combat an uptick in infections.
  • The Czech Republic and Slovakia both reported record daily new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, a day before the two European Union countries plan to approve new restrictions for unvaccinated people in response to rising infections.
  • A fourth Covid wave is hitting Germany with ‘full force’, Merkel says. Germany reported 52,826 new infections on Wednesday - up by a third from a week ago and another daily record, while 294 people died,
  • Belgium tightened its coronavirus restrictions, mandating wider use of masks in indoor settings and enforcing work from home, as cases rose in the country’s fourth Covid wave. The country has one of the highest cases per capita rates in the EU.
  • The UK reported another 38,263 Covid infections and a further 201 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.
  • Mandatory vaccine passports are set to be introduced in Northern Ireland.
  • Covid deaths have decreased 17% in the Americas over the past week, but the most populous countries like the US, Brazil and Colombia are seeing a levelling of new infections after weeks of declining trends, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said on Wednesday.
  • Hungary reported 10,265 new Covid-19 infections, its highest daily tally since the end of March.

A Florida man has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for collecting nearly $1m in Covid-19 relief funds after submitting more than 100 fraudulent applications for himself and others, AAP reports.

Leonel Rivero, 35, was sentenced in Miami federal court, according to court records. He previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud. He was also ordered to pay over $1m in restitution.

Rivero owned a tax-preparation business and submitted approximately 118 fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications on behalf of himself and his accomplices, according to the criminal complaint. Those loan applications sought a total of more than $2.3 million, and Rivero and his accomplices received approximately $975,582, investigators said.

It’s Samantha Lock back with you and taking over from my colleague Tom Ambrose.

As usual, a quick rundown of where Australia stands with Covid before I begin.

The state of NSW has recorded 262 new Covid-19 cases and 3 deaths over the latest reporting period.

Victoria’s daily case numbers have jumped back over the 1,000 mark, with 1,007 new infections recorded in the state. Sadly, 12 people infected with the virus have died.

Australia is also hoping a tourism campaign lures travellers from Singapore when two-way quarantine-free travel resumes between the two countries, AAP reports.

From Sunday, fully vaccinated Singaporeans can arrive in Australia without quarantining as long as they return a negative Covid-19 test.

Brazil registered 11,977 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, the country’s health ministry confirmed today.

It also recorded a further 373 Covid deaths in the last 24 hours.

A crowd of people at Grande Piscina in Favela de Ramos, as it is not mandatory to present proof of vaccination against Covid 19 here, in Rio De Janerio, Brazil. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Wales’ first minister has said there will be no changes to the nation’s Covid rules this week.

Mark Drakeford confirmed on Wednesday that restrictions would remain the same and the country would stay on alert level 0.

He thanked residents for helping to reduce record-high coronavirus case rates over the last three weeks.

But he warned of a fourth wave sweeping across Europe, and said extending the Covid Pass across the hospitality sector in future weeks remains an option should cases again soar.

Mark Drakeford, first minister of Wales, who has said there will be no changes to the nation’s Covid rules this week. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA

The case rate in Wales has fallen to 507.4 per 100,000 people, and is no longer the highest in the UK, having dipped slightly below Northern Ireland where the case rate is 509.2.

Drakeford said:

Three weeks ago we were facing a very serious situation in Wales but everyone has pulled together and cases have fallen back from those record high levels.

I want to thank everyone for their hard work and the steps they have taken to protect themselves and their loved ones. Saying yes to the vaccine and crucially to the booster remains an essential step to help keep Wales safe,” he added.

As we start to plan for Christmas we need to keep on working together to bring coronavirus under control. The pandemic hasn’t gone away – a fourth wave is sweeping across Europe, with many countries introducing stricter restrictions once again.

We will do everything we can to keep Wales open and to keep Wales safe. This means keeping the option of extending the use of the Covid Pass if cases rise again and pandemic pressures on the NHS increase, to help keep the hospitality sector open and trading through the busy festive period.

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In the United States, the White House says about 10% of eligible children aged 5 to 11 have received a dose of the Pfizer Covid vaccine since its approval for their age group two weeks ago.

At least 2.6 million kids have received a shot, White House Covid-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said on Wednesday, with 1.7 million doses administered in the last week alone, roughly double the pace of the first week after approval.

The Associated Press reported:

It’s more than three times faster than the rate adults were vaccinated at the start of the nation’s vaccination campaign 11 months ago.

Zients said there are now 30,000 locations across for kids to get a shot, up from 20,000 last week, and that the administration expects the pace of pediatric shots to pick up in the coming days.

Kids who get their first vaccine dose by the end of this week will be fully vaccinated by Christmas, assuming they get their second shot three weeks after the first one.

Alexandra Villarreal

The Biden administration is planning to dedicate billions of dollars to build up vaccine manufacturing in the US to produce at least a billion doses each year, in an effort to shore up global Covid-19 supply for poorer countries while also pre-empting future pandemics.

As part of a public-private partnership, the government will draw on knowledge from companies that already use mRNA technology to make vaccines. Its ambitious goal is to get to a point where the US can produce at least a billion doses each year starting around mid-2022, according to the New York Times, which first reported the news.

“This is about assuring expanded capacity against Covid variants and also preparing for the next pandemic,” David Kessler, who leads vaccine distribution for the White House, told the Times.

“The goal, in the case of a future pandemic, a future virus, is to have vaccine capability within six to nine months of identification of that pandemic pathogen, and to have enough vaccines for all Americans.”

Sajid Javid’s criticisms fuelling abuse of doctors, says GPs’ chief

Denis Campbell
Denis Campbell

Sajid Javid’s criticisms of how GPs work have fuelled a rise in verbal and physical attacks on them and their staff, the leader of Britain’s family doctors has claimed.

Dr Richard Vautrey said comments by the health secretary and NHS bosses, alongside negative coverage of GPs in some newspapers, had wrongly made the public think they were “hiding away” from patients, and exposed staff to abuse.

Vautrey, the outgoing chair of the British Medical Association’s GPs committee, made the claim in an interview with the Guardian before the union’s decision on Thursday about whether to press ahead with industrial action in protest at a government edict that GPs in England must see any patient face to face if requested.

Before the pandemic 80% of consultations in England were face-to-face. That fell dramatically on government and NHS orders when the Covid pandemic struck, though in recent months it has risen again to 60%.

Good evening, I’m Tom Ambrose and I will be bringing you the latest Covid news from home and abroad over the next couple of hours.

We start with the news that the Czech Republic and Slovakia both reported record daily new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, a day before the two European Union countries plan to approve new restrictions for unvaccinated people in response to rising infections.

Thousands in the capitals of both countries, Prague and Bratislava, used Wednesday’s anniversary of the 1989 anti-communist Velvet Revolution to rally against their government’s upcoming coronavirus restrictions.

The protesters ignored social distancing and didn’t wear masks. Police didn’t intervene in Prague. In Bratislava, police said two officers sustained injuries after the crowd near the seat of the government detonated fire crackers.

People form a human chain in support of political prisoners in Belarus during the commemoration of the 32nd anniversary of the 1989 Velvet Revolution in Prague, Czech Republic. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

The Czech daily tally soared to 22,479 new cases, eclipsing the previous record set 7 January by almost 5,000 and nearly 8,000 more than just a week ago. The country’s infection rate rose to 813 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past seven days, up from 558 a week earlier.

Lucy Campbell

That’s it from me for today. Thank you all so much for reading along, writing in and generally keeping me company. My colleague Tom Ambrose will be along shortly to continue our coronavirus coverage, and I’ll see you all again tomorrow.

Fourth Covid wave hitting Germany with 'full force', Merkel says

Germany’s coronavirus situation is dramatic, the chancellor Angela Merkel has said, calling for an extra push on vaccinations ahead of a crisis meeting with federal and regional leaders to agree on measures to curb a fourth wave of the virus.

Germany reported 52,826 new infections on Wednesday - up by a third from a week ago and another daily record, while 294 people died, bringing the total to 98,274, as the pandemic tightens its grip on Europe.

The surge in infections comes at an awkward time in Germany with the conservative Merkel acting in a caretaker capacity while three other parties negotiate to form a new government after an inconclusive September election.

Merkel said a national effort was needed and appealed to federal and regional leaders meeting on Thursday to introduce steps to trigger tighter restrictions based on the number of infected people being hospitalised in a week.

A draft of the document to be discussed and seen by Reuters sets out steps, including forcing people to show proof of vaccination or recovery or a negative Covid test on public transport and at work and imposing tighter restrictions for leisure activities.

In addition, financial aid for companies and individuals hit by the crisis could be extended by three months to the end of March 2022.

Merkel appealed to vaccine-sceptics to change their minds and called for a speedier distribution of booster shots.

Merkel told a congress of German city mayors:

The fourth wave is hitting our country with full force. The number of daily new infections is higher than ever before... and the daily death toll is also frightening.

It is not at all too late to decide for a first vaccination. If enough people get vaccinated that is the way out of the pandemic.

Only 68% of people in Europe’s most populous country are fully vaccinated - lower than the average in western Europe due to a tradition of vaccine hesitancy, while 5% of the population has had a booster shot.

The Social Democrats, Greens and Free Democrats, who aim to form the next government, will also propose measures to fight the pandemic in a draft law to go to parliament on Thursday.

That would replace emergency powers, due to end on 25 November, which provide a national legal framework for restrictions. Merkel’s conservatives want to extend these powers instead.

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