Covid-19 vaccinations in Africa may not start before mid-2021, top public health official says
From CNN’s Bethlehem Feleke in Nairobi and Brent Swails in Johannesburg
Vaccinations against Covid-19 might not start in Africa until the middle of next year, the head of the continent’s disease control group said on Thursday.
“We are very concerned as a continent that we will not have access to vaccines in a timely fashion,” the director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. John Nkengasong, said at a news conference, adding “I have seen how Africa is neglected when drugs are available” in the past.
Nkengasong said the goal was to vaccinate 60% of the continent’s population to achieve herd immunity.
Call for leadership: The World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement Thursday that their new analysis has found that Africa is far from ready for what will be the continent’s largest ever immunization drive and urged African countries to urgently ramp up readiness.
According to WHO data, just 24% of countries surveyed have adequate resource and funding plans, and just under half have “identified the priority populations for vaccination and have plans in place to reach them.”
“Planning and preparation will make or break this unprecedented endeavor, and we need active leadership and engagement from the highest levels of government with solid, comprehensive national coordination plans and systems put in place,” Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa, was quoted saying in the statement.
Vaccine drive will cost billions: WHO estimates the cost of rolling out a Covid-19 vaccine on the African continent to priority populations will be around $5.7 billion. The figure does not include additional costs of up to 20% extra for injection materials and the delivery of vaccines, which require trained health workers, supply chain and logistics and community mobilization.
A Toronto restaurant owner was arrested after allegedly continuing to violate public health orders
From CNN’s Mirna Alsharif
A Toronto restaurant owner was arrested Thursday after continuing to violate public health orders, officials said.
Adam Skelly, who owns Adamson Barbecue, is being charged with one count each of attempting to obstruct police, mischief, failing to comply with a continuing order and failing to leave when directed.
The restaurant was seized by the Toronto Police Service Thursday morning, the locks were changed and all persons were restricted from access to the premises, said Toronto police.
Toronto Mayor John Tory said he believes Skelly is making a political statement.
“He had a lot of the anti-mask people there,” Tory told CNN on Thursday. “It was like it was a festival they were having to try and celebrate some of their unorthodox views.”
“But I think the vast majority of people don’t accept that. They’re trying hard to make the sacrifices that are terrible in some cases to make sure we can all get healthy,” said Tory, adding that he believes Skelly will “face huge fines” if convicted.
Tighter restrictions: Toronto began a four-week lockdown this week amid an exponential rise in Covid-19 cases and as ICUs near capacity. All dining, non-essential shopping, salons and gyms have been ordered closed.
And on Thursday, Toronto’s mayor told CNN he wasn’t ruling out an extension of the lockdown to last through Christmas and New Year’s.
England coronavirus tiers to be reviewed in December, housing secretary says
From CNN’s Nada Bashir in London
Local authorities across England could see their coronavirus risk category de-escalated before Christmas as part of a mid-December review period, UK Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said on Friday.
“At that point we — advised by the experts — will look at each local authority area in the country and see whether they should remain in their existing tier or whether there is potential to move down the tiers,” Jenrick said in an interview with Sky News.
“There are a number of places which were quite finely balanced judgements, where they were on the cusp of different tiers, so those are the places which are perhaps more likely to be in that position.”
But Jenrick cautioned that any adjustments to local tiers would require careful consideration, highlighting the potential for local infection rates to rise over the holiday period.
“There will be an opening over the Christmas period which is likely to drive some higher rates of infection, if some people choose to meet family and friends for Christmas Day and the days surrounding it, so we have to bear that in mind,” Jenrick said.
“What we don’t want to do is ease up too quickly and then find that in January we’re having to put tiers back in place again,” he added.
The updated tier system includes tougher restrictions. London will be placed in the tier 2 “high alert” risk category, while cities including Greater Manchester, Birmingham, Leicester and Bristol will be placed in the highest tier 3 “very high alert” category.
A review of the national tier system is expected to take place on or around Dec. 16
Japan reports more than 2,500 new Covid-19 cases
From CNN’s Junko Ogura in Tokyo
Japan recorded 2,509 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday — the country’s second highest daily increase of new cases since the pandemic began.
The Health Ministry also reported 29 new deaths from the virus.
Thursday’s figures bring Japan’s total to 140,203 cases and 2,064 deaths.
Of the new cases, 481 were from the capital Tokyo.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga asked for the public’s cooperation over the next three weeks to stem a resurgence in coronavirus infections.
“The next three weeks are crucial,” Suga said. “We would like to ask all people to take basic precautions to prevent the spread of infection, such as wearing masks, washing hands and avoiding closed, crowded and closed-contact settings.”
Suga added that the government has asked restaurants and bars to shorten their business hours in Tokyo, Sapporo, Osaka and Nagoya.
“We, as a nation, will continue to support all businesses that cooperate,” he said.
North Korean state propaganda describes home schooling during the pandemic
From CNN’s Gawon Bae in Seoul, South Korea
North Korea’s propaganda website Uriminzokkiri has published a personal account of a Pyongyang resident describing her son’s homeschooling, as the country endures “the lingering emergency anti-epidemic campaign.”
“When the doorbell rang, and a familiar voice asked, ‘Is anyone home?’ my son and granny ran to open the door as if they were expecting someone,” the resident is quoted as saying. “The person who walked in smiling was my son’s primary school home teacher.”
The article explains that teachers visit their students every three days. “Where there are students, this holds true for any district, ward and unit,” the resident says.
On Nov. 20, state-run news agency KCNA announced the creation of “new efficient educational method” for students to improve self-study and practical abilities in education through tele-lectures and home study in light of “the lingering emergency anti-epidemic campaign.”
According to state media, North Korea’s “Pedagogical Institute” devised the tele-education program, which various primary, junior and senior middle schools in Pyongyang have adopted. The program reportedly allows students to receive lectures at home via computers and TVs.
Some context: North Korea has repeatedly claimed it is free of the coronavirus. In a speech last month its leader Kim Jong Un said he was thankful for the country not having a single Covid-19 case.
But last Sunday, the country called for stricter border control and anti-virus control measures amid the worsening pandemic, according to the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Worker’s Party of Korea.
India cricket captain Virat Kohli explains long paternity leave is due to Covid-19 quarantines
From CNN’s Vedika Sud in New Delhi
India’s national cricket captain, Virat Kohli, has hit back at criticism of his decision to take lengthy paternity leave from his team’s ongoing tour to Australia for the birth of his first child.
Speaking in a news conference via video link on Thursday, Kohli explained that he will be subject to two quarantines when he travels home after the first test match of India’s first overseas series since the start of the pandemic.
Kohli said his travel dates were “purely based on the fact that we have a quarantine period both ways.”
The top-order batsman added that the decision had been made with the support of the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) selection committee.
“And I wanted to be back home in time to be with my wife for the birth of our first child. It’s a very, very special and very, very beautiful moment in our lives and something I truly want to experience. So that was the reason behind my decision,” he said in his address, posted on the BCCI’s Twitter account.
Why the controversy? Earlier this month, Indian cricket officials announced that Kohli would miss the final three test matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. It’s been a talking point in India ever since, with some even questioning Kohli’s patriotism.
There has, however, been immense support for the Indian skipper’s decision from former cricketers, international players and fans.
The birth of Kohli’s first child with his wife, Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, is expected in January.
South Korea’s military bases on second highest Covid-19 alert
From CNN’s Gawon Bae in Seoul
South Korea’s Defense Ministry has increased social distancing restrictions in all its military bases to Level 2.5 — the second highest stage — after a coronavirus cluster was detected at a training center for new recruits, according to a Korea Disease Control Agency (KDCA) news release.
As of Thursday, the KDCA has detected 68 cases in the cluster. The Level 2.5 restrictions will stay in place until Dec. 7.
Under these restrictions:
- All vacation and off-base travel will be suspended
- Religious services will be conducted online
- Face-to-face meetings and events are banned; private meetings are restricted for officers
- Indoor programs will have a limited cap for new recruits
- Only essential outdoor drills will be held under the decision of a general-grade commander
The government will also secure a residential treatment center within military facilities to prevent additional infections, said Health Ministry spokesperson Son Young-rae.
US reports more than 110,000 new Covid-19 cases
From CNN’s Alta Spells in Atlanta
The United States recorded 110,611 new coronavirus cases and 1,232 new virus-related deaths on Thursday, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
That brings the country’s total to at least 12,883,264 cases and 263,455 deaths.
The totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases.
See CNN’s live tracker:
Germany tops 1 million coronavirus cases
From CNN’s Maija Ehlinger
Germany recorded 22,806 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours to bring its total number of cases past 1 million, according to the Robert Koch Institute, the country’s disease control and prevention agency.
The country also recorded 426 new deaths, the RKI reported on Friday. That marks the highest single-day jump in Covid deaths since the pandemic began.
That brings Germany’s total to 1,006,394 cases and 15,586 virus-related deaths.
This comes one day after German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that coronavirus restrictions and a partial national lockdown will last until Dec. 20, but could be extended into 2021.
