Pfizer Curbs Severe Covid; Olympics Opening: Virus Update - Bloomberg

Pfizer Inc.’s vaccine appears to be less effective in halting the spread of the delta strain, though it shields well against severe illness, Israeli government data show.

Germany is easing travel rules for people arriving from the U.K., Portugal and other nations, while three more islands in Thailand are preparing to welcome fully inoculated tourists. Sydney’s outbreak of the delta-variant is raising concern Australia’s most-populous city may need to extend its two-week lockdown beyond Friday. The Australian Grand Prix Formula One race planned for November has been canceled, the Associated Press reported.

Several cities in the Philippine capital region, including Makati City, have halted their first-dose vaccination programs as supply from the national government runs out. Japan is planning to hold the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics without fans as government ministers meet to discuss virus containment steps, local newspapers reported.

Key Developments:

Taiwan Mulls Partially Easing Dining From July 13 (3 p.m. HK)

The Taiwan government is planning to partially ease restrictions to let people dine in restaurants, allowing people’s lives to gradually return to normal with the pandemic development under control, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said at briefing.

Covid-19 cases are easing in the Taipei area, allowing Taiwan to gradually move toward reopening from July 13 with good prevention measures. A final decision depends on how the pandemic develops by July 12.

Japan’s Moderna Supply Misses Target (2:51 p.m. HK)

Japan’s Covid vaccine minister, Taro Kono, said that the supply of Moderna vaccines through end-June was cut by about 60% to 13.7 million doses from an initial target of 40 million, the Mainichi newspaper reported.

The government discussed issue with Moderna before May’s Golden Week holiday, when surging global demand for the vaccine was cited as a reason. The missed doses will arrive by the of September, leaving Japan’s plan to import 50 million shots unchanged.

S. Korea, Israel Sign Vaccine Deal (1:43 p.m. HK)

South Korea signed a vaccine swap deal with Israel to receive about 700,000 doses of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine, South Korea’s Disease Control & Prevention Agency says.

The vaccines, which expire July 31, will arrive at Incheon airport on July 7. As part of the deal, Israel will receive an identical number of Pfizer vaccine from Korea in September through November.

Three Thai Islands to Welcome Tourists (1:12 p.m. HK)

Samui, Phangan and Tao islands in Thailand’s Surat Thani province are preparing to welcome fully inoculated foreign tourists from July 15, following the reopening of resort island Phuket.

89,000 people on the three islands, or about 71% of the total population, have been vaccinated, according to Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, secretary to the minister at the prime minister’s office

Germany Eases Travel Rules for U.K., Portugal (1:09 p.m. HK)

Germany will from Wednesday no longer designate nations including the U.K. and Portugal as virus variant areas, lifting a requirement for all inbound travelers -- including those fully vaccinated -- to quarantine for 14 days.

The RKI public-health institute updated its list of variant countries late Monday, also removing Russia, India and Nepal. Still on the list are nations including Brazil, South Africa and Uruguay.

India Records Fewest Cases Since March (1:07 p.m. HK)

India recorded its lowest tally of confirmed cases in a day since March 17 when the delta-driven second wave started gripping the nation, overwhelming hospitals and crematoriums.

The country added 34,703 cases Tuesday, taking the total to 30.6 million. It has administered 357.6 million vaccine shots so far as it races to avert subsequent waves. Covid-related casualties rose by 553 in a day to 403,281, according to latest data by the Indian Health Ministry.

Hong Kong Eyes Singapore Covid Strategy (12:18 p.m. HK)

Hong Kong will assess Singapore’s new Covid-19 strategy as the two sides try to revive a quarantine-free travel corridor that was initially planned to open last November.

“We need to understand more about that new strategy and whether it will have any impact on the arrangements that we have devised,” Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said at a briefing when asked about the so-called travel bubble. “The situation is very stable on both sides, so this is something that we will be working very closely on.”

Singapore is set to loosen restrictions on activities such as dining out next week as its vaccination rate improves, and more opportunity for travel could open up further down the line. The country plans to have two-thirds of its population of almost 6 million fully vaccinated by Aug. 9.

Japan Ministers Meet to Discuss Virus Steps (11:04 a.m. HK)

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will meet with relevant ministers on Tuesday to discuss whether enhanced virus steps in Tokyo and other areas will be extended, broadcaster TBS reported.

Proposals being considered include extending enhanced virus measures by as much as about 1 month to cover the entire duration of the Tokyo Olympics. Given that cases are rising in Tokyo and other areas, ending the virus measures as scheduled on July 11 isn’t an option, TBS says, citing an administration official. Expert panel is expected to make decision Thursday.

Indonesia to Import Oxygen From Neighbors (10:47 a.m. HK)

Indonesia is preparing to import liquid oxygen from neighbors to meet surging need as the country struggles with a spike in coronavirus infections.

Producers Linde Group, Air Products and Chemicals Inc., Air Liquide SA and Iwatani Corp are ready to ship liquid oxygen to the country from facilities in Singapore and Malaysia, which would take one week to arrive, Fridy Juwono, director for upstream chemicals at the Industry Ministry, said by phone on Tuesday.

China’s Ruili Reports Three Cases (9:54 a.m. HK)

China’s southwestern city of Ruili that borders Myanmar reported three more local confirmed Covid-19 cases and two asymptomatic cases on Tuesday, local authorities said.

The three confirmed cases are Burmese, detected in the city’s ongoing mass testing, local health authorities said, adding their diseases are mild. The latest outbreak came as neighboring Myanmar is extending curbs to control rising infections driven by variants. China rushed to vaccinate the majority of people in the city of 300,000 residents after a local outbreak occurred in March.

Philippine Cities Halt Shots on Supplies (9:46 a.m. HK)

Several cities in the Philippine capital region halted their first-dose vaccination programs as supply from the national government runs out.

Makati City, home to the nation’s main financial district, said the scheduled inoculation of frontline workers receiving the vaccine for the first time won’t push through on Tuesday. It also shut several vaccination sites in malls and schools, the city government said on Facebook.

Paranaque, Caloocan and Valenzuela cities have also stopped first-dose vaccinations as they await for additional supplies, while Malabon and Muntinlupa announced they will no longer entertain walk-ins.

Australia Herd Immunity Threshold Seen Rising (8:46 a.m. HK)

Australia needs to vaccinate at least 85% of the population to achieve herd immunity, a James Cook University researcher said in a statement Monday.

“Herd immunity has become more difficult to achieve with the delta variant, as it is both more infectious and less amenable to vaccination,” said Emma McBryde, professor of infectious diseases epidemiology and modelling.

If vaccine coverage was directed at the most infectious age groups, Australia could achieve herd immunity by vaccinating 75% of the population. However this may not be realistic, because it would require nearly 100% uptake in the 20-to-60-year age groups, she said. “We have also shown that even without herd immunity, vaccinated people are protected against severe disease and much less likely to be hospitalized or die,” McBryde said.

Researchers Plea for Science, Not Speculation (8:32 a.m. HK)

The strongest, most credible evidence indicate SARS-CoV-2 evolved in nature, and suggestions of a laboratory leak aren’t backed by scientific evidence, scientists wrote in a letter to the Lancet Monday.

In a follow up to a February 2020 letter to the medical journal, two dozen physicians, veterinarians, epidemiologists, virologists, biologists, ecologists, and public health experts said science, not speculation, is essential to determine how the pandemic began.

“Allegations and conjecture are of no help,” wrote the authors, who include Rita Colwell, Peter Daszak, Christian Drosten, Jeremy Farrar and Juan Lubroth. “It is time to turn down the heat of the rhetoric and turn up the light of scientific inquiry if we are to be better prepared to stem the next pandemic, whenever it comes and wherever it begins.”

Japan to Open Olympics Without Fans (7:39 a.m. HK)

The Japanese government is planning to hold the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics without fans, giving up earlier plans to have spectators at the July 23 event, the Asahi newspaper reported, citing several unidentified government officials.

IOC committee members, sponsors and other officials will be allowed to attend the ceremony, but the government will attempt to further downsize the number. Venues with capacity of 10,000 people or more will be banned from having spectators as well as games scheduled later than 9 p.m.

Pfizer Shot Curbs Severe Illness in Israel (12:30 p.m. NY )

Pfizer’s vaccine appears to be less effective in halting the spread of the delta strain, though it remains highly effective at preventing severe illness, according to data from Israel’s government.

The shot protected 64% of people against Covid between June 6 and early July, down from 94% between May 2 and June 5, the Ynet news website reported, citing Health Ministry numbers. At the same time, the vaccine’s efficacy at keeping people who get infected out of the hospital in that period slipped only slightly, to 93% from 98%.

U.K. Plans to End Social Distancing (12:07 p.m. NY)

Circles marked out for social distancing gin the Canary Wharf district in London, April 2021.

Photographer: Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced plans to end social distancing and capacity limits at venues in England from July 19, saying that people must learn to live with coronavirus.

Face masks will be made voluntary in all settings and the government will no longer instruct people to work from home, in a decisive shift from legal requirements to personal responsibility. All remaining businesses will be allowed to open, including nightclubs, and none will be required to demand any proof of vaccination or testing before entry.

The final decision will be still need to be confirmed on July 12.

Luxembourg Premier Remains Hospitalized (10:40 a.m. NY)

Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel will remain hospitalized for a second day after testing positive over a week ago, just days after attending a summit with European Union counterparts.

Bettel’s condition “is serious, but stable,” his government said.

Xavier Bettel

Photographer: Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu/Bloomberg

— With assistance by Jonas O Bergman, Jason Gale, Jeff Sutherland, Malavika Kaur Makol, and Iain Rogers

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