New Coronavirus News from 17 Nov 2021

On This Day: COVID-19 patient zero reportedly diagnosed in China in 2019 [The Jerusalem Post, 17 Nov 2021]

By AARON REICH

According to this report, which was widely cited by other media outlets though never independently confirmed, the first COVID-19 patient was an unidentified 55-year-old from China's Hubei province.

November 17, 2021, marks two years since the first human case of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was detected, essentially kicking off the pandemic that has spread worldwide and claimed millions of lives, according to local media reports.

Local newspaper The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported back in March 2020 that the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed on this day by Chinese authorities, weeks before the existence of COVID-19 was announced to the world. According to this report, which was widely cited by other media outlets though never independently confirmed, the first COVID-19 patient was an unidentified 55-year-old from China's Hubei province.

Hubei province is home to the city of Wuhan, which most experts agree was where the pandemic started.

The origin of the pandemic is still hotly contested around the world by researchers and politicians. Indeed, the November 17 diagnosis has yet to be independently confirmed.

However, a November-October origin seems likely, according to academic articles studying the SARS-CoV-2's sequenced cases.

Exactly how the virus spread and where it originated remains unclear, though it is widely accepted that it is a zoonotic disease originally found in bats, as are many coronaviruses.

A common belief of how the virus began spreading into humans was that it was the result of the Wuhan wet market, which sells live, exotic animals. Others have accused the Wuhan Institute of Virology of having been involved, though any concrete evidence supporting this claim has yet to be conclusively found.

Much of the uncertainty regarding the origin of COVID-19 and the early cases is due to the difficulty of getting reports from China. Many have accused Beijing of intentionally covering up the virus at first, as well as censoring information and silencing attempted whistleblowers.

What is clear is that by late December 2019, COVID-19 began spreading rapidly throughout China. Soon, it spread worldwide and was declared a global pandemic.

Two years later, the pandemic continues to circulate throughout the world, and has even mutated into several variants. A number of treatments and vaccines have been proposed, with some, like the Pfizer vaccine, seeing widespread use worldwide.

Over 254 million people have reportedly been infected with COVID-19, and the disease has also claimed over five million lives.

Key points: Italy's new plans to contain the Covid fourth wave [The Local Italy, 17 Nov 2021]

By Clare Speak

From extending the state of emergency to cutting the validity of health certificates, the Italian government is working on new measures aimed at stemming the Covid infection rate before Christmas - without resorting to business closures or lockdowns.

This week, Health Minister Roberto Speranza is putting two new proposed measures before the Council of Ministers, Italy’s government cabinet, for approval.

If they get the go-ahead as expected, this means a tightening of the rules around Italy’s ‘green pass’ Covid health certificate.

Ministers have repeatedly indicated that the government is unlikely to bring back new lockdowns or restrictions on travel and business openings like those seen last Christmas as all of Italy was placed under ‘red zone’ rules.

Instead, authorities are relying heavily on the green pass system and increased vaccination coverage to keep the spread of the virus in check.

Though infection and hospitalisation numbers have been steadily rising in Italy for weeks, the figures remain smaller in Italy than in many other parts of Europe and ministers continue to insist the fourth wave remains “under control” in the country.

Here’s a look at the measures the Italian government is – and isn’t – considering in order to keep the numbers down ahead of the Christmas holidays.

Mandatory vaccine boosters for health workers
The first of Speranza’s proposals would make third doses of an anti-Covid vaccine mandatory for healthcare workers.

The move comes after soaring infection rates were reported among doctors and nurses in particular over the past two months.

The uptick is thought to be partly explained by the fact medical staff were among the first to be vaccinated in early 2021 and may now have waning immunity.

Vaccination has been mandatory for all health workers in Italy since a law was passed in April, with those who refuse being reassigned to roles away from the public where possible or suspended without pay.

A new obligation to get a booster shot is expected to cover the same healthcare staff as Italy’s initial vaccine mandate, including those working in pharmacies and care homes.

The change is likely to come in from December, reports Italian newspaper La Repubblica, and health workers will have thirty days to comply.

Italian health authorities also aim to speed up the rollout of third doses to the general public, with Speranza announcing last week that boosters would be available to all over-40s from December.

On Monday, Health Undersecretary Andrea Costa reiterated that the ministry was still looking at making Covid vaccines obligatory for more groups, under plans the government has been considering since late summer.

Green pass validity cut
Speranza’s other proposal will cut the validity of Italy’s Covid-19 health certificate – the so-called green pass – from 12 to nine months for people who are vaccinated, including with a third dose.

This change is also expected to come in from December.

The pass is a requirement at all Italian workplaces as well as care homes, sports facilities, indoor leisure venues and some forms of public transport.

It is not yet known how the expiry date of passes will be changed, with La Repubblica suggesting that new QR codes may need to be sent out.

There was no word on whether the health ministry is also planning to cut the validity of passes issued following a negative test result, as reported in recent days by Italian media.

Reports speculate that the validity of PCR test results may also be cut from 72 to 48 hours, and those from the results of rapid testing will be reduced from 48 to 24 hours.

The issue of the validiity of green passes based on testing is partiuclarly contentious after the pass became a requirement at all workplaces in October.
Those who refuse to be vaccinated must now pay for a rapid test every 48 hours or face suspension from work.

There have also been calls from health experts to stop issuing the passes based on rapid test results, as these are less reliable than the results of a (more expensive) PCR test. So far however there is no indication that the government is planning to do this.

The health ministry has already made some adjustments to the green pass system this week in light of the rising infection rate: a new ordinance signed on Monday tightened the requirements for train and taxi passengers.

From this week, green passes must be checked before passengers board interregional trains rather than on board as was previously the case, and railway police have new powers to stop trains in order to remove passengers who don’t comply with the rules, as well as those who “exhibit symptoms associated with Covid-19”.

Other measures
For now, Speranza has only proposed two new additional measures. But, La Repubblica writes, “if the regions continue to push for further tightening, the ever more cautious minister certainly won’t be the one to block the strengthening of certain measures.”

However, while some further changes and extensions look likely in the coming weeks, other proposals have been ruled out.

State of emergency extension
Though Costa stated this week that the extension will be decided on nearer to the expiry date, it looks all but guaranteed that Italy’s state of emergency will be extended beyond the current deadline of December 31st, 2021.

Known as the stato di emergenza in Italian, the declaration of emergency status gives more power to the national government and regional authorities to bring in new laws rapidly in response to the changing health situation.

Without it, the conditions that allow authorities to enforce the green pass rules and other health measures decreed during the emergency will not exist past December 31st .

Italian media reports that the next extension would likely be for three or six months, though nothing has been confirmed by the government.

Christmas quarantine for arrivals from high-risk countries?
There are reports in Italian media on Wednesday that quarantine requirements in some form may be brought back over the Christmas holidays for people arriving in Italy from countries with high contagion rates.

La Repubblica says “quarantine for those arriving from Eastern [European] countries” is likely, or that “at least” current rules requiring a health pass proving testing, recovery or vaccination could be tightened

However, this change has not been announced or confirmed by any official source.

New lockdowns for the unvaccinated?
There is widespread speculation in Italian and international media this week that Italy could follow Austria’s example by bringing back partial lockdown measures like those seen last winter – but applying them only to those who are not vaccinated.

The speculation is based on statements made by some of Italy’s regional governors as well as some prominent politicians within the coalition government, including Italia Viva leader Matteo Renzi.

However, for now at least, this remains a political discussion rather than a government proposal.

Health undersecretary Costa confirmed on Tuesday that the “hypothesis of targeted lockdowns for unvaccinated people is very remote”, La Repubblica reported.

He added that this was not being considered “in the transition phase between white and yellow zones”.

News agency Ansa meanwhile reported on Wednesday that the Italian government has no intention of introducing restrictions that would only apply to unvaccinated people, citing unnamed sources within the government.

“No clampdown along the lines of the Austrian model is being studied,” the sources reportedly said.

Walter Ricciardi, an advisor to the health minister, said last week that Italy “doesn’t need” to follow Austria’s lead by implementing a lockdown for the unvaccinated “because the measures taken serve to keep the epidemic under control, as is happening.”

Now Italy goes into Covid panic mode - 7M unvaccinated face lockdown like Austria, Germany [Daily Express, 24 Aug 2021]

By MICHAEL CURZON

ITALY is considering following Austria and Germany in imposing what has been branded a "medical apartheid" by locking down its unvaccinated citizens.

The governors of five Italian sates, with a combined population of roughly 12.6 million, are backing restrictions which prevent unvaccinated citizens from living normal lives while allowing those who are fully vaccinated to live more freely. More than 8,500 Covid cases were reported across Italy on November 12, according to the Reuters Covid tracker – the highest figure recorded since early May 2021.

While the number of reported deaths remain relatively low, a number of state officials have argued that firm action should be taken now.

Governor Massimiliano Fedriga of Friuli-Venezia Giulia said: “Eventual new lockdowns should not have to be suffered by those who are vaccinated.

“Restrictions should only apply to those who are not immunised.”

The governors of Tuscany, Calabria, Liguria and Piedmont reportedly hold the same opinion.
Their demands come after the incoming German Social Democratic government announced that it is planning to lock down 14 million unvaccinated German citizens.

Their proposals will be put to parliament for approval on Thursday.

Around 7 million Italian citizens over the age of 12 have not been vaccinated against Covid.
Italians who have chosen not to receive a vaccine already face numerous restrictions not faced by their vaccinated counterparts.

In September, the Italian Government announced that all workers in both the private and public sectors would, from October 15, have to show a ‘Green Pass’ proving they had been vaccinated, tested or recently recovered from Covid or face having their pay stopped.

Italians must also show a "Green Pass" in order to enter restaurants, gyms and theatres.
Italy was the first country in Europe to introduce a partial lockdown in response to Covid in February 2020.

In an interview with the Times in December 2020, Professor Neil Ferguson admitted that Sage, the Government advisory group of which he is a member, initially believed lockdowns would only work in China and not in the west.

He told the paper: “[China is] a communist one party state, we said. We couldn’t get away with [lockdown] in Europe, we thought.

“And then,” he added, “Italy did it. And we realised we could.”

If Italy chooses to enforce a lockdown on the unvaccinated, it won’t have been the first country to have done so in Europe but it could still influence powerful minds in the UK.

The UK pressure group Independent Sage recently urged the Government to impose its winter ‘Plan B’ immediately.

This would see the introduction of vaccine passports, as well as the re-introduction of work from home guidelines and face mask mandates.