The effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines fell below 20 percent a few months after vaccination, with booster shots seeing effectiveness drop below 30 percent. The review, published in the JAMA Network journal on May 3, analyzed 40 studies estimating vaccine effectiveness (VE) over time against laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection and symptomatic disease. The studies were selected from…
COVID-19 Vaccines Could Be Spurring Variants, Say Israeli and European Experts
Commentary In January, an Israeli Defence Forces Intelligence report (pdf) warned that Israel’s mass vaccination program could create an Israeli mutation that proved resistant to COVID-19 vaccines. Prepared for Coronavirus National Information and Knowledge Center, the report stated that “The mass vaccine campaign taking place parallel to the active outbreak in Israel may lead to…
Hong Kong Activates ‘Circuit Breaker’ for UK Passenger Flights Starting July 1
The Hong Kong government announced on June 28 that it would implement a regional flight “circuit breaker” for United Kingdom passenger flights arriving in Hong Kong starting July 1, due to a rise in variant cases of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. The restriction affects all civil aircraft from the UK and lists the…
Hong Kong’s 370,000 Foreign Domestic Helpers to Undergo Compulsory Testing for COVID Variants
Hong Kong has announced that all foreign domestic helpers in the city will undergo compulsory COVID testing after a Filipino woman and a newborn infant in her care tested positive for two virus mutations. The 39-year-old Philippino domestic helper had no travel history. She and the infant in her care were confirmed to be infected…
Saskatchewan Closes Restaurants, Issues Travel Advisory in Regina and Area
REGINA—Saskatchewan is tightening public-health measures in and around its capital city over concerns about the spread of COVID-19 variants. The province says a ban on household guests that was lifted two weeks ago is immediately back in place in Regina and surrounding communities. Starting Sunday, restaurants and bars will not be allowed to serve customers…
Chief Medical Adviser Says Health Canada Preparing for Quick Approval of Boosters
OTTAWA—Canada’s chief medical adviser says her department is constantly receiving and reviewing any data on vaccines and COVID-19 variants and will be ready to quickly authorize needed boosters when they’re available. But Dr. Supriya Sharma said the three vaccines authorized in Canada so far offer excellent protection and, along with public health measures, can help…
Trudeau Highlights Risk of More Infectious COVID-19 Variants Taking Root in Canada
OTTAWA—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says “rare exceptions” to new travel restrictions will be made on compassionate grounds, but that more contagious COVID-19 variants now taking hold in Canada mean tough rules must be implemented in the next few weeks. “Since the beginning of this pandemic there have been stories of funerals that haven’t been able…
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