The essential
The United States has authorized a 3rd dose of Pfizer vaccine for the elderly or “at risk”.
The World Health Organization officially recommended this Friday a third treatment against Covid-19, the synthetic antibodies of Regeneron, under conditions.
■ Zurich: certificate obligation for hospital visits
From Monday, October 4, visitors to hospitals and nursing homes in the canton of Zurich will only be able to visit relatives with a valid certificate. This is what the Zurich government decided on Friday, indicates the NZZ. Employees of hospitals, nursing homes and home care organizations also need to be certified or tested regularly. The obligation is expected to remain in effect until January 24, 2022 and applies to people over 16 years of age.
■ The leader of the Austrian far right is offended that he is believed to be vaccinated
Herbert Kickl held up on television a medical certificate on Friday proving that he did not have Covid-19 antibodies, in order to “cut short the rumors” that he had been “vaccinated in secret”. The only opponent of vaccination at this level of responsibility, the head of the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) summoned the press to retort “a frontal attack on his credibility”.
According to him, a political opponent has spread the rumor that he has received an injection, contrary to what he has been saying publicly for months.
■ New daily death record in Russia
Russia recorded a new record of daily deaths due to Covid-19 on Friday.According to the daily toll provided by the Russian government’s crisis center, 828 people have died from the virus in the past 24 hours.
■ Faced with “strong demand”, the canton of Vaud is increasing its offer of tests
The October holidays are approaching, and the pressure is increasing. Canton of Vaud will increase its test offer screening at the Beaulieu center in Lausanne to cope with “high demand”. “He recommends to those who want a COVID certificate of person tested negative for travel to anticipate this need,” said the press release. Other reasons put forward to explain this strengthening of the system: the extension of the COVID certificate and the obligation to be tested after a stay abroad.
■ Cuba will reopen bars and restaurants, closed since January
Cuba’s bars and restaurants, closed since January due to the coronavirus, will gradually reopen from Friday in much of the country, authorities said. They highlight the good progress of the vaccination campaign.
This reopening of 533 public and private establishments responds to the “successful vaccination process” on the island, the Minister of Commerce, Betsy Diaz, explained on television. The idea is to “begin the reopening of gastronomic services gradually” in eight of the 15 Cuban provinces, said the governor of Havana, Reynaldo Garcia Zapata.
“It’s no secret that we need the reopening and economic recovery.” Cuba is experiencing its worst economic crisis since 1993, due to the absence of tourists and the strengthening of the American embargo.
■ WHO recommends antibodies to Regeneron, but only in certain cases
The World Health Organization officially recommended on Friday a third treatment against Covid-19, Regeneron’s synthetic antibodies, but only in certain specific cases.
According to an opinion of WHO experts published in the medical journal The BMJ, this treatment is recommended on the one hand in “patients with non-severe forms of Covid who are at high risk of hospitalization”, such as the elderly or those whose immune system is weakened (by cancer or after a organ transplant, for example). On the other hand, the treatment is recommended in patients with “severe or critical form and who are seronegative, that is to say who have not developed their own antibody response” despite the infection.
“For all other types of Covid-19 patients, the benefits of this antibody treatment are unlikely to be significant,” writes The BMJ in the press release accompanying this notice.
“Given the high cost and low availability of this treatment, (the international drug purchasing agency) Unitaid is negotiating with the Roche laboratory […] to achieve lower prices and equitable distribution across all regions, especially low and middle income countries, ”the WHO said in a separate statement.
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