Breaking News: U.K. citizens sent in their residency application in record numbers to New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea but applications disapprove because they all checked the NO box when asked if you will wear a face mask to help minimize hospitalizations / ICUs of Covid-19. sarcasm wrbtrader
Japan is struggling pretty hard too today. Japan poised for state of emergency as Covid-19 cases soar Tokyo (CNN)Japan may enter a state of emergency this week as the country grapples with soaring coronavirus cases, a number of which have been linked to a new, potentially more infectious variant. Speaking at a New Year press conference Monday, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said an emergency declaration was being considered, and would apply to Tokyo and the three neighboring prefectures of Chiba, Saitama and Kanagawa. The governors of all four regions have all urged Suga to do so already, as cases rise. ============================ Even South Korea needs to watch its arse and not get uppity. Despite their considerable success they could slip into the shiiter too if they are not careful. South Korea, once hailed as early COVID success, sees spike in cases South Korea had seemed to be winning the fight against the coronavirus: Quickly ramping up its testing, contact-tracing and quarantine efforts paid off when it weathered an early outbreak without the economic pain of a lockdown. But a deadly resurgence has reached new heights during Christmas week, prompting soul-searching on how the nation sleepwalked into a crisis. The 1,241 infections on Christmas Day were the largest daily increase. Another 1,132 cases were reported Saturday, bringing South Korea's caseload to 55,902. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-19-cases-surge-south-korea/
Some folks have been asserting that the COVID lockdowns would cause an economic downturn much worse than 2008/2009. Globally this has turned out not to be true... Germany's recession wasn't as bad as 2009 https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/14/economy/germany-pandemic-gdp/index.html Germany's economy held up better in the pandemic than it did during the global financial crisis, despite a second wave of lockdowns in the fourth quarter and the reversal of more than a decade's growth in employment and trade. The country's Federal Statistics Office on Thursday forecast a 5% contraction in the economy in 2020 compared to the previous year, based on provisional GDP estimates. By comparison, Europe's biggest economy shrank 5.7% in 2009 during the recession that followed the financial crisis, it said in a statement. Nearly all major sectors with the exception of construction suffered a decline last year. Spending by households tumbled and business investment shrank the most since the financial crisis. Exports and imports of goods and services decreased for the first time since 2009, shrinking 9.9% and 8.6% respectively. But the shallower than expected drop in GDP demonstrates the value of Germany's industrial backbone, which makes it less reliant on services and consumption than countries such as the United States, United Kingdom,France, Italy and Spain. "Apparently, strength in the export-oriented manufacturing sector offset the effects of the lockdown," Commerzbank chief economist Jörg Krämer wrote in a note to clients on Thursday. The German government shut restaurants, bars and clubs for the second time from the beginning of November in an attempt to curb a rise in coronavirus cases. Non-essential shops, services and schools were shuttered in the middle of December and remain closed. "Germany's outperformance reflects its comparatively light lockdown during the first wave of Covid-19, low share of tourism and hospitality in the economy, strong export sector, and generous fiscal support," added Capital Economics chief economist, Andrew Kenningham. The German government approved a stimulus package worth €130 billion ($158 billion) in June to stabilize the economy and kickstart the recovery. It has also kept unemployment under control thanks to short-time work programs— subsidized by the state — that allow companies to reduce employees' hours and wages. The pandemic brought job creation to an abrupt end after 14 years of uninterrupted growth, according to the statistics agency. Germany shed 477,000 jobs out of 44.8 million in 2020, lifting the unemployment rate to 4%. That's a far cry from the United States, where millions of workers remain unemployed and the unemployment rate was at 6.7% in December. The near term outlook for Germany's economy is less encouraging, however. Lockdown restrictions remain in place and German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned this week that they may not be eased for several weeks. "While it currently looks as if the German economy avoided a black eye in the final quarter of 2020, it is hard to see how it can perform the same magic again in the first quarter," Carsten Brzeski, global head of macro economic research at ING, wrote in a note. "Economic activity is likely to decline again in the first quarter," added Kenningham. "While manufacturers should continue to benefit from strong external demand, the scope for catch-up growth will decline as output gets closer to its pre-pandemic level." Still, economists expect GDP to pick up strongly once vaccines are more widespread and warmer weather means people spend more time outdoors, where the virus is less easily spread. Lockdowns have also boosted domestic savings, which could juice the economy further if households spend some of the extra money, said Commerzbank's Krämer. That should allow German GDP to return to its pre-pandemic level by the final quarter of 2021, six to nine months before the wider European economy, Kenningham added.
Interesting movement... 'ZeroCovid' campaigners urge Europe-wide shutdown Europe needs a "radical" shutdown, including industry and schools, to bring coronavirus infections down to zero, say petitioners in Germany and Austria. https://www.dw.com/en/zerocovid-campaigners-urge-europe-wide-shutdown/a-56230732 A petition to impose a hard lockdown across Europe gained rapid momentum on Thursday. The "ZeroCovid" petition, launched in Berlin and Vienna before dawn, had drawn 17,000 signatures by late Thursday as campaigners declared Europe's one year of patchy efforts since the pandemic's outbreak as "failed." "Thousands of people die every day, even more get infected," wrote campaigners, who said Europe's "enormous wealth" held by a "few individuals" should assist people on low incomes via a "covid-solidarity fee on high estates." Instead of trying to "flatten the curve" depicted in infection statistics, the "radical" goal of reaching zero required a "proper shutdown of the economy," they said, urging all European nations to "act swiftly and at the same time." "Shutdown means: we reduce our direct contacts to a minimum — also at our places of work", said petitioners, adding: "schools must be closed," with tuition online and labor unions focused on solidarity during the "short" pause. Protecting health and democratic rights was "no contradiction," they insisted, saying once case numbers were low, local outbreaks must be contained "energetically." The petitioners, including medics, intellectuals and activists prominent on other issues such as climate change and refugees, cited the End Coronavirus campaign begun in Britain early last year and a call made by European scientists via the Lancet magazine in mid-December. Those scientists' message was: "break" the wave through stringent restrictions, avoiding a third wave through "testing, contact tracing, isolation," coupled with vaccinations. Likewise, "ZeroCovid" campaigners said wages needed to be raised for health and care work, asserting that "profit-oriented" clinics endangered common health and urging that vaccine production shift into the public realm as "a global common." Among the Berlin-based first signatories, philosopher and author Bini Adamczak told the leftist newspaper TAZ: "We have to get away from the lurching course in which governments always react to predictable things — only after the fact." "The measures that are then adopted restrict life just as severely, but then have to remain in place longer in order to have an effect," she said. TAZ readers' reactions ranged Thursday from "we should have throttled the first wave [in March, April] even longer" through to an incredulous rejection of campaign-sought expropriations "and whatever else stands on the list." Germany's Protestant church news agency EPD maintained Thursday that "zero Covid" containment drives over the past year in Australia and New Zealand had led to successes — attributed to closed borders, tracing and rigorous social distancing. Amid 93 million cases of infection worldwide and nearly 2 million deaths over the past year, Australia's toll stood at 909 deaths and New Zealand's at 25 deaths in total, according the Johns Hopkins registry in the United States. In Berlin, the Robert Koch Institute early on Thursday notified 1,244 coronavirus-related deaths, Germany's highest daily toll. (Tweets and video at above article url)
I mean you can’t make this shit up. Lockdown in UK starts on Halloween. Anti science morons celebrate 2 weeks later. While deaths continue to skyrocket all through lockdown. Scream it from the mountaintops: YOUR LOCKDOWNS DO NOT WORK Fucking morons.
For all the bogus talk of the European Union handling the Corona Virus better than the US, it is all bunk. Taken collectively, how many European Union people have died from Corona Virus? Way more than the US but, corrupt and liar extreme liberal media continues to promote the fallacy that the US botched the US Corona Virus response. We did not. What happened is bureaucrats in the CDC spread lies after lies resulting in disinformation of what is actually, the truth. Remember Dr. Fauci telling people not to use masks? On top of that, they told people to use cloth masks, without filters? What is the filtration rate on that? 50% or less? So, people went out and ran errands and placed their lives in danger because of the misinformation about masks in particular. Not all masks are the same. Duh. Even now, how many understand that cloth masks probably, give you a false sense of security while, actually, giving you very little protection because of the gap around your nose where the Corona Virus airborne can enter your mouth and nose? You need a KN95 mask (Powecom brand) based on tests conducted by an engineer as to efficacy, at 95% filtration rate. Not 100% but, better than your average cloth masks out there for sale.
Let's see the EU has reported 401 535 deaths with a population of 446 Million (90 deaths per 100,000) The U.S. has 393,00 deaths with a population of 331 Million. (119 deaths per 100,000) Obviously Europe is doing better coping with COVID than the U.S. from a death rate perspective. BTW the total U.S. number of COVID deaths is expected to exceed Europe's shortly in mid-February.
Germany to hold people who refuse to quarantine in detention centers... Germany to repurpose refugee camps to detain people who repeatedly flout Covid rules by going out when they should be quarantining Germans who don't quarantine to be held in detention centres under Covid rules State of Saxony has confirmed plans to hold rule-breakers in a refugee camp Baden-Württemberg will use two hospital rooms under watch of German police Schleswig-Holstein will use an area within a juvenile detention centre https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ople-refuse-quarantine-detention-centres.html Germans who refuse to quarantine after being exposed to Covid will be held in detention centres under new rules prepared by regional authorities. The eastern state of Saxony has confirmed plans to hold quarantine-flouters in a fenced-off section of a refugee camp set to be build next week. The regional state claimed that the facility will only be used for people who have repeatedly flouted lockdown rules around self-isolation. Baden-Württemberg in south-west Germany will use two hospital rooms to detain repeat offenders, who will be guarded by police. In Brandenburg, authorities will detain a section of a refugees centre, while Schleswig-Holstein will use an area within a juvenile detention centre. Legal experts told Die Welt that state governments have powers to detain people for breaching quarantine rules under the Disease Protection Act, passed by the German Bundestag last March and renewed in November. The plan has been widely criticised, with AfD MP Joana Cotar accused the Saxony government of 'reading too much Orwell'. German authorities have come under fire for their management of the pandemic, with proposals to impose national vaccine mandates in a bid to control the virus branded 'social dynamite' by opposition figures. It comes as Chancellor Angela Merkel considers imposing a 'mega-lockdown' and suspending public transport after sparking a public backlash in the UK by calling 'mutant' Covid the 'British virus'. Mass-selling newspaper Bild reported Ms Merkel wants to effectively shut down the country almost totally, amid a general fear of the fast=spreading variant of coronavirus first detected in southern England. Countries in Europe are bracing themselves for the impact of the new variant of Covid-19, which has caused daily cases to drastically increase in the UK, driving up the number of hospitalisations, and ultimately deaths. In neighbouring France, the government is expected to announce new restrictions on Thursday, also amid fears of the UK variant, but unlike some of its neighbours a full lockdown appears off the agenda for now. (More at above url)
Dutch gov't proposes first curfew since World War Two, flight bans https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-netherlands-idUSKBN29P170 The Dutch government on Wednesday proposed the first nationwide curfew since World War Two and a ban on flights from South Africa and Britain in its toughest moves yet to limit the spread of new coronavirus mutations in the Netherlands. Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the curfew must be approved by parliament, which is set to debate measures against the coronavirus on Thursday. The flight ban, which Rutte said also will apply to all South American countries, will begin on Saturday. The curfew was expected to take effect this weekend, he said. “This is a very tough measure, but we are at a crossroads,” Rutte said in a televised news conference. “The British variant doesn’t leave us with an alternative.” The curfew would allow only people with pressing needs to leave their homes between 8:30 p.m. and 4:30 a.m. local time, Rutte said. Exceptions include medical emergencies, people who need to be outdoors to carry out essential jobs and walking of pets on a leash. Violators can be fined 95 euros ($115). “It is tough and it feels as if it is only getting tougher. But that is precisely why it is important that we not only look at the restrictions of today, but also how if we take sensible steps now, we will be able ease restrictions sooner.” Schools and non-essential shops have already been closed since mid-December, following the shutdown of bars and restaurants two months earlier. This lockdown will remain in place until at least Feb. 9, Rutte said last week. Infections in the Netherlands have decreased steadily in the past three weeks, but health authorities say the new variants will lead to a new surge by next month if social distancing measures are not tightened. The government currently has a caretaker status, as Rutte last Friday handed his resignation to King Willem-Alexander following a damning report on his cabinet’s handling of childcare subsidies. Rutte has said he will remain to take decisions on COVID-19 policies until a new government is formed after the March 17 elections, seeking broad support for measures from both coalition and opposition parties.
France Faces Renewed Lockdown ‘Within Days,’ JDD Says https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...e-faces-renewed-lockdown-within-days-jdd-says France is set to go back into lockdown “within days” amid concerns that a new wave of infections driven by the more-contagious U.K. variant of the coronavirus could spiral out of control, Journal du Dimanche said, citing unidentified people with knowledge of the matter. A decision is imminent, JDD wrote, saying President Emmanuel Macron could announce the country’s third lockdown on Wednesday night. It could start before the end of the week and last at least three weeks, according to the paper. Government spokesman Gabriel Attal told France 3 TV on Sunday that no decision has been taken yet and that Covid figures in the next few days will be crucial. Health Minister Olivier Veran said last week that a decision could be made within days or weeks. In the event of a new lockdown, schools would remain open, Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer told JDD. France passed the threshold of 3 million Covid-19 cases on Friday. Infections driven by the U.K. variant -- a highly contagious and potentially deadlier strain first identified in Britain late last year -- will probably surge in the country in coming weeks, scientists have warned. Current curbs include a 6 p.m. curfew and closed restaurants, cinemas, museums and gyms. France’s second lockdown, which began in late October, reversed a spike in cases. However, hospitalizations and intensive-care patients remain more than five times higher than in August, straining the health-care system. The variant that emerged in southeast England in September contributed to a spike in U.K. cases in December that sent the country back into lockdown. Other countries have followed, particularly in Europe. Last week, Germany extended its lockdown measures, including closing non-essential stores and restricting movement in hard-hit areas, to Feb. 14. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that new research suggests the U.K. variant is not only more contagious but more lethal. He didn’t rule out extending the lockdown into the summer. The government is mulling broader travel bans to try to prevent other variants from spreading in the U.K., Health Minister Matt Hancock said on Sunday. The death toll in the U.K. from Covid-19 is days away from topping 100,000, the highest in Europe.