CDC Backs Adult Boosters; Europe Tightens Curbs: Virus Update

(Bloomberg) -- Covid-19 booster shots from Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. received unanimous backing for use in all U.S. adults from public-health advisers, clearing the way for millions to gain additional protection before the threat of a winter surge.

Michigan issued a mask advisory on Friday to combat the steepest rise in new cases in the U.S. Philadelphia expanded its vaccine mandate to all public employees and contractors. 

Austria will enter a nationwide lockdown starting Monday, and Germany’s Health Minister Jens Spahn didn’t rule out a similar move as Europe struggles with a surge in the pandemic. Austria will also become the first European country to mandate Covid-19 vaccination. The nation was bracing for protests this weekend. 

Key Developments:

• Virus Tracker: Cases exceed 256.4 million; deaths pass 5.13 million
• Vaccine Tracker: More than 7.64 billion shots given
• Virus may prove elephant in the room that strategists missed
• Where are we in hunting for the coronavirus’s origin?: QuickTake
• Global opening threatened by new lockdowns in Europe
• Lockdowns menacing Europe’s recovery test ECB stimulus timeline

Philadelphia Expands Vaccine Mandate (4:10 p.m. NY)

Philadelphia expanded its vaccine requirements to all city employees and contractors, mandating full inoculation by Jan. 14, the Pennsylvania city said in a statement. 

The “fight is not over, and the safe and effective Covid-19 vaccines remain our best weapon in this ongoing struggle,” the statement said. Philadelphia already requires vaccinations for new employees, institutes of higher education, health-care workers and others. New infections are rising in Pennsylvania, though at a slower pace than many states in the U.S. northeast. 

CDC Advisers Back Boosters for All Adults (3:24 p.m. NY)

Covid-19 booster shots from Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. received unanimous backing for use in all U.S. adults from public-health advisers, clearing the way for millions to gain additional protection before the threat of a winter surge. 

All 11 advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted in favor of third doses for people 18 and older just hours after they were cleared Friday by U.S. regulators. Director Rochelle Walensky still must sign off on the recommendation from the agency’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices before vaccinations begin.  

Big N.Y. Hospital Faces Staffing Shortages (3:09 p.m. NY)

One of the largest U.S. hospitals is grappling with higher costs as it faces severe staffing shortages.

NewYork-Presbyterian has been recruiting over 250 nurses per month while also struggling to replace laboratory and radiology technicians, Chief Executive Officer Steven Corwin said in an interview on Bloomberg Television’s “Balance of Power With David Westin” Friday. 

Hospitals around New York and the U.S. are contending with labor shortages at a time when the country braces for an uptick in Covid-19 cases as weather turns colder and more people gather inside. 

Michigan Issues Mask Advisory (12:45 p.m. NY)

Michigan issued a mask advisory on Friday to combat the steepest rise in new cases in the U.S. State health officials are recommending that anyone over the age of two should wear a mask indoors regardless of vaccination status. With the holiday season nearing, the advisory also advises all establishments to require masks of customers and employees. 

The state stopped short of any legal requirement. As infections rise nationally, new cases in Michigan soared 86% in the week that ended Wednesday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

Austria Braces for Protests (11:35 a.m. NY)

Thousands plan to descend on Vienna on Saturday to protest Austria’s latest Covid-19 measures, including a nationwide lockdown and vaccine mandate. 

Austria’s domestic intelligence service has warned that protesters may attempt to enter hospitals after calls for “action” in anti-vaccine social media groups, the Krone reported, citing the interior ministry. Police increased presence around hospitals in the Salzburg and Upper Austria regions, current virus hot-spots.

Police urged demonstrators to stay at home, warning that more than 1,300 officers would be on the streets to enforce mask mandates and social distancing requirements. 

Macron Says Health Pass Checks Too Lax (10:32 a.m. NY)

French President Emmanuel Macron said that enforcement of rules around health passes had become too lax and need to be reinforced with virus cases inching higher over the past two weeks. “The pandemic is still here,” Macron said during a visit to health-care workers. France needs to convince more of the unvaccinated to get their shots, he said, adding that he also wants to accelerate booster vaccines for those younger than 65.

Canada Approves Shots for Ages 5-11 (9:28 a.m. NY)

Health Canada authorized the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty vaccine in children 5 to 11 years of age. The department determined that the benefits of this vaccine for young children outweigh the risks.

Germany’s Bavaria Imposes Curbs (7:41 a.m. NY)

The German state of Bavaria is introducing a lockdown for districts with high levels of infection. Currently eight districts will have to close non-essential businesses for three weeks, Bavaria’s prime minister Markus Soeder said in a press conference. Schools will remain open. Christmas markets are canceled and restaurants have to close early in the entire state. Unvaccinated people will have to follow stricter restrictions.

Meanwhile, Germany appeared to no longer dismiss the possibility of a broad lockdown. “We’re in a situation in which we shouldn’t rule anything out,” German Health Minister Jens Spahn said Friday when asked whether another lockdown was possible. Outgoing Foreign Minister Heiko Maas later said a lockdown won’t be implemented for everyone, in an interview with Bild TV.

Separately, Germany’s public health authority RKI on Friday classified Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Greece as new high-risk Covid-19 infection areas.

Denmark’s State Workers May Need Passports (7:05 a.m. NY)

Denmark may require state-employed workers to provide virus passports at work, in the country’s latest efforts to fight a rise in infections. 

Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said on Friday he expects the proposal will have the backing from a majority in parliament. The government is also considering expanding the use of the passport to other areas, the minister said at a press conference in Copenhagen.

Warning on Bulgaria’s Low Vaccine Rates (6:52 p.m. HK) 

EU Internal Market Commissioner Thiery Breton warned that low vaccination levels in Bulgaria could lead to a new virus mutation that could be more resistant.

“I don’t want to speak of a potential Bulgarian variant over the winter, but if we don’t do anything, we may see a Bulgarian variant,” Breton told reporters in Sofia. “There’s too many people not vaccinated and this could generate a new variant, which will be very bad news for Bulgaria and for all of us on the planet.”

Norway Reinstates Stricter Entry (6:39 p.m. HK)

Norway’s government decided to tighten entry requirements from Nov. 26 to limit import infection, Minister of Justice and Emergency Management Emilie Enger Mehl told reporters in Oslo. 

Norway will reintroduce requirements for negative testing for foreigners without corona certificate or without proof of having undergone Covid-19 in the last six months, she said. Everyone over 16 must register before arrival. Separately, the government asked municipalities to ensure that everyone over the age of 65 is offered a booster dose before Christmas.

Austria Imposes Lockdown, Germany May Follow (5:57 p.m. HK)

Austria will again enter a nationwide lockdown and Germany is no longer ruling out a similar move as Europe grapples with a brutal wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

Austria will become the first western European country to impose widespread restrictions after curbs on unvaccinated people failed to stem a surge in new infections. It will also become the first European country to mandate Covid-19 shots as it seeks to exit the crisis.

Austria will impose a nationwide lockdown for at least 20 days starting on Monday and require residents to inoculate against Covid from February.

Indonesia Toll Lowest in 20 Months (5:31 p.m. HK)

The government reported five fatalities from the coronavirus on Friday, the fewest since March 25, 2020, and 360 new cases as the local outbreak continues to ease. Indonesia has boosted testing and vaccination, with nearly 3 million shots given out on Friday. Still, the country is bracing for a potential resurgence as people travel over the upcoming holiday season.

Britons Traveling Can Prove Status in NHS App (5:13 p.m. HK)

Travelers from the U.K. who have gotten their third coronavirus vaccine dose will now be able to prove their status through the National Health Service’s Covid app. 

The change, effective Friday, will allow travelers to enter countries including Israel, Croatia and Austria that have set time limits for the vaccines to be valid for travel without quarantining, the U.K. government said in a statement.

Separately, the U.K. government’s preparations for a no-deal Brexit took “significant time and resources” away from planning for a potential pandemic, according to a major report.

Hungary Posts Record Cases (4:23 p.m. HK)

Hungary reported the highest level of daily Covid-19 infections since the outbreak of the pandemic, showing the country’s vulnerability even with the majority of the population vaccinated. The daily case count rose to a record 11,289, according to data published on Friday. Hungary has about 60% of the population inoculated, compared with a 70% average in the European Union.

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With assistance from Bloomberg