And Italy has blocked the export of COVID-19 vaccines destined for Australia, as EU dispute with AstraZeneca worsens.
Welcome to The Medical Republic’s COVID Catch-Up.
It’s the day’s COVID-19 news in one convenient post. Email bianca@biancanogrady.com with any tips, comments or feedback.
5 March
- Israel records significant drop in number of older COVID-19 patients on ventilators as vaccinations increase.
- Australia’s COVID-19 guidelines taskforce seeks frontline healthcare workers for consultation on PPE recommendations.
- Italy blocks export of vaccines to Australia as dispute with AstraZeneca escalates.
- Latest confirmed COVID-19 infection numbers from around Australia.
Israel has reported a 67% drop in the number of people with COVID-19 on mechanical ventilation, as its vaccine program reaches 84% coverage among individuals aged 70 and older.
Writing in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, researchers report that more than 3.6 million Israeli citizens had received at least one vaccine dose by February 9 2021, and 62% of those had received two doses. Coverage was highest among those aged over 70 years, but 69% of those in their sixties and 50% of those in their fifties had also been vaccinated.
The average daily number of ventilated patients began declining among those aged over 70 from the last week of January 2021, and by February 9 had decreased by 67% compared to October-December 2020.
“These data are consistent with preliminary reports showing a reduction in COVID-19 cases and severe cases in the vaccinated population and a reduction in viral load in vaccinated persons compared with that in unvaccinated persons,” the authors wrote.
Australia’s National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce is looking for frontline healthcare workers willing to be consulted on draft infection control and prevention recommendations.
The Taskforce is particularly after healthcare workers at high risk of coming into contact with COVID-19 patients, or those with frontline clinical experience of managing patients with COVID-19.
The fight between vaccine manufacturer AstraZeneca and EU countries over shortfalls in deliveries has led to Italy blocking the export of 250,000 vaccine doses intended for Australia.
The intervention occurred under the EU’s export authorisation scheme, which the European Commission implemented to “tackle the current lack of transparency of vaccine exports outside the EU” and which allows such exports to be subject to the authorisation of EU member states.
Italy’s foreign ministry has stated that Australia was not considered to be a vulnerable country, and that their veto was in response to continued shortage of the vaccine in Italy and Europe.
Here are the latest confirmed COVID-19 infection numbers from around Australia to 9pm Thursday:
National – 29,002 with 909 deaths
ACT – 120 (0)
NSW – 5193 (4)
NT – 105 (0)
QLD – 1337 (2)
SA – 618 (0)
TAS – 234 (0)
VIC – 20,481 (0)
WA – 914 (0)
