U.K. Mulls Plan to Extend Travel Quarantines: Virus Update

(Bloomberg) --

British travelers who fail to get Covid-19 booster jabs could face fresh quarantine and testing requirements, according to the Mail on Sunday.

Officials are drawing up plans to prevent the spread of new variants but are split over when to introduce the travel restrictions, the Mail reported, without naming its sources. So far only 60% of those eligible for the jab have received it -- almost 10 million people in the U.K., Health Secretary Sajid Javid said in a statement.

Elsewhere China posted a record monthly trade surplus in October as exports surged despite global supply-chain disruptions linked to the global pandemic. Exports rose 27.1% in dollar terms last month from a year earlier to $300.2 billion.

Key Developments:

U.K. Ministers Draw Up Plans to Bring Back Tests and Quarantine (5 p.m. HK)

Officials are divided over how soon to implement the measures and are discussing a grace period that would allow people to travel without quarantine if they had sought a booster six months after their second jab but had not yet been offered an appointment.

The news came as Health Secretary Sajid Javid said almost 10 million people have now received their booster jab, but encouraged people to urge their elderly relatives to come forward.

China Posts Record Trade Surplus in October as Exports Surge (5 p.m. HK)

Exports experienced the 13th straight month of double digit growth, and exceeded economists’ expectations of a 22.8% gain. Imports increased 20.6%, leaving a trade surplus of $84.54 billion. 

China’s trade growth has remained well above pre-pandemic levels all year. Its exports through October have already surpassed all of 2020. 

More Anti-Vaccination Protests in Australia (12:35 p.m. HK)

Hundreds of people protested mandatory vaccinations in western Sydney and other areas of Australia’s New South Wales state on Sunday, the Sydney Morning Herald reported, as a further easing of virus-related restrictions is set to ease Monday for the fully inoculated.

The demonstration was proceeding peacefully, police said, according to the newspaper, which added that people held held anti-vaccine placards with slogans like “Your Body Your Choice.”

Thousands of people protested the government’s vaccine and climate policies in Melbourne on Saturday, reports said.

China Reports 50 More Local Cases (10:17 a.m. HK)

China reported 50 additional local Covid infections, as authorities said strict curbs would remain in place to disrupt the spread of transmission.

Twenty-one cases were recorded in Hebei province, which is in close proximity to Beijing, the National Health Commission said. The infections come as Chinese authorities ring-fencing the capital ahead of February’s Winter Olympics. 

The outbreak is fueled by the delta variant and has now reached 20 out of 31 mainland provinces, the broadest virus spread in China since the pathogen first emerged in Wuhan. 

U.S. Passes Vaccine Milestone as Pace Picks Up (6:42 a.m. HK)

The U.S. crossed the milestone of 70% of people 18 and older fully vaccinated, according data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Almost 11 months after the first shots were given in the U.S., the pace of vaccination has been rising after a steep drop starting in April. Booster doses, now approved for all three vaccines given in the U.S., accounted for about 904,000 of the 1.5 million doses recorded on Saturday, according to a tweet from Cyrus Shahpar, the White House’s Covid-19 data director. 

Vaccine mandates are also taking effect, particularly among health-care and public workers. Shots for children 5- to 11-years-old were also given approval. Shahpar said data on the pace of children’s vaccines will be available starting on Monday. 

Rodgers Deal Ends With Health-Care Company (5:24 p.m. NY)

A nine-year partnership has ended between a Wisconsin health-care company and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who tested positive for Covid-19 after refusing to get vaccinated. 

“Prevea Health remains deeply committed to protecting its patients, staff, providers and communities amidst the Covid-19 pandemic,” the company said in a statement posted on Twitter. “This includes encouraging and helping all eligible populations to become vaccinated.”

Biden Mandate Halted by Court (3:26 p.m. NY)

A federal appeals court in New Orleans temporarily halted nationwide implementation of the Biden administration’s mandate that all employees at companies with more than 100 workers must get Covid-19 vaccinations by Jan. 4.

The request to stall the mandate came late Friday from more than two dozen private companies suing the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Labor Department, as part of a court challenge led by Texas, Louisiana, Utah and South Carolina.

The New Orleans court temporarily halted the vaccine mandate while the court further considers the matter. A three-judge panel, including two Trump appointees, gave the Biden administration until 5 p.m. Central time Monday to respond.

U.K. Cases at One-Month Low (12:35 p.m. NY)

The U.K. reported another 30,693 cases on Saturday, the lowest since Oct. 3. Confirmed infections are down more than 10% in the past week, the government said on its website. Weekly fatalities are up 8% to 1,186 people dying within 28 days of a positive test.

Ukraine Reaches Record Deaths (11:53 a.m. NY)

Ukraine deaths rose to a daily record of 793, the Associated Press reported. With neighboring Russia battling its worst outbreak of the pandemic, Ukraine hit record new infections on Thursday. 

Fewer than 18% of the population in Ukraine has been fully vaccinated, one of the lowest levels in Europe. Teachers and other government employees are required to be vaccinated by Nov. 8.   

U.S. Decline in Cases Levels Off (11:23 a.m. NY)

The steep decline in new U.S. cases since September appears to be leveling off, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New cases fell 1.4% in the week that ended Nov. 3, to 493,019. 

New infections rapidly decreased as the delta variant wave eased in most of the U.S., from 1.1 million in the week that ended Sept. 17 to about 516,000 in the week ending Oct. 22, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg. 

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