A cyclist wearing a mask pauses along the waterfront in Auckland, New Zealand, on Aug 19, 2021.
(MICHAEL CRAIG / NEW ZEALAND HERALD VIA AP)
BEIRUT / JAKARTA / SEOUL / SYDNEY / TOKYO / WELLINGTON – As New Zealand prepares to ease its COVID-19 pandemic controls and global isolation after nearly two years, health risks for its under-vaccinated indigenous Maori are posing a challenge for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Some of the world's toughest pandemic measures enforced by the South Pacific nation are easing on Friday, with businesses reopening nationwide after Ardern's government abandoned its elimination strategy in the face of the contagious Delta variant.
But as businesses and New Zealand's majority ethnic European population largely welcome the reopening ahead of the Christmas holidays, some Maori fear further marginalization.
Maori, who make up around 15 percent of New Zealand's 5 million population, now account for the highest proportion of new COVID-19 cases, averaging around 200 a day.
Like many indigenous peoples, Maori fare worse than the rest of the population when it comes to health and well-being measures. Only about 69 percent of eligible Maori are fully vaccinated compared to nearly 90 percent of the rest of New Zealand.
Some community leaders blame the low uptake on the government's vaccination strategy, which included prioritizing shots for elderly. About 70 percent of Maori are under the age of 40.
This, coupled with institutional racism, a high mistrust in government and poor health access for Maori living in smaller towns, meant many were slow to get vaccinated or simply left out, Maori leaders say.
The government did step up efforts to speed Maori vaccinations, including setting up Maori pandemic response groups – moves critics say were too little, too late.
Now, as 1.7 million Aucklanders who were locked down for nearly 100 days prepare to spread out for summer break, some Maori leaders are taking steps to minimise the impact.
In Northland, a popular holiday region with a large Maori population, indigenous leaders are working with police to set up check points to keep unvaccinated visitors out.
Australia
There is no indication that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is more deadly than other strains, Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said in a recorded message Thursday. In fact, the opposite may be true, he said.
“Of the over 300 cases that have now been diagnosed in many countries, they have all been very mild or in fact had no symptoms at all,” Kelly said.
Many of the hundreds of Omicron infections appearing around the world are in inoculated individuals, Kelly said. Still, there’s no evidence to suggest that existing COVID-19 vaccines do not work against the latest variant of concern.
Research institutes and pharmaceutical company in Australia's state of Victoria have created a new mRNA COVID vaccine candidate, with clinical trials to begin early next year.
The new mRNA COVID vaccine candidate, is expected to provide protection against future COVID variants
The vaccine candidate, developed by Monash University researchers, pharmaceutical manufacturer IDT Australia and the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, is expected to provide protection against future COVID variants.
Professor Colin Pouton from Monash University, who led the team that developed the vaccine, said on Tuesday that this vaccine has the ability to rapidly adjust its composition in response to emerging virus mutations, which is particularly important as new strains continue to emerge.
About 450 doses of the vaccine candidate have been manufactured, enabling 150 people to take part in Phase 1 clinical trials, with results expected in later 2022.
A man walks past a coronavirus-themed mural in Jakarta, Indonesia, Nov 29, 2021. (TATAN SYUFLANA / AP)
Indonesia
Indonesia is extending quarantine for travelers arriving from overseas to 10 days from 7 days to prevent the spread of the omicron variant, the leader of the pandemic response in Java and Bali said. The new rule will come into effect Friday.
Indonesian government officials are also banned from overseas travel unless for urgent national business.
Indonesia on Wednesday confirmed 278 new COVID-19 cases, raising its tally of infections to 4,256,687, according to the country's Health Ministry.
The ministry reported that the death toll from the virus in the country rose by 10 to 143,840, while 307 more people recovered during the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of recoveries to 4,104,964.
The government is still implementing its multi-tiered anti-coronavirus policy locally abbreviated as PPKM to curb the further spread of COVID-19.
The restrictions imposed on the islands of Java and Bali will end on Dec 13, while for the regions outside the two islands, the curbs are set to end on Dec 6.
READ MORE: Indonesia speeds up vaccination amid concern over COVID resurgence after holidays
A woman wearing protective masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus strolls at Sensoji Temple in the Asakusa district in Tokyo, Nov 30, 2021. (KOJI SASAHARA / AP)
Japan
Japan's transport ministry has cancelled its blanket ban on new reservations for inbound flights and asked airlines to accommodate the needs of returning Japanese, a senior government spokesperson said on Thursday.
The government last month told airlines not to take new reservations for flights to Japan for December in light of the emergence of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
But the abrupt measure stirred up worries among those who had intended to return to Japan for year-end holidays, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the move had caused confusion.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a regular news conference that Kishida had asked the transport ministry, which oversees the airline industry, to be mindful of returning Japanese.
Airlines now take new reservations as long as the number of passengers entering Japan remains below the latest upper limit of 3,500 a day, which was lowered from 5,000 last month, a transport ministry official said.
Lebanon
Lebanon's COVID-19 ministerial committee on Wednesday decided to impose a curfew from 7 pm to 6 am on those who have not received the vaccine, the National News Agency reported.
The committee also recommended the closure of schools from Dec 16 to Jan 10, in hope of curbing the number of infections.
It also advised restaurants, hotels and other touristic institutions not to allow in those who have not been administered at least one dose of vaccine.
It added that people planning to visit Lebanon must show a certificate of vaccination or a negative PCR test within 48 hours of their arrival in addition to registering with the health ministry.
The Lebanese health ministry will launch a full-day COVID-19 vaccination campaign on Saturday for people aged 50 and above.
Lebanon's total number of coronavirus infections stands at 670,656, including 8,725 deaths from the virus.
A man wearing a face mask walks in front of Christmas decorations and the display of South Korea's capital Seoul logo in Seoul, South Korea, Dec 1, 2021. ( LEE JIN-MAN / AP)
South Korea
South Korea is considering halting a “gradual return to normal life” and tightening social-distancing rules as infections surge and omicron cases are detected, DongA Ilbo newspaper reported.
South Korea's daily coronavirus case numbers rose to a new high on Thursday, as authorities halted quarantine exemptions for fully vaccinated inbound travelers for two weeks in a bid to fend off the Omicron variant.
South Korea will require a 10-day quarantine for all inbound travelers for two weeks starting Friday, halting exemptions given earlier to fully vaccinated people, the KDCA said
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 5,266 cases for Wednesday, a day after the daily tally rose above 5,000 for the first time amid concerns over a sharp rise in patients with severe symptoms.
South Korea will require a 10-day quarantine for all inbound travelers for two weeks starting Friday, halting exemptions given earlier to fully vaccinated people, the KDCA said.
The measure came after South Korea confirmed its first five cases of the Omicron variant late on Wednesday, including a fully vaccinated couple who arrived last week from Nigeria, followed by two of their family members and a friend.
The government is restricting arrivals from eight countries including South Africa, where the variant was first identified. It will now add Nigeria to the list, effective Friday, while suspending direct flights from Ethiopia starting Saturday, the KDCA said.
The number of cases has spiked since distancing curbs were relaxed last month, and the government this week shelved plans for further easing due to growing strains on its healthcare system from surging hospitalization and death rates as well as Omicron concerns.
Thailand
Thailand is calling on vaccinated travelers who arrived from eight African countries on Nov 15-27 to get tested for the omicron variant, according to Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the nation’s virus task force.
There are 252 people who remain in the country after arriving from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe in that period. Authorities have located 11 of them for testing.
Thailand banned all foreign arrivals from the eight African nations from Wednesday and hasn’t detected any omicron cases.
Vietnam
Vietnam reported 14,508 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, including 14,506 locally transmitted and two imported, according to its Ministry of Health.
Most of the community cases were detected in southern localities, including 1,675 in Ho Chi Minh City, 989 in Can Tho province, and 757 in Soc Trang province.
The infections brought the country's total tally to 1,252,590, with 25,448 deaths, said the ministry. Nationwide, as many as 992,052 COVID-19 patients have so far recovered, up 2,704 from Tuesday.