Drugmakers Pledge to Avoid Safety Shortcuts on Covid Vaccine
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Bloomberg NewsFrontrunners in the race for a Covid-19 vaccine pledged to avoid shortcuts on science as they face pressure to rush a shot to market.
Europe’s fears of a virus resurgence are becoming reality with France hitting a new peak and infections rising in Germany. In the U.K., officials are drawing up tighter rules on home gatherings, while the central bank’s chief economist backed a plan to wean people off state support. Lockdowns and business closures caused consumer spending in the euro area to plunge in the second quarter.
Meanwhile, China’s President Xi Jinping took a victory lap in a ceremony hailing his country’s success in suppressing the pandemic first discovered on its soil, and Hong Kong took steps to ease restrictions.
Key Developments:
- Global Tracker: Cases surpass 27.3 million; deaths exceed 892,000
- Death of doctor who didn’t wear mask sparks anger in Angola
- Weight gain is flip side of Covid food crisis for richer nations
- For Covid apps, a tug of war between privacy and efficiency
- Pandemic do-it-yourself boom turns all of us into hipsteaders
- Dear Wall Street: Your boss wants you to come back to the office
Subscribe to a daily update on the virus from Bloomberg’s Prognosis team here. Click CVID on the terminal for global data on coronavirus cases and deaths.
U.K. Plans Tighter Limit on Home Gatherings (7:04 a.m. NY)
Boris Johnson’s officials are drawing up tighter rules on home gatherings in England to stop the spread of coronavirus, as the government’s pandemic strategy comes under renewed pressure from a surge in cases. The prime minister’s team is looking at measures to cut the legal maximum number of people who can meet inside a private home from the current 30, a senior government official said.
Hungary’s Orban Takes Risk With Super Cup Loophole (6:30 a.m. NY)
With the coronavirus’s next wave in full swing in Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban is gambling that allowing tens of thousands of spectators to attend a high-profile soccer game later this month won’t turbocharge the pandemic.
Drugmakers Join to Pledge No Safety Shortcuts (6:30 a.m. NY)
Drugmakers racing to produce Covid-19 vaccines pledged to avoid shortcuts on science as they face pressure to rush a shot to market.
In an unusual public letter, the companies agreed to submit the vaccines for clearance only when they’re shown to be safe and effective in large clinical studies. The chief executive officers of nine frontrunners in the push for a coronavirus inoculation signed the pledge: AstraZeneca Plc, BioNTech SE, GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., Moderna Inc., Novavax Inc., Pfizer Inc. and Sanofi.
Salmon May Harbor Coronavirus for a Week: Study (6:02 a.m. NY)
Coronavirus lingering on chilled salmon may be infectious for more than a week, according to researchers in China, where imported fish have been investigated as a potential source of infections.
Malaysia Bans U.S., U.K. Citizens as Its Cases Rise (6 a.m. NY)
Malaysia banned the citizens of more countries from entering the country as the number of its cases rose by the most since June. The ban, effective Monday, applies to citizens of countries that have more than 150,000 cases, including the U.S., the U.K. and Russia.
Fears of Other Treatment Delays in England/Wales (5:56 p.m. HK)
England and Wales recorded above average deaths for a third consecutive week even as the number of people losing their lives to coronavirus continued to decline, raising concern that many Britons may be dying as a result of delays to treatments for other diseases.
Hong Kong Reports 3 New Local Virus Cases (4:45 p.m. HK)
Hong Kong reported three new local cases, including two uncovered by the government’s universal testing program, Department of Health official Chuang Shuk-kwan said at a briefing. One local case is of unknown origin. The city also has three new imported cases. Mass testing has so far identified 18 infections.
Earlier, authorities said the city will double the number of people allowed to gather in public and reopen sports venues beginning Friday, in the latest easing of restrictions as coronavirus cases drop from record highs. Hong Kong will allow four people to sit at the same table in restaurants or gather in public, up from the current limit of two, and all indoor and outdoor sports venues will be allowed to reopen. Swimming pools will remain shut and mask-wearing requirements remain in force.
Rebound in China Car Sales Accelerates With Covid Easing (4:05 p.m. HK)
China’s car sales increased for a second straight month in August, raising optimism that a two-year slump in the world’s biggest market is over.
Back in Gear
Japan Pressing Ahead With Olympics Planning (4:04 p.m. HK)
Japan is pressing ahead with preparations for the Tokyo Olympics to be held next year. International Olympic Committee Vice President John Coates, who heads the IOC’s coordination committee for the event, reignited the debate over whether the games would be held next summer after he told AFP they will go ahead next year regardless of the coronavirus situation.
Korea to Begin Mass Output of Antibody Treatment (3:45 p.m. HK)
A South Korean company plans to start mass producing a coronavirus antibody treatment this month as it undergoes Phase I clinical trials in the U.K., Kwon Jun-wook, deputy director of Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said at a briefing.
France May Reduce Some Quarantine Rules (3:36 p.m. HK)
France may reduce quarantine requirements to 7 days from 14 in certain situations for people who have tested positive or been exposed to Covid-19, Health Minister Olivier Veran said. The country’s scientific council has concluded that the most infectious period is during the first five days and contagion weakens significantly after a week. People will abide by tough quarantine restrictions if these last for a shorter period, and a final decision will be made on Friday.
Norway Has Slower Covid Rebound Than Expected (3:33 p.m. HK)
Norway may be facing a more sluggish economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis than expected, after fresh data revealed that gross domestic product fell short of market estimates in July. Mainland GDP, which adjusts for Norway’s offshore industry, grew just 1.1% from June, Statistics Norway said on Tuesday. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had expected 2% growth.
New Vaccine From Oxford Begins Early-Stage Human Trials (3:05 p.m. HK)
A new experimental Covid-19 vaccine originating from the University of Oxford has begun human trials in Australia in partnership with the Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer.
The shot was devised by SpyBiotech, a U.K. company spun out of Oxford in 2017 by researchers who worked alongside Adrian Hill and Sarah Gilbert at the university’s Jenner Institute. The institute has one of the most advanced Covid-19 shots currently in final-stage trials in partnership with AstraZeneca Plc.
Russia Set to Make Sputnik V Vaccine in India (2:58 p.m. HK)
Russia will produce more than 300 million doses of its Sputnik V vaccine in India, Kirill Dmitriev, chief executive officer of Russian Direct Investment Fund told Bloomberg TV in an interview without giving further details. Clinical trials will begin in several countries, including India and Brazil, Mint newspaper reported Tuesday.
The world’s first approved vaccine drew criticism from researchers after Russia endorsed it for use last month even before clinical trials were completed. The vaccine is being developed by Moscow’s Gamaleya Institute, the Defense Ministry and the sovereign Russian Direct Investment Fund.
China Says Majority of Meat Imports Tested Negative (2:26 p.m. HK)
Just five packaging samples of imported meat tested positive for the coronavirus amid testing of more than 500,000 samples, China’s customs said in a report.
China will continue to make efforts to prevent contamination by strengthening cooperation with meat-exporting countries, according to the report. As of Sept. 7, China halted imports from 56 companies in 19 countries after local employees were infected.
Germany’s New Cases Rise to Highest Since April (1:42 p.m. HK)
Germany’s new cases increased at the fastest pace since April as the nation’s public health authority warned that the situation continued to be “dynamic and serious.” The country registered 1,898 new infections, taking the total to 253,626, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The daily gain compared with 670 on Monday and with daily growth rates of more than 1,000 in the past week.
There was one fatality, lifting the overall number of deaths to 9,331.
Phuket’s Reopening Delayed by New Case (1:35 p.m. HK)
Thailand’s plan to reopen its tourist hotspot of Phuket to foreign visitors next month has hit a speed bump with the nation ending a 100-day streak of no local community coronavirus transmission.
“The government is ready, but there are still concerns from some groups that the reopening will lead to infections,” Deputy Premier and Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Tuesday. “It’s been nine months now. We have to learn to fight and live with the pandemic. We can’t be afraid of it.”
The reopening plan faced more scrutiny after authorities confirmed the first local case since May 26 in a 37-year-old male inmate of a Bangkok prison with no recent history of traveling abroad.
China President Hails Victory as Virus Rages Elsewhere (1:26 p.m. HK)
President Xi Jinping hailed China’s success in suppressing the deadly pandemic first discovered on its soil, even as confirmed infections globally raced toward the 30 million mark.
In a pomp-filled ceremony in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Xi personally conferred medals on citizens deemed to have played instrumental roles in China’s fight against the virus. China hasn’t reported a domestic infection in 22 days, and Xi has increasingly turned his attention to bolstering the battered economy.
The proceedings glossed over criticism of Beijing’s early response to the pandemic.
FDA Sets Up Vaccine Safeguards to Counter Trump Pressure (12:38 p.m. HK)
An unsubstantiated claim two weeks ago by President Trump -- that the “deep state” was slowing approval of a Covid-19 vaccine -- has set off an effort by government officials and private industry to ensure the White House doesn’t interfere with a methodical, careful scientific process.
Food and Drug Administration leaders are insulating the agency’s vaccine reviewers from outside political pressure by establishing safeguards that set the standard for what it will take for a vaccine to pass through the agency, said one official familiar with the planning, who asked for anonymity discussing private deliberations.
They’re also making clear to FDA staff that the political noise shouldn’t influence the agency’s decisions. FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn last week sent an email to all 17,000 staff, promising that the agency would adhere to the science in a vaccine review.
Mexico Joins Covax Facility in Push to Obtain Vaccine (9:35 a.m. HK)
Mexico will participate in the Covax facility led by the World Health Organization to obtain vaccines via the global program to equitably distribute Covid-19 vaccines, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.
The Foreign Ministry sent a letter dated August 31 confirming its intent to participate. The country will join via an “optional purchase” mode, through which it can purchase enough to vaccinate 20% of its population once a Covid-19 vaccine is ready.
South Korea Confirms 136 More Virus Cases (8:42 a.m. HK)
South Korea added 136 more coronavirus cases in 24 hours, up from 119 a day earlier, according to data from Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. The number of confirmed cases remained below 200 for a sixth day. The total number rose to 21,432.
— With assistance by Anne Pollak, and Jeff Sutherland
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