Signs of a US post-pandemic recovery increased as jobless claims fell and airlines signalled the worst of the travel downturn is over. New York state surpassed two million Covid-19 infections, though cases have slowed to less than a third of January’s pace, while Colorado’s coronavirus hospitalisations almost doubled since mid-March.

An advisory group to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention meets on Friday to decide whether the US can resume using Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine. Meanwhile, the Biden administration is weighing an appeal from progressive Democrats to accelerate global access to Covid-19 vaccines by supporting a waiver of intellectual-property protections, a move opposed by big drugmakers.

Europe is loosening restrictions as vaccination programmes turn the corner, while Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga recommended a State of Emergency for Tokyo and other areas, three months before the city hosts the Olympics, and Canada’s regional leaders are calling for stricter federal rules at air and land borders.

Key developments

• Global Tracker: Cases pass 143 million; deaths exceed three million
• Vaccine Tracker: More than 940 million shots given worldwide
• The US is weighing an appeal to accelerate global access to Covid-19 vaccines
• Pandemic-battered workers are saying they’ll now retire later than planned
• Where Covid kills the young: Brazil shows what may await others
• US weighs calls for intellectual-property waivers on vaccines
• ‘Long hauler’ study shows Covid can kill months after infection
• Can you get Covid-19 after a vaccine? Yes, but beware anecdotes
• Southeast Asia’s predominantly Muslim nations trying to avert a possible Covid-19 surge
• Western Europe is beginning to loosen restrictions to contain the coronavirus

Ontario, Quebec urge tougher border rules

Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Quebec Premier Francois Legault called for stricter federal rules at Canada’s air and land borders as the country grapples with a third wave of Covid-19 cases.

In a joint letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, they recommended reducing incoming international flights and further actions at the US-Canada border for “as long as necessary”, adding that “there is an urgent need to address issues with testing and quarantining at the borders”.

Colorado hospital cases almost double since March

Confirmed Covid-19 cases in Colorado hospitals have almost doubled since mid-March, reaching 561 as of Wednesday, as a fourth wave continues, state data show. Most hospitalised patients are between 40 and 60, Eric France, chief medical officer at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said at a Thursday online news briefing.

China’s Guangzhou ousts Atlanta as top airport

China’s Baiyun International airport in Guangzhou topped the list of the world’s busiest hubs in a coronavirus-wracked 2020, knocking Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International off a perch it occupied for more than two decades.

Baiyun moved up from 11th place, trade group Airports Council International said in a statement, capping a year when the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted global air travel. Hartsfield-Jackson slipped to second place, as hubs in six Chinese cities joined Beijing Capital International in the top 10 based on passenger traffic

In the US, House transportation panel leaders introduced legislation that would mandate actions such as mask use during pandemics and create a centre of excellence to study disease in aviation.

US weighs global vaccine-expansion move

The Biden administration is weighing an appeal from progressive Democrats to accelerate global access to Covid-19 vaccines by supporting a waiver of intellectual-property protections, a move opposed by big drugmakers.

Lawmakers led by senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren last week called on President Joe Biden to back a proposal before the World Trade Organization that seeks a broad waiver from obligations on the protection of intellectual property rights, including patents, copyrights and trade secrets.

Intel says expansion site in Ireland has outbreak

Intel, the world’s largest chipmaker, said 70 people working for a construction contractor at an expansion of the company’s manufacturing plant in Ireland have contracted Covid-19.

The chipmaker said on Thursday that it was told about the outbreak last weekend. Intel’s plant is in Leixlip, about 16km west of the centre of Dublin.

Czech government to reopen more shops

The Czech government plans to allow non-essential shops and some services to reopen from May 3 if the coronavirus situation continues to improve, Trade and Industry Minister Karel Havlicek told reporters.

France sets reopening from mid-May

Prime Minister Jean Castex said France will begin a “cautious” reopening in mid-May, preceded by a gradual easing of domestic travel curbs starting on May 3, four weeks after President Emmanuel Macron announced them.

“The peak of the third wave seems to be behind us,” Castex told reporters. The timeline is conditional and not all venues will reopen at once, he said.

Still, a minister said the 7pm to 6am curfew, which Castex has called “effective”, wouldn’t be the first measure to be lifted. France also said travellers from Brazil, India, Chile, South Africa and Argentina would be subject to quarantine to prevent the import of deadly variants.

Meanwhile, Italy will loosen many restrictions on Monday, Greece will follow in early May and Germany is considering privileges for people who have been immunised.

Covid can kill months later, study shows

Covid-19 survivors had a 59% increased risk of dying within six months after contracting the SARS-CoV-2 virus, researchers reported in Nature. That works out to about eight extra deaths per 1,000 patients, worsening the pandemic’s hidden toll as many patients require readmission – and some die – weeks after the viral infection abates.

One of the largest studies of Covid-19 “long haulers” proved what many doctors suspected: Not only are many patients suffering a raft of health problems six months after infection, they’re also at significantly greater risk of dying.

New York state passes two million cases

New York on Thursday surpassed two million Covid-19 cases since the start of the pandemic. The state is third behind Texas, with 2.9 million, and California with more than 3.7 million reported cases, according to Bloomberg data.

New York state recorded the biggest numbers of infections in mid-January, peaking on January 14 with 19,942 positive tests. Vaccinations and measures such as mask-wearing and social distancing cut statewide hospitalisations to 3,757 as of Tuesday, from a peak of 18,826 in April 2020, the state Health Department reported.

American Air sees ‘continued recovery’

American Airlines Group reported a smaller-than-expected loss, bucking the pattern set by its two largest rivals. Southwest Airlines and Alaska Air also signalled they expect demand to pick up.

“With the momentum under way from the first quarter, we see signs of continued recovery,” American Airlines Chief Executive Officer Doug Parker said in a statement.

US jobless claims fall to pandemic low

Applications for US state unemployment insurance unexpectedly plunged to a pandemic low of 547,000 in the week ended April 17, Labor Department data showed on Thursday.

The job market is strengthening as employers look to fill positions that were left empty by restrictions that have now been eased. Growth should speed up even more following a nationwide goal of administering an average of three million vaccinations per day. The data follow strong manufacturing, retail sales and other indicators in recent weeks.

Still, many workers who were hurt by the pandemic are saying they’ll now retire later than planned.

Suga recommends Tokyo emergency

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga recommended placing Tokyo, Osaka and other areas under a State of Emergency. Tokyo recorded 861 new cases on Thursday, the most since late January, while Osaka found a record 1,242 infections on Wednesday.

The emergency is likely to be in place from April 25 to May 11, Jiji Press said. While Japan has kept infections and deaths at far lower levels than much of Europe and the US, its vaccine programme has yet to kick into high gear.

South Africa set to use J&J shots

South Africa plans to begin administering Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine to the general public after settling a contractual dispute relating to an order for 31 million doses. The first batch of J&J shots being produced at an Aspen Pharmacare Holdings plant in the Eastern Cape is expected to be delivered by April 26. The roll-out to people over the age of 60 and other vulnerable groups is set to begin on May 17.

Singapore to bar India visitors

Singapore said it will further tighten border controls with India, including a ban on visitors from the country, because of a “rapidly deteriorating situation” there. Authorities are also stepping up measures to prevent a wider outbreak within Singapore, officials said at a press conference on Thursday.

EU data show vaccine disparity

The European Union authorised the export of 136.1 million doses to 43 countries between January 31 and April 19, according to an internal memo. Around 52.3 million were shipped to Japan, 16.2 million to the UK and 12.8 million to Canada.

The data in the document also highlight glaring differences in the efficiency of national vaccination campaigns. While Malta has already administered 67 doses per 100 adults, Bulgaria is only at 11 doses per 100. The average for the whole of the EU is 31.6.

UK firms facing financial distress

The number of UK businesses in significant financial distress jumped the most in at least seven years last quarter, with firms across all sectors seeing their situation deteriorate. There are 723,000 companies facing serious problems, according to a study on Thursday – that’s a 15% increase from the end of last year; from a year ago, the number has climbed 42%.

Cigna has perks for vaccinated workers

Cigna said on Thursday that it will give workers who are fully vaccinated $200 in payments to their health-spending accounts, as well as emergency paid time off they can use to get their shots. US companies are starting to pay workers to get vaccinated, trying to encourage the hesitant or those who just haven’t had a chance to get the jab.

UK pressed to clarify travel restart

UK lawmakers put pressure on the government to clarify by the end of next week its plan to resume air travel, saying the country’s tourism-dependent industries face the risk of a second lost summer. The government has set a goal of restarting leisure travel by May 17 but hasn’t made a final decision to move ahead.

EU readies legal action against Astra

The European Union’s executive arm is preparing to start a legal case by the end of the week against AstraZeneca over its failure to deliver its promised number of doses to the bloc. The procedure would take between five and seven weeks and the European Commission has asked capitals to join the process.

Astra delivered 30 million of its originally committed 120 million doses to the EU in the first quarter. Despite the shortfall, the EU has started to turn the corner in its vaccination campaign, and aims to inoculate 70% of its population by the end of the summer. DM

— With assistance by Katerina Petroff, Luke McGrath, Henry Goldman, Dara Doyle, Ian King, Vincent Del Giudice, and Ania Nussbaum.