Weekly news at a glance

(Worldwide) Spain has started treating COVID-19 like the common flu

Spain announced dramatic changes to its pandemic policies on Monday. Suspected cases are no longer required to get tested, while mandatory isolation of positive cases has also been removed.

Only those at particular risk (people over 60 and those with immune deficiencies) and certain groups (such as pregnant women and healthcare workers) will have to follow the testing and isolation requirements. Mask mandates, however, continue across Spain, with people required to wear them in public indoor areas and on public transport.

(Worldwide) UK Covid experts call for return of free tests

Covid has hit an all-time high across the UK, with almost 5 million people – one in 13 of the population – estimated to have the virus, according to the most recent official data, prompting experts to call for the return of free testing.

The figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) came on the day the government ended free rapid tests for most people in England and as tens of thousands of people were hoping to embark on Easter holidays. Many will have to pay for a test to find out if they are infected, whether they are symptomatic or not.

(Worldwide) German man suspected to sell vaccination cards

A 60-year-old man allegedly had himself vaccinated against Covid-19 dozens of times in Germany in order to sell vaccination cards to people who did not want to get the jab themselves.

The man from the eastern Germany city of Magdeburg, whose name was not released in line with German privacy rules, is said to have received up to 90 shots against Covid at vaccination centres in Saxony for months until he was caught by police, the German news agency dpa reported on Sunday.

The suspect was not detained but is under investigation for issuing vaccination cards without authorisation and document forgery, dpa reported.

(AUS) 1.5-billion-dollar elective surgery scheme announced

The Victorian government is set to invest over one billion dollars into elective surgery, to help with the lengthy waitlist. Covid restrictions saw elective surgeries halted multiple times, to help hospitals deal with the influx of COVID patients, causing the waitlist to expand drastically.

The newly announced COVID-Catch Up scheme from the state government will aim to extensively raise capacity for elective surgeries. Acting Premier James Merlino said the funding would see an additional sixteen thousand surgeries, beyond current capacity, performed by year’s end.

(AUS) Fourth dose rollout set to begin

The next stage of Australia’s vaccine rollout is set to begin from Monday, with a fourth dose being made available to specific groups.

The groups will include those aged 65 years or older, Indigenous Australians aged at least 50, disability care residents and immunocompromised persons.

People will be eligible to receive this second booster shot four months after receiving their first. This comes as Australia records a rise in COVID cases, with case numbers and deaths increasing across most states and territories.

(AUS) Experts call for data on long COVID

Health experts are calling for more data on long COVID, saying that it may pose a serious health threat but not enough is known about it. Health economist Professor Martin Hensher estimates that while a large portion of Australians with COVID are predicted to recover within six months, thousands more are expected to experience persistent symptoms.

In Australia, up to thirty per cent of people have reported at least one symptom after that six-month window, including shortness of breath, fatigue, headaches and a loss of taste or smell. The reasons as to why this occurs are still unknown, with thorough studies yet to be conducted.