Tag Archives: lockdown

Sydney Hikes Lockdown Violation Fines To $5000 AUD

Reuters reports: Australian police hiked fines for people breaking lockdown rules in Sydney and the rest of its home state on Saturday and strict stay-at-home orders were extended statewide amid a record jump in daily new Covid-19 infections. State police will fine up to A$5,000 ($3,700) anyone breaching stay-at-home orders or for lying to contract-tracing officials, said state Premier Gladys …

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Single Case Sends Australian Capital Into Lockdown

Reuters reports: Extra Australian military personnel may be called in to ensure compliance with lockdown rules in Sydney, the New South Wales state government said on Thursday, as the highly infectious delta coronavirus variant spreads into regional areas. The move comes as Australia’s capital, Canberra, 260 km (160 miles) southwest of Sydney, announced a snap one-week lockdown from Thursday evening …

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Anti-Lockdown Protest Turns Violent In Sydney [VIDEO]

The New York Times reports: Defying a statewide stay-at-home order and a worsening local outbreak driven by the Delta variant, 3,500 mostly maskless protesters clashed with police officers on Saturday in downtown Sydney, Australia’s largest city. The protest, against the city’s month-long lockdown, raised fears of adding to Sydney’s caseload. “You don’t have to be an epidemiologist to work out …

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Johnson Quarantines After Health Minister Gets COVID

Reuters reports: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and finance minister Rishi Sunak will both self-isolate in line with national guidance, abandoning heavily criticised plans to take part in a pilot scheme that would have allowed them to continue working. The U-turn comes a day after health minister Sajid Javid said he had tested positive for COVID-19 and at a time …

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Johnson: Britain To End COVID Mandates On July 19th

The Washington Post reports: Boris Johnson on Monday announced that Britain was set to soon end virtually all government mandates to control the spread of the coronavirus, telling people that in two weeks it would likely be completely up to them whether to wear a face mask or socially distance. At an evening news conference, the British prime minister said …

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Biden: Despite Variant, Future US Lockdowns “Unlikely”

Yahoo News reports: President Biden doesn’t believe the U.S. will see any new lockdowns in the coming months, even as he warned about the new Delta variant of the coronavirus, which is much more transmissible than other versions of the pathogen. “Where people have gotten the two shots, the Delta variant is highly unlikely to result in anything,” the president …

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Lisbon Ordered Into Lockdown Due To Delta Variant

The New York Times reports: The Portuguese authorities ordered a weekend lockdown of the capital region of Lisbon starting on Friday in an attempt to blunt a recent surge of new infections, offering a powerful reminder that even as Europe seeks to reopen more fully, the virus still poses challenges. The decision came after Portugal registered this week its highest …

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NY Drops Restrictions As State Hits Vax Benchmark

The New York Daily News reports: New York reached a major pandemic milestone Tuesday as Gov. Cuomo announced that 70% of adults in the state have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine. To honor the occasion, landmarks will be lit up in blue and gold and fireworks displays will be held across the state as the majority of …

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England Extends Lockdown Due To Delta Variant Surge

The BBC reports: Most coronavirus rules will remain in place in England for another four weeks after the planned 21 June unlocking, government sources have told the BBC. Senior ministers have signed off on the decision to delay the lifting of all legal restrictions on social contact. England was due to move to stage four of the government’s roadmap out …

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66% Say Lives Now Somewhat Or Completely Normal

Gallup reports: Now that the majority of Americans aged 18 and older are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and restrictions meant to curb the spread of the disease are increasingly being rolled back, two-thirds of U.S. adults (66%) say their lives are either “somewhat” or “completely” back to normal. While this marks a sharp reversal from October when a majority said …

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Canada May Not Lift Face Mask Mandates Until Fall

Reuters reports: Canada on Friday said there would be a gradual return to a world with indoor sports and family gatherings as more people get vaccinated, but it did not go as far as the United States in telling people they could eventually ditch their masks. Canada has administered one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to just over half its …

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Britain To Ease Lockdown, Pubs Allowed Indoor Service

Reuters reports: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will set out on Monday the next phase of lockdown easing in England, giving the green light to “cautious hugging” and allowing pubs to serve customers pints inside after months of strict measures. The country is in the process of gradually lifting its latest lockdown over a period of months, in line with …

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NY, NJ, And CT To Lift Most Business Limits On May 19

The New York Times reports: New York and its neighbors, New Jersey and Connecticut, will welcome back crowds on May 19, state officials said Monday, a major step for a region that was once a center of the coronavirus pandemic. Restaurants, offices, retail stores, theaters, museums, barber shops, amusement parks and gyms and fitness centers will all be allowed to …

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Surge Pushes 15 Oregon Counties Back Into Lockdown

The New York Times reports: More than half of American states are reporting significant declines in coronavirus cases, but in Oregon, a new wave of the virus has pushed a third of the state’s counties to tighten lockdown restrictions. Oregon is reporting about 816 new cases a day, a roughly 31 percent increase from two weeks ago, according to a …

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Cuomo Raises Capacities For Offices, Gyms, Stadiums

Gothamist reports: The governor said the move was prompted by the increase in vaccinations and the downward trend in the rate of positive COVID-19 tests statewide, citing the lowest mark since Thanksgiving. Starting on May 15th, offices will be allowed to function at 75% capacity, up from 50%. Casinos will be able to get half full instead of operating at …

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Boris Johnson Denies Saying “Let The Bodies Pile High”

The BBC reports: Boris Johnson suggested that “bodies could pile high” during a heated discussion in No 10 in the autumn about lockdown, sources familiar with the conversation have told the BBC. On Monday, the Daily Mail reported that Mr Johnson had said “let the bodies pile high in their thousands” rather than order a third lockdown. The PM denied …

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England’s Pubs And Shops Reopen After Three Months

Reuters reports: People queued up outside retailers across England on Monday to release their pent-up shopping fever and some grabbed a midnight pint or even an early haircut as England’s shops, pubs, gyms and hairdressers reopened after three months of lockdown. After imposing the most onerous restrictions in Britain’s peacetime history, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the reopening was a …

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Texas Supreme Court Voids Contempt Order For Lockdown Defying “Dallas Karen” Hair Salon Owner

The Texas Tribune reports: Months before COVID-19 cases surged to record highs last year, Shelley Luther was fighting to keep her Dallas salon open despite safety guidelines. She had torn up a cease-and-desist order from Dallas County, and soon was fined $7,000 and sentenced to seven days in jail. Almost a year later, the Texas Supreme Court concluded Friday morning …

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Ontario Stiffens Province-Wide Month-Long Lockdown

Blog Toronto reports: The Ontario government just officially declared another state of emergency and has issued a new stay-at-home order for the entire province, beginning this Thursday, April 8, as of 12:01 a.m. Premier Doug Ford announced the news Wednesday afternoon, as expected, stating that “there’s no doubt that this third wave has been different from anything we’ve faced so …

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Ontario Enters Four-Week Lockdown As Variants Surge

Bloomberg News reports: Ontario declared a four-week state of emergency after hitting a record for the number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care, driven by virus strains that are more contagious and dangerous. The order imposes restrictions on businesses and residents across the Canadian province of 14.7 million people, beginning today. Restaurants won’t be allowed to serve customers except for …

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