Beyond COVID-19 News and Views

11 June – 17 June 2022

Hong Kong’s outgoing leader has said she will not “give in a single inch” to requests by international business chambers and consulates to ease the city’s tough pandemic measures, citing an expected visit by top state figures and the need to avoid confusion in light of the coming transition of power for the local administration.
Researchers at King's College London found that the Omicron variant of coronavirus is less likely to cause long COVID-19 than previous variants. The study is believed to be the first academic research to show Omicron does not present as great a risk of long COVID-19, but that does not mean long COVID-19 patient numbers are dropping, the team said.
Advisers to the U.S Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday unanimously recommended the agency authorize COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna Inc and Pfizer Inc/BioNTech SE for millions of the youngest American childre.

US retail sales fell in May for the first time in five months, restrain by a plunge in auto purchases and other big-ticket items, suggesting moderating demand for goods amid decades-high inflation.
Britain’s jobless rate rose for the first time since late 2020 and other measures of the country’s hot labour market cooled, potentially easing inflation worries at the Bank of England which is due to raise rates again this week.
Australia's jobs market has continued to strengthen, with unemployment remaining at 3.9 per cent last month and underemployment falling to a 14-year low.

China’s economy showed initial signs of recovery in May in the wake of all-in efforts to stem downturn risks, while overall growth remained fragile and analysts called for strong support measures to sustain a solid recovery.
Japan ran its biggest single-month trade deficit in more than eight years in May as high commodity prices and declines in the yen swelled imports, clouding the country's economic outlook.
South Korea’s government downgraded its economic growth forecast for this year to less than the central bank’s outlook and raised its inflation estimate higher, underscoring mounting challenges for policy makers.

Two European Parliament committees on Tuesday backed an attempt to stop the EU labelling gas and nuclear energy as climate-friendly investments, setting the stage for a full parliament vote on whether to reject the rules next month.
European Union financial services chief Mairead McGuinness on Tuesday urged the bloc’s law makers to agree on bank capital rules to keep the sector resilient as it emerges from the pandemic and markets fragment due to war in Ukraine.
China and Singapore have strengthened bilateral relations after the two countries announced collaborations to promote the green economy and enhance cooperation and exchanges in the digital economy.

United States	87,861,132 cases 746,392 new cases up 0.86% on last Friday	1,035,928 deaths reported to date	66.80% fully vaccinated to date
United Kingdom	22,239,374 cases 136 new cases up 0.00% on last Friday	196,643 deaths reported to date	87.00% fully vaccinated to date
Hong Kong	1,222,987 cases 6,145 new cases up 0.50% on last Friday	9,392 deaths reported to date	88.00% fully vaccinated to date
Singapore	1,355,801 cases 23,145 new cases up 1.74% on last Friday	1,401 deaths reported to date	92.00% fully vaccinated to date
India	43,269,452 cases 62,187 new cases up 0.14% on last Friday	524,803 deaths reported to date	64.73% fully vaccinated to date
Brazil	31,644,703 cases 283,853 new cases up 0.91% on last Friday	668,892 deaths reported to date	78.57% fully vaccinated to date
China	225,172 cases 592 new cases up 0.26% on last Friday	5,226 deaths reported to date	87.05% fully vaccinated to date
Australia	7,737,192 cases 175,078 new cases up 2.32% on last Friday	9,238 deaths reported to date	95.00% fully vaccinated to date
Globally	543,107,413 cases 3,918,046 new cases up 0.73% on last Friday	6,338,038 deaths reported to date	62.00% fully vaccinated to date