Anyone know what's happening abroad? Curious

[BridgetDrones]

I have a couple of friends abroad in Oz and NZ. I'm currently jealous of their nice weather and socialising. But what's happening with other countries? I keep hearing we're the only ones vaccinating at any pace. Are other countries locked down too?

I know Germany is and I think their lockdown has been extended.

www.express.co.uk/news/world/1381458/Europe-lockdown-full-list-of-countries-currently-in-lockdown-EVG

South Africa is in lockdown

www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/states-reopen-map-coronavirus.html

Covers the US

I spoke to my family in the Netherlands last week and they hadn't had any vaccine roll out at that point, they were hoping for it to start this week.

It's dreadful there, very high numbers of deaths and people with the virus, they are experiencing similar problems to us with some people not following the rules etc. We are certainly not the only country dealing with this!

my friend's family is in Brazil. Not in lockdown, and then last week 12 members of the family have all got Covid. 2 older members very poorly in hospital.

I've been in Peru recently. Can only speak for Lima and I think the regions are a different/ worse. No lockdown as such but many regulations. Just coming into the summer months now, peaked in May, June with another spike in August. Was steadily decreasing but looks like a slight up tick in last 2 weeks.
Restrictions and regulations include compulsory mask wearing indoors and out, no exemptions. Masks can be removed for eating, drinking and smoking only. Nighttime curfew, 11pm to 4pm. On entering any business temperature check, hand sanitise, disinfect shoes and often a head to foot spray. Taxis all have screens between driver and passengers. Numbers allowed to gather are limited and no spectators at sporting events.

To a certain extent it feels a bit 'new normal' but I don't have have the perspective a long term resident or citizen.

Guernsey.

No lock down, restrictions of any kind, or covid in the community. Travel on and off island is banned (unless essential) but on island we have schools, night clubs, theatre, parties, swimming, etc as if it were 2019.

We are vaccinating now too and hope to have a third of the population done by end of March.

In Malaysia we're back in lockdown. No vaccinations started yet as we don't have the supply - they go to the rich countries first.

I’m in France.
All the children are at school. But everyone over the age of 6 has to wear a mask at school.
We have curfew from 8pm to 6am
Restaurants and bars closed

Vaccinations only started slowly this week for older people.
60% of the french do not want the vaccine

I follow www.reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/ to see news stories from different countries, it's quite handy.

We’re in lockdown in western Canada -parts of Quebec even have a curfew. Vaccines being administered as fast as possible.

Far too much mixing at Christmas, according to the news, despite there being a ban on any kind of indoor or outdoor social gatherings.

Hospital bed demand is dreadful in Los Angeles: about half the cases in an already hot state. Mostly there is info missing from USA. NY & NJ have similar stats something like 1/900 persons have died.

The vaccine roll-out is very patchwork: each state doing own policies about who gets it first. My cousins (age 53 & 35?) are healthcare workers in AZ & OR got jab. My parents are staying with relatives in a state where they don't live: they got the vaccine there because relatives signed them up very fast. They would not have got it yet in their native state. Big parties happening on Florida beaches.

You need to listen to the brilliant Dr John Campbell on Youtube.

yes los angeles is awful

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/12/the-horror-stories-are-countless-inside-the-la-hospital-at-the-center-of-the-covid-crisis

is a very sobering read

In Austria and there's been a full lockdown since mid-Nov, lifted for 2 weeks for Christmas and then back in force until Jan 24. There are strong rumours of extension since neighbouring Germany have extended theirs until March. Schools were set to reopen on Jan 18 but the press have just started rumours that it might not be until after February break.

The numbers are slowly dropping (1.5K per day, in a population of 8M) but not as fast as the government would like and there are fears of the British strain which has just arrived within the past few days. Neighbouring country Slovakia has 50% of infections with the B117 strain so it was only a matter of time before that got here.

Hospital and ICU capacities are stable & available although many medical staff are exhausted and overworked. However it's definitely far from imminent collapse like the situation was back in November. Vaccinations are rolling out relatively slowly, but they have begun in care homes and a public registration website will be activated on Jan 18. People are relatively vaccine-skeptic here as well, around 60-70% aren't intending to get it.