Coronavirus Global situation

In Brief: Jakarta plans free vaccine boosters

Jakarta plans free vaccine boosters

JAKARTA • Indonesia is finalising a plan to offer free Covid-19 vaccine boosters to more than 114 million people in anticipation of an "inevitable" third wave of coronavirus outbreak.

Free booster shots are being considered for people in the low-income category under various government programmes, according to Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto. The plan for 137.2 million doses of booster vaccines to cover 50 per cent to 60 per cent of the population will be decided this week, he said in a briefing on Monday.

The world's largest archipelago is intensifying its inoculation campaign with less than a fifth of its 270 million population fully vaccinated against the virus, lagging behind many of its Asian neighbours, according to Bloomberg Vaccine Tracker.

The government has said another surge of infections caused by new variants is "inevitable" and that a third wave of outbreak could occur in November or December.

BLOOMBERG


Myanmar set for extreme poverty

NAYPYIDAW • Myanmar's Covid-19 outbreak has pushed more people into poverty, and the most vulnerable sections of the society may face "extreme deprivation" in the coming months, according to the United Nations World Food Programme.

"We're concerned that the cumulative impact is putting pressure on the most vulnerable segments of society," the food agency's country director Stephen Anderson said in a Bloomberg Television interview yesterday.

The country was then hit by "additional shocks" following the military takeover in February, said Mr Anderson.

An estimated one million jobs could be lost this year, while the country is facing rising food and fuel prices, banking issues, and a weakening currency, he added. "We're concerned that we're going to be seeing in the coming months further pictures of people facing extreme deprivation in Myanmar.

BLOOMBERG


Delta variant pushes up NZ cases

WELLINGTON • New Zealand's daily coronavirus cases jumped to their highest level in weeks yesterday, a setback to the South Pacific nation's battle to eliminate the highly infectious Delta variant from its shores.

The health authorities reported 45 new cases, all in the biggest city, Auckland, taking the total number of cases in the current outbreak to 1,230. It is much higher than the eight reported on Tuesday, and the highest number of daily cases since Sept 2.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said at least 33 of the new cases are known household or close contacts of existing cases and most have been isolating at home or in quarantine facilities while infectious. New Zealand eliminated Covid-19 last year and remained largely virus-free until an outbreak of the Delta variant last month led to a nationwide lockdown. Auckland has been in lockdown for over a month.

REUTERS


Philippines ranked 'worst place'

MANILA • The Philippines fell to last place in Bloomberg's Covid-19 Resilience Ranking of the best and worst places to be amid the pandemic, capping a steady decline over the course of the year.

The monthly snapshot - which measures where the virus is being handled the most effectively with the least social and economic upheaval - ranks 53 major economies on 12 data points related to virus containment, the economy and opening up.

The Philippines' drop to No. 53 reflects the challenges it is facing from the onslaught of the Delta variant, which has hit South-east Asia particularly hard amid difficulties containing the more contagious strain and slow vaccination roll-outs.

The Philippines faces a perfect storm in that it is grappling with the variant at the same time as it works with an inadequate testing regime and sees disruptions to its economy and people's livelihoods.

BLOOMBERG


Australia to end govt payments

SYDNEY • Australia will wind down emergency financial payments aimed at helping people and businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic as Covid-19 vaccinations rise, with payments in some states likely to end in weeks.

The federal government has spent over A$9 billion (S$8.85 billion) since June to support around 2 million people, but will phase out the payments as vaccination levels near targeted levels at 70-80 per cent, Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said yesterday.

"We are expecting when restrictions ease, people will get back to work, businesses will reopen and people will go about their daily lives," he told a media briefing.

Australia is grappling with a third wave of infections fuelled by the Delta variant that has plunged its largest cities of Sydney and Melbourne and the capital Canberra into a weeks-long lockdown, putting its A$2 trillion economy on the brink of a second recession in as many years.

REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 30, 2021, with the headline In Brief: Jakarta plans free vaccine boosters. Subscribe