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| Covid-19 Live Updates: Vaccine Trial Is Halted After Patient’s Adverse Reaction | Covid-19 Live Updates: Vaccine Trial Is Halted After Patient’s Adverse Reaction |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca halted global trials of its coronavirus vaccine on Tuesday because of a serious and unexpected suspected adverse reaction in a participant, the company said. | The pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca halted global trials of its coronavirus vaccine on Tuesday because of a serious and unexpected suspected adverse reaction in a participant, the company said. |
| The trial’s halt, which was first reported by Stat News, will allow the British-Swedish company to conduct a safety review. How long the hold will last is unclear. | The trial’s halt, which was first reported by Stat News, will allow the British-Swedish company to conduct a safety review. How long the hold will last is unclear. |
| In a statement, the company described the halt as a “routine action which has to happen whenever there is a potentially unexplained illness in one of the trials, while it is investigated, ensuring we maintain the integrity of the trials.” | In a statement, the company described the halt as a “routine action which has to happen whenever there is a potentially unexplained illness in one of the trials, while it is investigated, ensuring we maintain the integrity of the trials.” |
| Officials in the United States and Europe said that the pause was a sign that the process was working as designed, serving as reassurance that a vaccine that made it through the all the phases of the clinical trials would be safe. | |
| In an email response to a Reuters query, the World Health Organization said: “We are pleased to see vaccine developers assuring the scientific integrity of the trials and abiding by the standard guidelines and rules for the development of vaccines.” | |
| And in an interview on “CBS This Morning,” Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, echoed that sentiment. | |
| “That’s the reason why you have various phases of trials, to determine if in fact these candidates are safe,” Dr. Fauci said, adding that such a halt was “not uncommon at all.” The problems may not be directly linked to the vaccine, he said, but “you can’t presume that.” | |
| “It’s really one of the safety valves that you have on clinical trials such as this,” he said. | |
| The news of AstraZeneca pausing its trial came the same day the company and eight other drugmakers made a joint pledge to “stand with science” on coronavirus vaccines, reaffirming that they would not move forward with such products before thoroughly vetting them for safety and efficacy. | The news of AstraZeneca pausing its trial came the same day the company and eight other drugmakers made a joint pledge to “stand with science” on coronavirus vaccines, reaffirming that they would not move forward with such products before thoroughly vetting them for safety and efficacy. |
| President Trump has repeatedly claimed that a vaccine could be available before Election Day, Nov. 3, heightening fears that his administration is politicizing the race by scientists to develop a vaccine and potentially undermining public trust in any vaccine approved. | President Trump has repeatedly claimed that a vaccine could be available before Election Day, Nov. 3, heightening fears that his administration is politicizing the race by scientists to develop a vaccine and potentially undermining public trust in any vaccine approved. |
| A person familiar with the AstraZeneca trial, and who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the participant had been enrolled in a Phase 2/3 trial based in the United Kingdom. The individual also said that a volunteer in the U.K. trial had been found to have transverse myelitis, an inflammatory syndrome that affects the spinal cord and is often sparked by viral infections. The timing of the diagnosis, and whether it was linked to the vaccine, was unclear. | |
| AstraZeneca declined to comment on the location of the participant and did not confirm the diagnosis of transverse myelitis. “The event is being investigated by an independent committee, and it is too early to conclude the specific diagnosis,” the company said. | AstraZeneca declined to comment on the location of the participant and did not confirm the diagnosis of transverse myelitis. “The event is being investigated by an independent committee, and it is too early to conclude the specific diagnosis,” the company said. |
| AstraZeneca’s vaccine is currently in Phase 2/3 trials in the U.K. and India, and in Phase 3 trials in Brazil, South Africa and more than 60 sites in the United States. The company intended for its U.S. enrollment to reach 30,000. | |
| AstraZeneca is one of three companies whose vaccines are in late-stage clinical trials in the United States. | AstraZeneca is one of three companies whose vaccines are in late-stage clinical trials in the United States. |
| The director of the National Institutes of Health and the surgeon general appeared before the Senate health committee Wednesday morning amid growing concern that Mr. Trump is pressuring his administration to approve a coronavirus vaccine in advance of the November election, before there is proof that it is safe and effective. | |
| Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, took an oblique shot at Mr. Trump, who told reporters on Monday that a vaccine might be approved by Election Day. “To predict a particular date is well beyond anything any scientist could tell you and be confident they know what they are saying,” Dr. Collins said, adding he has “cautious optimism” that a safe and effective would emerge by the end of this year. | |
| The panel’s witnesses — Dr. Collins and Surgeon General Jerome Adams — are not given to courting controversy. But the hearing was expected to nonetheless be a tense one, as Democrats grill the two doctors and Republicans try to fend off the notion that Mr. Trump is plotting an “October surprise” — a vaccine approval that could give him an edge in his re-election bid against former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. | |
| But one vaccine study has already hit a bump in the road. On Tuesday, AstraZeneca halted large, late-stage global trials of its vaccine because of a serious suspected adverse reaction in a participant, the company said. It is not yet known whether the reaction was directly caused by the vaccine. | |
| Dr. Collins said the hold on the AstraZeneca trial “is a concrete example of how even a single case of unexpected illness is sufficient to hold a clinical trial in multiple countries” — and evidence that “we cannot compromise” on safety. | Dr. Collins said the hold on the AstraZeneca trial “is a concrete example of how even a single case of unexpected illness is sufficient to hold a clinical trial in multiple countries” — and evidence that “we cannot compromise” on safety. |
| Dr. Adams said the Trump administration is going to allow state-licensed pharmacists to administer Covid-19 vaccines to people age three and older. The federal Department of Health and Human Services will issue guidance to that effect later Wednesday, he said. | |
| global roundup | global roundup |
| Britain, seeing a spike in new cases, will ban most gatherings of more than six people beginning next week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Wednesday. | |
| “We need to act now to stop the virus spreading,” Mr. Johnson had said in a statement earlier this week. “So we are simplifying and strengthening the rules on social contact — making them easier to understand and for the police to enforce.” | |
| A surge in cases and confusion over the current rules prompted the measure, which will take effect on Monday and include fines beginning at 100 pounds (about $130). The new rules will apply to both indoor and outdoor gatherings, including private homes and parks. | |
| About 3,000 new cases were reported on both Sunday and Monday of this week, the highest daily figures in Britain since May. About 2,500 more new cases were reported on Tuesday and 32 deaths. | About 3,000 new cases were reported on both Sunday and Monday of this week, the highest daily figures in Britain since May. About 2,500 more new cases were reported on Tuesday and 32 deaths. |
| The spike in cases has not prompted a similar uptick in hospitalizations. As of Tuesday, there were 757 confirmed Covid-19 patients in hospitals in Britain, including 77 people on ventilators, according to government data. Earlier in the pandemic, in April, those numbers hovered closer to 20,000 patients. | |
| One explanation for the lag in hospitalizations could be that more people under 40 have been testing positive, according to numbers from Public Health England. | |
| Since April, the testing capacity in the country has gone up. Last Wednesday, there were more than 175,000 tests processed, the government reported. But Wednesday, Matt Hancock, the health secretary, told the BBC that only people with symptoms should get tested. “If you don’t have symptoms unless asked specifically to get a test,” he said, “you’re not eligible for a test.” | Since April, the testing capacity in the country has gone up. Last Wednesday, there were more than 175,000 tests processed, the government reported. But Wednesday, Matt Hancock, the health secretary, told the BBC that only people with symptoms should get tested. “If you don’t have symptoms unless asked specifically to get a test,” he said, “you’re not eligible for a test.” |
| As of Wednesday, Britain had recorded at least 352,000 virus cases and 41,000 deaths, according to a New York Times database. | As of Wednesday, Britain had recorded at least 352,000 virus cases and 41,000 deaths, according to a New York Times database. |
| In other developments around the world: | In other developments around the world: |
| A fast-moving fire destroyed most of Europe’s largest refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, leaving its 12,000 residents homeless just days after they were collectively quarantined because of a coronavirus outbreak there. | A fast-moving fire destroyed most of Europe’s largest refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, leaving its 12,000 residents homeless just days after they were collectively quarantined because of a coronavirus outbreak there. |
| India’s Health Ministry said Tuesday that it planned to open classrooms for high school students on a voluntary basis, and only with their parents’ approval, starting Sept. 21. The vast majority of schoolchildren will continue to study online. The Taj Mahal will also open for tourism on Sept. 21, with access restricted to 5,000 people per day. India has recorded more than 4.3 million cases, second only to the United States, with nearly 90,000 new infections reported on Tuesday. | |
| Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, said on Tuesday that it would take a four-week “pause” before it considers loosening restrictions or allowing further economic reopening. Christine Elliott, Ontario’s health minister, acknowledged that schools, which began reopening across the province on Tuesday, would most likely become vectors for the virus, and said that the province’s top priority was protecting them from transmission in the community. Ontario has reported at least 43,000 coronavirus cases, according to a New York Times database, including 852 in the past week. | Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, said on Tuesday that it would take a four-week “pause” before it considers loosening restrictions or allowing further economic reopening. Christine Elliott, Ontario’s health minister, acknowledged that schools, which began reopening across the province on Tuesday, would most likely become vectors for the virus, and said that the province’s top priority was protecting them from transmission in the community. Ontario has reported at least 43,000 coronavirus cases, according to a New York Times database, including 852 in the past week. |
| Virus infections are rising in the Netherlands, which reported 1,140 confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, the country’s health minister, Hugo de Jonge, said on Wednesday. “This is the highest number in months,” Mr. de Jonge said. Hospitalizations are also increasing, he said. | Virus infections are rising in the Netherlands, which reported 1,140 confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, the country’s health minister, Hugo de Jonge, said on Wednesday. “This is the highest number in months,” Mr. de Jonge said. Hospitalizations are also increasing, he said. |
| China’s biggest air show will go ahead in November, the organizer said on Wednesday, backtracking on an earlier announcement that the event had been canceled because of the pandemic. The biennial International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition comes amid a steep downturn in the industry. | China’s biggest air show will go ahead in November, the organizer said on Wednesday, backtracking on an earlier announcement that the event had been canceled because of the pandemic. The biennial International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition comes amid a steep downturn in the industry. |
| Germany extended a general travel warning to include all countries outside Europe through Sept. 30. But the foreign ministry said that starting in October, it would evaluate individual non-European destinations case by case, rather than issue another blanket warning. Germans may travel within the European Union and to other countries within Europe’s Schengen zone of passport-free travel, as well as to Britain, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican, without breaching the warning, which is an advisory, not a mandate. For the many Germans who travel on package tours, the warning will generally allow them to cancel bookings without charge. | |
| Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin raised doubts on Wednesday about the likelihood of another economic stimulus package being passed this year and said his current focus is on a measure to extend government funding later this month. | |
| The comments come as Republicans and Democrats in Congress remain far apart in their views about the scope and cost of another relief bill and as Mr. Trump has been largely disengaged from the negotiations. | |
| Asked about the prospects of another bill, Mr. Mnuchin showed little optimism. | |
| “I don’t know,” Mr. Mnuchin said outside the White House. “We’ll see. I hope there is. It’s important to a lot of people out there.” | |
| The Treasury secretary said that he has been having discussions with Speaker Nancy Pelosi about a “clean” bill to keep the government funded until after the election, avoiding a government shutdown. He has also had talks with Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama, the top Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee, about such a bill. | |
| “It doesn’t seem promising at the moment on stimulus,” Mr. Shelby said on Tuesday after speaking with Mr. Mnuchin about a stopgap bill, known formally as a continuing resolution. “So if we don’t get a stimulus then the only game in town would be a few nominations and the CR, funding the government.” | |
| Mr. Mnuchin has also been in touch with Senate Republicans about the scaled-back stimulus bill that they unveiled on Tuesday that would provide federal aid to unemployed workers, schools, farmers, the Postal Service and small businesses. The legislation, which slashes billions of dollars from the original $1 trillion Republican proposal unveiled in July, does not include another round of $1,200 stimulus checks or additional funding for state and local governments. | |
| A vote on that bill that is scheduled for Thursday in the Senate is expected to fail to meet the necessary 60 vote threshold, as Democrats continue to push for a more robust and costly package. | |
| On Wednesday morning, a day after Mr. Trump held a large rally in North Carolina without wearing a mask, Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s leading official on infectious diseases, expressed concerns about the example this set. | On Wednesday morning, a day after Mr. Trump held a large rally in North Carolina without wearing a mask, Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s leading official on infectious diseases, expressed concerns about the example this set. |
| Appearing on “CBS This Morning” to talk about the hunt for a coronavirus vaccine, Dr. Fauci was asked whether the sight of such rallies is frustrating for him. | Appearing on “CBS This Morning” to talk about the hunt for a coronavirus vaccine, Dr. Fauci was asked whether the sight of such rallies is frustrating for him. |
| “Well, yes it is and I’ve said that often,” he said. “We want to set an example.” | “Well, yes it is and I’ve said that often,” he said. “We want to set an example.” |
| Dr. Fauci, whose differences with the president have been noted throughout the course of the pandemic, said that public health measures such as wearing masks, keeping physical distance, avoiding crowds and moving activities outdoors rather than indoors “are the kind of things that turn around surges and also prevent us from getting surges.” | Dr. Fauci, whose differences with the president have been noted throughout the course of the pandemic, said that public health measures such as wearing masks, keeping physical distance, avoiding crowds and moving activities outdoors rather than indoors “are the kind of things that turn around surges and also prevent us from getting surges.” |
| “So I certainly would like to see a universal wearing of masks,” he said. | “So I certainly would like to see a universal wearing of masks,” he said. |
| While Mr. Trump’s recent rallies have been outdoors or in airport hangars, they are certainly crowded, with little evidence of physical distancing. And even in places where there is an official mask requirement, like North Carolina, masks at the rallies are few and far between. The Republican chairman of the county commission where the rally on Wednesday took place said beforehand that the president should wear a mask, given the statewide order on face coverings. Mr. Trump did not. | While Mr. Trump’s recent rallies have been outdoors or in airport hangars, they are certainly crowded, with little evidence of physical distancing. And even in places where there is an official mask requirement, like North Carolina, masks at the rallies are few and far between. The Republican chairman of the county commission where the rally on Wednesday took place said beforehand that the president should wear a mask, given the statewide order on face coverings. Mr. Trump did not. |
| When borders closed because of the pandemic, seafarers on ships around the world suddenly had no way home. For cargo ships around the world, the process known as crew change, in which seamen are replaced by new ones as their contracts expire, ground nearly to a halt. | When borders closed because of the pandemic, seafarers on ships around the world suddenly had no way home. For cargo ships around the world, the process known as crew change, in which seamen are replaced by new ones as their contracts expire, ground nearly to a halt. |
| Six months later, there’s no solution in sight. | Six months later, there’s no solution in sight. |
| In June, the United Nations called the situation a “growing humanitarian and safety crisis.” | In June, the United Nations called the situation a “growing humanitarian and safety crisis.” |
| Last month, the International Transport Workers’ Federation, a seafarers’ union, estimated that 300,000 of the 1.2 million crew members at sea were essentially stranded on their ships, working past the expiration of their original contracts and fighting isolation, uncertainty and fatigue. | Last month, the International Transport Workers’ Federation, a seafarers’ union, estimated that 300,000 of the 1.2 million crew members at sea were essentially stranded on their ships, working past the expiration of their original contracts and fighting isolation, uncertainty and fatigue. |
| Some crew members have begun refusing to work, forcing ships to stay in port. And many in the shipping industry fear that the stress and exhaustion will lead to accidents, perhaps disastrous ones. | Some crew members have begun refusing to work, forcing ships to stay in port. And many in the shipping industry fear that the stress and exhaustion will lead to accidents, perhaps disastrous ones. |
| “There’s nothing I can do,” Ralph Santillan, a merchant seaman from the Philippines, said late last month from his ship, a 965-foot bulk carrier off South Korea. “I have to leave to God whatever might happen here.” | “There’s nothing I can do,” Ralph Santillan, a merchant seaman from the Philippines, said late last month from his ship, a 965-foot bulk carrier off South Korea. “I have to leave to God whatever might happen here.” |
| France’s prime minister Jean Castex is self-isolating and will hold his meetings remotely after he came into contact on Saturday with the director of the Tour de France, who tested positive for the coronavirus. | France’s prime minister Jean Castex is self-isolating and will hold his meetings remotely after he came into contact on Saturday with the director of the Tour de France, who tested positive for the coronavirus. |
| Mr. Castex’s isolation comes as France is facing a resurgence of the virus with a daily average of 7,000 cases for the past seven days and an increase in the number of patients in intensive care after months of decline. | Mr. Castex’s isolation comes as France is facing a resurgence of the virus with a daily average of 7,000 cases for the past seven days and an increase in the number of patients in intensive care after months of decline. |
| Mr. Castex tested negative on Tuesday, but he will isolate until being retested seven days after the contact took place. As a consequence, France’s weekly cabinet meeting will take place by videoconference on Wednesday for the first time since the end of the country’s two-month lockdown in May. | Mr. Castex tested negative on Tuesday, but he will isolate until being retested seven days after the contact took place. As a consequence, France’s weekly cabinet meeting will take place by videoconference on Wednesday for the first time since the end of the country’s two-month lockdown in May. |
| President Emmanuel Macron also underwent a test, which was negative, after visiting Lebanon and Iraq last week, and interior minister Gérald Darmanin will be tested after spending time with Mr. Castex on Tuesday. | President Emmanuel Macron also underwent a test, which was negative, after visiting Lebanon and Iraq last week, and interior minister Gérald Darmanin will be tested after spending time with Mr. Castex on Tuesday. |
| “We do for us what we require all fellow citizens to do,” Mr. Macron told reporters on Tuesday. | “We do for us what we require all fellow citizens to do,” Mr. Macron told reporters on Tuesday. |
| Mr. Macron nevertheless acknowledged that the situation was “worrying” and called on French citizens to be “more vigilant” in their private lives in the face of the epidemic. | Mr. Macron nevertheless acknowledged that the situation was “worrying” and called on French citizens to be “more vigilant” in their private lives in the face of the epidemic. |
| Mr. Macron said that new measures to fight the virus would be discussed at a health defense council on Friday. | Mr. Macron said that new measures to fight the virus would be discussed at a health defense council on Friday. |
| In particular, the government will discuss the widespread introduction of antigenic tests that are considered simpler and faster, just as the country is facing increasing delays in test results, hampering its fight against the spread of the virus. | In particular, the government will discuss the widespread introduction of antigenic tests that are considered simpler and faster, just as the country is facing increasing delays in test results, hampering its fight against the spread of the virus. |
| U.S. ROUNDUP | |
| Across the United States, colleges that have reopened for in-person instruction are struggling to contain the spread of the virus among tens of thousands of students, with perhaps their most complex problem being what to do with students who test positive or come into contact with someone who has. | |
| Many have set aside special dormitories, or are renting off-campus apartments or hotel rooms to provide isolation beds for infected students and separate quarantine units for the possibly sick. | |
| But some undergraduates and epidemiologists say the policies have broken down, often in ways that may put students and college staff members at risk. | |
| At the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and the University of Notre Dame, students have reported their classmates for violating quarantine and wandering outside. At Iowa State University, a student who was waiting for his virus test results said he was sent back to his regular dorm room where he could have infected his roommate. | |
| And at many campuses, students with confirmed or possible infections have flooded social media platforms to describe filthy rooms, meager food rations, lack of furniture, chaotic procedures and minimal monitoring from their universities. | |
| The policy breakdown reflects the chaotic nature of this extraordinary semester, when schools are struggling to deliver both in-person and remote classes; to identify, isolate and treat coronavirus outbreaks; and to maintain safe behavior among sometimes unruly undergraduates. | |
| At the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, Brianna Hayes developed a fever after a week at school, went to campus health services and was immediately assigned to a quarantine dorm for students with virus risks. Two days later, the university informed Ms. Hayes, a first-year student, that she had tested positive and would need to move again, this time to a Covid-19 isolation dorm. | |
| But there was no university staff in the dorm to help sick students, Ms. Hayes said, and during her week in isolation, she said, no one from the university came to check on her. | |
| “I felt like everyone was only interested in how I was affecting others, like who I came in contact with, and then I was just left to be sick,” she said. | |
| Amy Johnson, U.N.C.’s vice chancellor for student affairs, said the school worked hard “to facilitate an easy and comfortable transition for students,” and to keep “lines of communication open.” With more than 900 student virus cases over the last month, the university switched to online instruction in mid-August, but it has permitted some students with demonstrated needs to remain on campus. | |
| Elsewhere in the U.S.: | |
| In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday that an update on the status of indoor dining in the city, which is currently prohibited, could come “as early as this week.” He added that the city would need to establish a threshold to shut down the activity in the event of an uptick in cases. His remarks came as Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo raised concerns about compliance, enforcement and safety standards. “We are trying our best to see if there’s a way we can give some clarity to the restaurant industry so they can have some option to keep going,” the mayor said. | |
| A pint of Guinness. A half eaten meal. And an alarm clock. | A pint of Guinness. A half eaten meal. And an alarm clock. |
| All are laid out on a table in front of an elderly man, the craggy lines of his face visible in profile as he gazes toward the window in a pub in Ireland, in a photo that has come to capture the nation’s wrestling with coronavirus regulations. | All are laid out on a table in front of an elderly man, the craggy lines of his face visible in profile as he gazes toward the window in a pub in Ireland, in a photo that has come to capture the nation’s wrestling with coronavirus regulations. |
| A pub owner, Fergus McGinn, posted the photo of the man enjoying a pint of Guinness with a timer set on the Facebook page of McGinn’s Hop House, a pub in the city of Galway, on Ireland’s west coast, where it has been viewed and shared tens of thousands of times. | A pub owner, Fergus McGinn, posted the photo of the man enjoying a pint of Guinness with a timer set on the Facebook page of McGinn’s Hop House, a pub in the city of Galway, on Ireland’s west coast, where it has been viewed and shared tens of thousands of times. |
| While the image has come to symbolize different things for different people — some have used it to criticize the government’s continued restrictions on pubs, while others have applauded the man’s commitment to regulations on dining out — the man who took the photo said he hoped it highlighted the struggles of those isolated by the pandemic. | While the image has come to symbolize different things for different people — some have used it to criticize the government’s continued restrictions on pubs, while others have applauded the man’s commitment to regulations on dining out — the man who took the photo said he hoped it highlighted the struggles of those isolated by the pandemic. |
| Mr. McGinn said he hoped the photo would make people aware of the role the local pub played for isolated members of the community. “Taking that away from people, that social outlet for that generation, it could be detrimental and savage on their mental health,” Mr. McGinn said. Offers to buy the man his next meal or pay for his pint have also poured in, but Mr. McGinn said he wanted “to pay his own way.” | Mr. McGinn said he hoped the photo would make people aware of the role the local pub played for isolated members of the community. “Taking that away from people, that social outlet for that generation, it could be detrimental and savage on their mental health,” Mr. McGinn said. Offers to buy the man his next meal or pay for his pint have also poured in, but Mr. McGinn said he wanted “to pay his own way.” |
| Particularly in Ireland’s smaller communities, pubs serve as a place to connect socially, even for those who aren’t big drinkers, functioning as a meeting place and the center of some rural areas. But pubs that don’t serve food have been closed since the lockdown first began in March. | Particularly in Ireland’s smaller communities, pubs serve as a place to connect socially, even for those who aren’t big drinkers, functioning as a meeting place and the center of some rural areas. But pubs that don’t serve food have been closed since the lockdown first began in March. |
| Pubs that do serve food have been allowed to open since the end of June, but under new restrictions that ensure that each customer has a “substantial meal” worth at least nine euros (about $10.60) if they also purchase alcohol, and requiring patrons to leave within one hour and 45 minutes — hence the timer. | Pubs that do serve food have been allowed to open since the end of June, but under new restrictions that ensure that each customer has a “substantial meal” worth at least nine euros (about $10.60) if they also purchase alcohol, and requiring patrons to leave within one hour and 45 minutes — hence the timer. |
| While Mr. McGinn was cautious about naming the man in the photo, to preserve his privacy, he was later identified in local news reports as John Joe Quinn, and told The Irish Independent that he was surprised about his new fame. He also noted that he was using the timer to ensure he didn’t miss the evening news broadcast. | While Mr. McGinn was cautious about naming the man in the photo, to preserve his privacy, he was later identified in local news reports as John Joe Quinn, and told The Irish Independent that he was surprised about his new fame. He also noted that he was using the timer to ensure he didn’t miss the evening news broadcast. |
| But he also said that he was less concerned about going out for a pint than he was about staying safe. | But he also said that he was less concerned about going out for a pint than he was about staying safe. |
| “Health is more important,” he told the news outlet. “I mean, if that spreads again, we’re all in trouble.” | “Health is more important,” he told the news outlet. “I mean, if that spreads again, we’re all in trouble.” |
| Some offenders caught without a mask were required to lie down in a coffin. Others were ordered to sit in the back of a hearse. | Some offenders caught without a mask were required to lie down in a coffin. Others were ordered to sit in the back of a hearse. |
| As Indonesia’s coronavirus caseload surges past 200,000, some officials are finding creative ways to drive home the message that wearing a mask is necessary to prevent new infections. | As Indonesia’s coronavirus caseload surges past 200,000, some officials are finding creative ways to drive home the message that wearing a mask is necessary to prevent new infections. |
| In East Jakarta, the authorities punished several people with time in a coffin. | In East Jakarta, the authorities punished several people with time in a coffin. |
| “The coffin is a symbol to remind people not to underestimate the coronavirus,” said Budhy Novian, head of East Jakarta’s public order agency. “It’s our effort to convey the message to the people: The Covid-19 number is high and it causes death.” | “The coffin is a symbol to remind people not to underestimate the coronavirus,” said Budhy Novian, head of East Jakarta’s public order agency. “It’s our effort to convey the message to the people: The Covid-19 number is high and it causes death.” |
| But officials halted the practice after critics pointed out that onlookers were violating social distancing rules by crowding around to gawk and take photos. | But officials halted the practice after critics pointed out that onlookers were violating social distancing rules by crowding around to gawk and take photos. |
| Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country, passed 200,000 reported cases on Tuesday. New cases have been averaging more than 3,000 a day for two weeks, according to a New York Times database, and the death toll of 8,230 is the highest in East Asia. | Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country, passed 200,000 reported cases on Tuesday. New cases have been averaging more than 3,000 a day for two weeks, according to a New York Times database, and the death toll of 8,230 is the highest in East Asia. |
| Indonesia has one of the lowest rates of testing in the world, and its positivity rate is nearly 14 percent, slightly higher than Sweden’s and well above the 5 percent that the World Health Organization has given as a rough benchmark for relaxing social distancing measures. (A rising positivity rate can point to an uncontrolled outbreak; it can also indicate that not enough testing is occurring.) | Indonesia has one of the lowest rates of testing in the world, and its positivity rate is nearly 14 percent, slightly higher than Sweden’s and well above the 5 percent that the World Health Organization has given as a rough benchmark for relaxing social distancing measures. (A rising positivity rate can point to an uncontrolled outbreak; it can also indicate that not enough testing is occurring.) |
| Some independent experts suspect that Indonesia’s actual number of cases is many times higher than 200,000. | Some independent experts suspect that Indonesia’s actual number of cases is many times higher than 200,000. |
| In Jakarta, the capital, officials erected a coffin-themed monument last week to highlight the rising death toll and remind people to follow coronavirus protocols. | In Jakarta, the capital, officials erected a coffin-themed monument last week to highlight the rising death toll and remind people to follow coronavirus protocols. |
| Flouting the requirement to wear a mask in public in Jakarta is punishable by a fine of up to $67 for repeat offenders, a substantial sum for many residents. | Flouting the requirement to wear a mask in public in Jakarta is punishable by a fine of up to $67 for repeat offenders, a substantial sum for many residents. |
| Reporting was contributed by Aurora Almendral, Troy Closson, Emily Cochrane, Mike Ives, Patrick Kingsley, Constant Méheut, Claire Moses, Richard C. Paddock, Alan Rappeport, Christopher F. Schuetze, Sheryl Gay Stolberg, Natasha Singer, Karan Deep Singh, Kaly Soto, Megan Specia, Muktita Suhartono, Katie Thomas, Katherine J. Wu and Elaine Yu. |