Eli Lilly Seeks Emergency FDA Approval For Antiviral; Italy Mandates Masks Outdoors, NFL Outbreak Grows: Live Updates

Summary:

• Italy calls for masks worn outdoors
• Brussels closes bars
• Eli Lilly asks FDA for emergency approval for antiviral
• Patriots Stephen Gilmore tests positive, along with 2 more Titans

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In the face of growing evidence that wearing masks outdoors isn’t an effective strategy for combating the spread of COVID-19 (the CDC, at the behest of the WHO, has acknowledge that aerosol transmission is only a major risk factor in ‘poorly ventilated’ areas), Italy is following through with plans to impose mandatory mask requirements across the country, part of a wave of rollbacks sweeping across Europe as the long-feared fall “second wave” appears to crest.

Italy’s top public health officials imposed the mandatory mask order, the latest in a series of rollbacks in Italy aimed to try and tamp down a resurgence of the virus. Italy’s council of ministers also voted to extend a state of emergency first imposed in March through the end of January, according to ANSA.

Effective immediately, the council also approved a new requirement for Italians to wear masks outdoors whenever they’re near people who do not live together, ANSA added.

The measures arise as Italy’s leaders extend and reshape the country’s emergency measures to account for the resurgence.

But Italy wasn’t alone in adopting new measures on Wednesday. As an outbreak roars in Brussels, the de facto capital of the EU, the Belgian capital decided to reinstate its lockdown conditions, closing all bars immediately for the second time.

Restaurants serving meals at a table can remain open, but bars and drinking in public will be banned until at least Nov. 8. Belgium, which has a surprisingly high mortality rate (the highest in Europe, and second only to Peru globally), has seen an alarming spike not just in new cases but in hospital admissins, which many fear could lead to another surge in deaths.

As infection rates surge in the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s “localized lockdown” strategy has come under attack from opposition Labour MPs, including Keir Starmer, the party’s new leader. Roughly 25% of Britons are currently living under restrictive virus-related restrictions.

Poland and the Czech Republic both registered record numbers on Wednesday – Poland reported record deaths for the second straight day, while the Czech Republic reported its largest daily jump in new cases, with 4,457 new positive tests over the prior 24 hours – as the outbreak spreads in Central Europe.

Deaths in Iran have continued to surge, with the Islamic Republic reporting another 239 deaths with another 4,274 people in critical condition. With his country in the grip of a full-blown outbreak, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani begged the international community to loosen sanctions on Iran’s economy to help alleviate the country’s suffering.

Moving on to the US, the biggest COVID-19-related news out Wednesday morning concerns the NFL. After quarterback Cam Newton tested positive the other day, NFL Network reports that Patriots star cornerback Stephen Gilmore has tested positive as well.

Gilmore’s positive test is the first since the team traveled to Kansas City on Monday night to play the Chiefs, a game that had been originally scheduled for Sunday.

that another player has tested positive. Additionally, two more players on the Titans have been sickened, the latest in an outbreak that has sickened 20 players and personnel. The team’s game with the Bills on Sunday is now in jeopardy, which could create serious problems for the team’s schedule.

After last week’s outbreak in Tennessee, there were multiple new positive COVID tests by NFL players. Some of Sunday’s games may be postponed.

Titans in a tough spot, having just rescheduled last week’s game to their bye week. No more open weeks to slot into. https://t.co/hfQgKo4xZW

— TZM (@TZM_TMT) October 7, 2020

Finally, Eli Lilly shares rallied in premarket trade as the company asked the FDA for emergency authorization for its COVID-19 antibody drug, with the company telling regulators it could supply 1 million doses of the drug this year. The treatment is aimed at people with mild to moderate COVID-19. A new study shows that the drug combined with another antibody reduced viral load, symptoms and hospitalizations in patients. It’s similar to the Regeneron treatment taken by President Trump.