Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2021
This article documents the chronology of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2021, which originated in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Some developments may become known or fully understood only in retrospect. Reporting on this pandemic began in December 2019.
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Reactions and measures in Africa
8 February
- South Africa suspends the use of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine following a trial that it did not have an effect on South African variants of the virus.[1]
Reactions and measures in South and Southeast Asia
1 February
- The Malaysian state of Selangor's "State Investment, Industry and Commerce, and Small and Medium Entreprises" (SMEs) chairman Teng Chang Khim has announced that the state's Chinese New Year celebration will be held online via social media.[2]
- Malaysian Director-General of Health Noor Hisham Abdullah has announced that Malaysia will receive its first batch of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on 26 February 2021, which will be distributed nationwide over a period of two weeks.[3]
4 February
- Malaysian Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that three business activities night markets, hair salons, and car wash services would be allowed to operate under the country’s movement control order from 5 February onwards.[4]
- Malaysian Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that Chinese New Year family reunion dinners would only be allowed at their residences among family members from the same household.[5] These "standard operating procedures" were criticised by several politicians and public figures including Deputy national unity minister Ti Lian Ker and Member of Parliament Ong Kian Ming as "culturally tone-deaf and unnecessary."[6]
5 February
- The Malaysian National Unity Ministry has revised standard operating procedures (SOPs) to allow Chinese New Year family reunions of 15 family members living within a 10km radius that did not involve inter-state or inter-district travel.[7]
7 February
- Malaysian Senior Minister (Security) Ismail Sabri Yaakob confirmed that 312,363 foreign workers had been screened for COVID-19 since 1 December last year. Of those screened, 6,093 tested positive for COVID-19 while 306,530 tested negative. This screening involved 13,533 employers and 1,268 clinics.[8]
Reactions and measures in the Western Pacific
3 February
- New Zealand Prime Minister Ardern has provisionally approved the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in New Zealand. The initial batches of the vaccine are scheduled to arrive in late March 2021, with frontline workers and the vulnerable being given priority.[9]
5 February
- Immigration New Zealand has confirmed that New Zealand's refugee resettlement programme, which had been suspended in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, would resume. The Government intends to resettle 210 refugees by 30 June 2021, with refugees undergoing the mandatory two-week stay in managed isolation.[10]
8 February
- The New Zealand Government announced the launch of the "Short-Term Absence Payment" (STAP) initiative which comes into effect the following day. STAP allows self-isolating employees to receive a lump sum of NZ$350 from their employers if they are unable to work from home.[11]
See also
References
- Cohen, Jon (8 February 2021). "South Africa suspends use of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine after it fails to clearly stop virus variant". Science. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- "Selangor to organise virtual CNY celebration on Feb 12, says state investment, industry and commerce chairman". Malay Mail. Bernama. 1 February 2021. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- "Malaysia to receive first batch of COVID-19 vaccines as country reports more than 4,000 new cases". Channel News Asia. 1 February 2021. Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- Anis, Mazwin Nik (4 February 2021). "Ismail Sabri: Hair salons, pasar malam and car wash services allowed during MCO 2.0". The Star. Archived from the original on 4 February 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- Tan, Vincent (5 February 2021). "No visiting during Chinese New Year, reunion dinner among those in same household only: Putrajaya". Channel News Asia. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
- "Widespread backlash over Chinese New Year SOPs". Free Malaysia Today. 4 February 2021. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
- Zolkepli, Farik (7 February 2021). "CNY SOP: Reunion dinner now allowed, no more than 15 family members living within 10km radius". The Star. Archived from the original on 7 February 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
- Zolkepli, Farik (7 February 2021). "Ismail Sabri: Over 300,000 foreign workers screened for Covid-19 since December". The Star. Archived from the original on 7 February 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- de Jong, Eleanor (3 February 2021). "New Zealand gives provisional approval to Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
- Walls, Jason (5 February 2021). "Govt restarts its refugee resettlement programme after Covid-19 shutdown". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
- "Government offers lump payment for self-isolating employees awaiting Covid-19 test results". 1 News. 8 February 2021. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
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