OVERVIEW: NewYork City police, Europe, Asia

What you need to know about the coronavirus right now Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: Reuters Reuters

 -- NYC firefighters union says members should defy vaccine mandate

The head of the New York City firefighters union said on Wednesday he had told unvaccinated members to report for duty regardless of an order by Mayor Bill de Blasio to place them on unpaid leave if they fail to get the COVID-19 shot.

New York City firefighters who have risked their own health to save lives during the pandemic felt "insulted" by de Blasio's order to get the shot or face suspension, said Andrew Ansbro, president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association. read more

-- Moscow: The Russian capital imposed its strictest lockdown measures in more than a year on Thursday as nationwide one-day pandemic deaths and infections hit new highs amid slow vaccination take-up across the world's biggest country.

Moscow's partial lockdown, in which only essential shops like pharmacies and supermarkets are allowed to remain open and schools and state kindergartens are shut, comes ahead of a week-long nationwide workplace shutdown from Oct. 30. read more

--Germany's coronavirus caseload took its biggest jump in two weeks on Thursday, with over 28,000 new infections, the Robert Koch Institute said, adding heft to worries about restrictions this winter. ...

-- Singapore is looking into an "unusual surge" of 5,324 new infections, the city-state's health ministry said, its highest such figure since the beginning of the pandemic, as beds in intensive care units fill up.

Ten new deaths on Wednesday carried the toll to 349, after 3,277 infections the previous day, while the ICU utilisation rate is nearing 80%, despite a population that is 84% fully vaccinated, with 14% receiving booster doses. read more ...

 -- China: Ruili, in the province of Yunnan, has faced some of the toughest curbs in the country under Beijing's zero-tolerance policy, as a key international transit point for southwest China, following multiple outbreaks since last year. read more

 -- Beijing city is demanding vaccine booster shots for some key workers, making it the first major Chinese metropolis to publicly articulate a booster mandate. read more

ALSO SEE: Vaccine reluctance in Eastern Europe brings high COVID cost