Tag: Omicron

Thailand reimposes quarantine for travellers to halt Omicron spread

Thailand reimposed mandatory coronavirus quarantine measures for foreign tourists on Tuesday, nixing a quarantine-free travel scheme as the kingdom seeks to stifle the spread of the Omicron variant. The pandemic has clobbered the country’s tourism-dominated economy, which last year experienced its worst performance since the 1997 Asian financial crisis. In early November Thailand reopened to fully vaccinated travellers — who had to isolate for a night until they received a negative PCR test — from […]

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EU watchdog says ‘no answer’ if Omicron-specific jab needed

by Jan HENNOP There is “no answer yet” on whether vaccine makers will have to adapt their Covid shots to counter the rapidly-spreading Omicron variant, Europe’s medicines watchdog chief said on Tuesday. The highly-mutated variant, now present in dozens of countries, appears to be more contagious than previous strains and is driving new waves of infections globally. Scientists are also examining whether it is more resistant to vaccines than previous strains. But the head of […]

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Germany targets New Year’s parties, sports in new Covid curbs

by Michelle FITZPATRICK Germany’s leaders on Tuesday limited private New Year’s parties to 10 people and banned spectators from football games to stem Omicron’s spread, stopping short of imposing new coronavirus curbs before Dec. 25. Speaking after talks with Germany’s 16 regional leaders, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the country was facing “a fifth wave” as the new, highly contagious Omicron variant sweeps the globe. “We are all tired of the pandemic, but that doesn’t help […]

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NHL players will not compete at Beijing Olympics: reports

National Hockey League players will not compete in February’s Beijing Winter Olympics in the wake of 50 NHL games being postponed over Covid-19 issues, according to multiple reports Tuesday. ESPN, the New York Times, the Washington Post, USA Today and other newspapers cited unnamed sources in saying the league and the NHL Players Association had reached agreement not to send talent to China. Without the NHL’s elite millionaire stars, national teams at the Olympics will likely resemble […]

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Biden says US ‘prepared’ for Omicron as Israel calls for 4th shots

by Issam Ahmed with AFP bureaus President Joe Biden on Tuesday told Americans worried about the rapidly spreading Omicron coronavirus variant that the country was “prepared” to fight it, as Israel — which pioneered the use of Covid vaccine boosters — announced fourth shots for those over 60 and health workers. Omicron, now present in dozens of countries, appears to be more infectious than earlier coronavirus strains, despite early indications that it does not cause […]

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Omicron now dominant Covid-19 strain in US: health authorities

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The fast-spreading Omicron variant is now the main coronavirus strain in the United States, accounting for 73.2 percent of new cases over the past week for which data is available, health authorities reported Monday. The spike, which was tallied by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is based on data for the week ending on Saturday. During the prior week period, Omicron accounted for only 12.6 percent of US […]

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Equity and oil markets slump on Omicron panic

  by Roland JACKSON Agence France Presse Global equity and oil markets slumped Monday on investor panic over the impact of worldwide measures to contain the fast-spreading Omicron coronavirus variant, dealers said. Asia tanked on concern over a fresh global surge in coronavirus infections, sparking a fierce renewed selloff in Europe, with eyes also on the US open. Oil tumbled by more than five percent as traders fretted over the impact on the world’s appetite […]

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Asian markets drop on Omicron spike, Biden spending bill blow

HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Asian stocks fell on Monday on fears about a fresh global surge in coronavirus infections and as the future of US President Joe Biden’s massive social spending bill was thrown into doubt after it lost the crucial vote of a moderate Democrat. With traders beginning to wind down ahead of the festive season, analysts said trade was thinner and markets more susceptible to swings, but the mood has become increasingly […]

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WHO sees unprecedented Omicron spread, ‘probably’ in most countries

  by Agence France Presse bureaus GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The World Health Organization warned Tuesday Omicron was spreading at an unprecedented rate and urged countries to act, as drug maker Pfizer said its coronavirus pill was effective against the variant. Dutch primary schools will close early as Europe battles a fresh wave of infections and hospital admissions, while British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced a major parliamentary test seeking to impose fresh Covid curbs. […]

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JUST IN: PHL detects two Omicron variant cases

33 more Delta variant cases also detected (Eagle News) — Two Omicron variant cases have been detected in the Philippines, the Department of Health announced on Wednesday, Dec. 15. According to the DOH, apart from the two cases of the B.1.1.529 variant of concern, 33 Delta (B.1.617.2) variant cases were detected from the 48 samples sequenced on Tuesday, December 14. The DOH said the latest sequencing run was composed of samples from 21 Returning Overseas […]

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Omicron spreading at unprecedented rate: WHO

by Nina LARSON GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The new coronavirus variant Omicron is spreading at an unprecedented rate, the WHO said Tuesday, urging countries to act swiftly to rein in transmission and protect their health systems. Since the new, heavily-mutated variant was first detected in southern Africa last month, it has been reported in 77 countries, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters. But, he stressed, “the reality is that Omicron is probably in most […]

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UK raises Covid alert level due to Omicron surge: medical officers

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — The UK has raised its Covid Alert Level due to the “rapid increase” in cases of the Omicron variant, the country’s four chief medical officers said on Sunday. The advisers said the public health risk assessment would move from level three to four — the second-highest level — which indicates “transmission is high and pressure on healthcare services is widespread and substantial or rising”. © Agence France-Presse

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