Hey I’m Samantha Lock and I’ll be taking you thru all of the Covid developments this Thursday.
We begin with the information that England will likely be implementing a raft of plan B measures to fight a surge in Covid instances within the lead-up to Christmas.
British prime minister Boris Johnson made the announcement at a Downing Avenue press convention on Wednesday evening amid fears of an exponential rise within the Omicron variant. Johnson mentioned individuals should earn a living from home the place attainable from Monday and that face masks can be a authorized requirement in most public indoor areas equivalent to theatres and cinemas from Friday, with exemptions for consuming and consuming in hospitality venues.
The transfer comes as authorities consultants warned Omicron infections may rise to 1m by the tip of the month with as much as 2,000 hospital admissions a day.
In additional promising information, three doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine are prone to shield in opposition to an infection from the Omicron variant however two doses could not, in keeping with laboratory information.
Checks utilizing antibodies in blood samples have given among the first insights into how far Omicron escapes immunity, displaying a stark drop-off within the predicted safety in opposition to an infection or any kind of illness for individuals who have had two doses. The findings counsel that, for Omicron, Pfizer/BioNTech ought to now be considered as a “three-dose vaccine”.
Right here’s a snapshot of the most recent coronavirus tales from all over the world:
- The WHO mentioned early information signifies the Omicron Covid variant could extra simply reinfect individuals who have already had the virus or been vaccinated than earlier variants, however may additionally trigger milder illness.
- Within the UK, Boris Johnson rushed ahead new Covid restrictions amid fears of an exponential rise within the Omicron variant. “It’s now the proportionate and the accountable factor to maneuver to plan B.” From Monday individuals should earn a living from home.
- Omicron instances within the UK may exceed 1 million by the tip of this month on the present trajectory, Sajid Javid has informed MPs.
- Denmark will once more impose restrictions geared toward curbing the speedy unfold of Covid together with the brand new Omicron variant, the nation’s prime minister mentioned on Wednesday.
- France has reported 93,071 coronavirus deaths in hospital, up by 129. It reported that 2,426 individuals had been in intensive care models for Covid, up by 75 on the day gone by’s figures.
- Slovakia will on Friday reopen non-essential retailers and a few providers for these vaccinated in opposition to Covid-19 whereas on the similar time extending a lockdown for others and shutting some colleges, well being minister Vladimir Lengvarsky mentioned.
- South Africa has authorised Pfizer’s coronavirus booster pictures for over-18s, because the Omicron variant dominates rising new infections.The South African Well being Merchandise Authority mentioned in a press release that it was authorising a 3rd vaccine dose “in people aged 18 years and older, to be administered a minimum of six months after the second dose”.
- Italy has reported 17,959 Coronavirus instances, up from 15,756 on Tuesday.Elsewhere, Bolivia, Peru and Colombia proceed to see a rise in instances, whereas Ecuador, Chile and Argentina noticed a drop.
- UK figures present 51,342 new individuals had a confirmed optimistic take a look at outcome reported on 8 December 2021.Between 2 and eight December, 339,861 individuals had a confirmed optimistic take a look at outcome, a rise of 11.3% in comparison with the earlier week.
- BioNTech and Pfizer mentioned on Wednesday a three-shot course of their Covid-19 vaccine was in a position to neutralise the brand new Omicron variant in a laboratory take a look at and so they may ship an Omicron-based vaccine in March 2022 if wanted.