Moorestown, New Jersey, United States
novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) 病毒：新型冠状病毒 2019-nCoV
What helps against COVID-19? | COVID-19 Special
Jan 28, 2022 DW News
All over the world, more and more people are getting infected with the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Cases among the vaccinated are rising too, albeit with milder symptoms. What treatments and medicines are most effective against a COVID-19 infection?
January 27, 20227:12 PM EST Future of Health LONDON, Jan 27 (Reuters)
Boosters increase protection against death from Omicron in over-50s to 95% - UKHSA
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/boosters-increase-protection-against-death-omicron-over-50s-95-ukhsa-2022-01-27/
Novavax in pact with Israel to deliver 5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses
Jan. 28, 2022 8:10 AM ET Novavax, Inc. (NVAX)PFE, BNTX By: Dulan Lokuwithana, SA News Editor4 Comments
- Israel has entered into an agreement with Novavax (NASDAQ:NVAX) to buy 5 million doses of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine, the country’s health ministry said Friday, according to Reuters. The financial terms of the deal which also includes an option for another 5 million doses were not disclosed.
- https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NVAX
- https://seekingalpha.com/news/3793011-novavax-in-pact-with-israel-to-deliver-5-million-covid-19-vaccine-doses
Covid-19 may have seasons for different temperature zones, study suggests
Poll finds covid fatigue, worries about the economy and difficulty finding at-home tests
Many people remain confused about these rapid tests and how they work. We’ll break down just how reliable these tests are and what your next move should be if you’re looking to get tested. By Shelly Tan
By Dan Diamond
By Dan Keating, Madison Dong and Youjin Shin
Despite the omicron variant’s lesser severity, its rapid spread has led to large numbers of hospitalizations and more than 2,200 deaths daily. By Lena H. Sun
By Dan Zak and Roxanne Roberts
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has drawn criticism since the start of the pandemic, aims to improve its handling of agency recommendations and the collection of Covid-19 data.
- Omicron Tests Macron’s Push to Keep Schools Open
- What We Know About BA.2 Omicron Variant
- Coronavirus Tracker: Charting the Spread of Covid-19
MICHELLE GOLDBERG
Let Kids Take Their Masks Off After the Omicron Surge
Ten Billion Vaccine Doses Have Been Administered Globally
For many COVID-19 vaccine opponents, no jab means no job
Tens of millions of Americans remain unvaccinated against COVID-19. For many, their stance on the vaccine may cost them their paychecks.
When parents are vaccinated against COVID-19, protection extends to their kidsHow worried should we be about the new BA.2 Omicron subtype? Here’s what we know
New BA.2 Covid variant appears to be more contagious, says Dr. Scott Gottlieb
Jan 28, 2022 CNBC Television
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former FDA commissioner and CNBC contributor, joins CNBC's 'Squawk Box' to break down what experts know about a new concerning Covid-19 variant known as BA.2, which is part of the omicron lineage.
Omicron BA. 2 will displace BA. 1
Jan 27, 2022 Dr. John Campbell
Omicron is out competing omicron Current symptoms Runny nose, 73% Headache, 68% Fatigue, 64% Sneezing, 60% Sore throat, 60% Persistent cough, 44% Hoarse voice, 36% Chills or shivers, 30% Fever, 29% Dizzy, 28% Brain fog, 24% Altered smell, 23% Sore eyes, 23% Unusual muscle pains, 23% Skipped meals, 21% Loss of smell, 19% Chest pain, 19% Swollen glands, 19% Feeling down, 16% ONS https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulati... https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulati... Prevalence, week ending 22 January 2022 England, 2,629,400 people, 1 in 20 Wales, 99,500 people, 1 in 30 Scotland, 163,600 people, 1 in 30 Northern Ireland, 96,500 people, 1 in 20 Double vaccinated less likely to report long COVID Compared to unvaccinated when infected 41.1% decrease in the likelihood of self-reported long COVID at least 12 weeks later Risk of COVID-19 death higher for most ethnic minority groups Risk of death involving COVID-19 was higher for people from all ethnic minority groups, except for Chinese men and women Bangladeshi group Women, 5.2 times higher than White British group Men, 4.4 times higher than White British group Zoe, Omicron bounces back https://covid.joinzoe.com/post/omicro... 159,486 new daily symptomatic cases of COVID in the UK An increase of 10% from 144,527 reported last week UK R value, around 1.0 Prevalence One in 30 people in the UK currently have symptomatic COVID Professor Tim Spector End of school holidays repeatedly usher in a rapid rise in cases among children A new subtype of Omicron is taking over called BA.2 One in 20 new cases had this variant last week, and as it's doubling every few days, this should predominate within a month. Natural infection with Delta may not offer much protection. I expect that cases will continue to stay high until spring. Most vaccinated infections are mild, with symptoms lasting on average for a shorter time than Delta with less severe cases. Vulnerable groups UK data https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk US cases and deaths data https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-trac... South Africa references https://twitter.com/rid1tweets https://www.nicd.ac.za/diseases-a-z-i...
Study confirms omicron reinfections
Jan 26, 2022 Dr. John Campbell
Real-time Assessment of Community Transmission findings, Round 17 REACT-1 study Funded by the Department of Health and Social Care in England 65% of the infected said they had already previously tested positive for Covid https://www.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/r... https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/impe... https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/23338... Rapid transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has led to the highest ever recorded case incidence levels in many countries around the world. RT-PCR test results, self-administered throat and nose swabs Randomly-selected participants in England, n = 100,607 Ages 5 years and over Data were collected between 5 and 20 January 2022 Temporal, socio-demographic and geographical spread of the virus Viral loads and viral genome sequence data for positive swabs. Results Swab positivity was 4.41% Three-fold higher than in December 2021 in England 1,406 sequenced positive swabs to 16 January 2022 1392 (99.0%) were Omicron Including 6 (0.43%) cases of BA.2 sub-lineage 14 (1.0%) were Delta Within round 17 Prevalence was decreasing overall, but increasing in children aged 5 to 17 years Swab-positivity prevalence 75 years and older, 2.43% 6+ household, OR 1.66 Urban vs rural areas OR 1.24 Most vs least deprived areas OR 1.33 In adults who received three vs two vaccine doses Higher Ct values (lower viral load) in rounds 15 and 16 but not in round 17 The distributions of Ct values were similar in unvaccinated and vaccinated children aged 17 years and below in round 15, round 16 and round 17. Prevalence in those shielding 3.43% In those not shielding to 4.61% Conclusions Unprecedented levels of infection with SARS-CoV-2 in England in January 2022 Almost complete replacement of Delta by Omicron Vaccination (including the booster campaign) remains the mainstay of the defence given the high levels of protection against hospitalisations. However, further measures beyond vaccination may be required if the very high rates of Omicron infection persist, Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO, Europe https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/01/... Between vaccination and natural immunity through infection, Omicron offers plausible hope for stabilization and normalization Dr. Tedros But it’s dangerous to assume that Omicron will be the last variant or that we are in the endgame. On the contrary, globally, the conditions are ideal for more variants to emerge. It’s true that we will be living with Covid for the foreseeable future a preventable and treatable disease
Two-thirds of people with omicron say they’ve had Covid before, English study reports
PUBLISHED WED, JAN 26 20228:14 AM EST KEY POINTS
- Omicron has almost completely replaced the previously dominant delta variant of Covid-19 in England, a new study has found.
- Omicron is a heavily mutated, highly infectious variant of that has led to record numbers of infections in many countries.
Back to reality at last? Covid rules are being dropped in Europe despite high omicron spread
Holly Ellyatt
Moderna starts clinical trial of booster shot targeting omicron Covid variant
Spencer Kimball WED, JAN 26TH 2022
CDC director: ‘Milder doesn’t mean mild’ as Covid hospitalizations hit record
Jessica Bursztynsky WED, JAN 26TH 2022
Covid vaccine skepticism fueling wider anti-vax sentiment, doctors say
WED, JAN 26TH 2022
- L.A. County marks two years of covid, touting school safety measures and mourning a 15-month-old
- Analysis: WHO pushes for more cash, faces skeptical Biden administration
Opinion by the Editorial Board
By Dan Diamond
By Lena H. Sun
Several European countries cited the milder symptoms being caused by the Omicron variant in vaccinated people as the reason for lifting or relaxing restrictions—even as daily infections continued to surge in some countries and a new version of Omicron was identified as spreading in places.
By Marty Makary | Commentary
Omicron Deaths in U.S. Exceed Delta’s Peak
South Korea business owners shave heads in COVID-19 curb protest
Zero-Covid border rules going nowhere this year for China
Lifting travel ban would be ‘catastrophic’ for China: Covid-19 expert
Epidemiologist and senior adviser to Beijing Zeng Guang says the country must not ‘blindly’ follow a WHO recommendation to ease restrictions.
‘Doesn’t feel like anything’s going to change’: expats exit Singapore
Covid-19 has prompted soul-searching among many foreign workers who bemoan the inability to travel freely to visit family.
27 Jan 2022 - 1:28PM
What has Beijing learned from Tokyo ahead of second pandemic Games?
Entire event will take place within a closed loop covering competition venues, living quarters and other facilities. Organisers taking stringent approach despite little evidence that rise in cases in Japan was down to Tokyo Games last summer.
27 Jan 2022 - 3:30PM
Coronavirus: a third of airline pilots still not flying; Malaysia’s new cases top 5,000
A third of airline pilots globally, are still not flying and the Asia-Pacific is the worst-hit region
Opinion | Why doubts over ‘traditional’ inactivated vaccines are overblown
Hong Kong to shorten 21-day quarantine for arrivals to 2 weeks
Additional quarantine requirements may stymie cross-border family reunions this Lunar New Year
- Hong Kong Scraps Flights, Shuts Bars, Gyms on Omicron Threat
- Birthday Party Lands Hong Kong Officials, Lawmakers in Quarantine Over Fear of Omicron Spread
As student activists fight for COVID safety measures at schools, some face criticism
California high school students are among those organizing to increase coronavirus safety measures during the Omicron surge.
1 in 5 Californians has been infected with coronavirus as cases top 8 million
#WorldNewsTonight #COVID #DrAnthonyFauci
Scientists watch new omicron subvariant of COVID-19
Jan 26, 2022 ABC News
Dr. Anthony Fauci said Wednesday that scientists are already developing a universal COVID-19 vaccine that could resist current and future variants, but he stressed that it will take time.
#omicron #Germany #vaccination
Omicron: German lawmakers debate compulsory vaccines | DW News
Jan 26, 2022 DW News
COVID-19 infections in Germany have reached a new high. The 7-day incidence, the number of new infections per 100.000 inhabitants in seven days, is currently 940.6. Starting in March, Germany will require COVID-19 vaccines for healthcare workers. Unvaccinated staff could be banned from work or even fired. DW spoke to a nurse who works in a COVID ward herself, but says she won't get vaccinated – whatever the risk. German MPs in the Bundestag are to debate a general vaccine mandate for the first time on Wednesday. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has backed such a mandate.
Pfizer starting trial for Omicron-specific Covid-19 vaccine
Jan 25, 2022 CNN
Pfizer and BioNTech announced they have begun a clinical trial for an Omicron-specific Covid-19 vaccine. CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports
Researchers found some markers that appeared to correlate with lasting symptoms, regardless of whether the initial infection was severe.
Denmark Prepares to End Curbs as Hospitals Can Control Omicron
Pharmacy Workers Are the Pandemic’s Invisible Victims
Relentless pressure, extra tasks, and depleted ranks lead to widespread burnout.
Risk of Death After Covid-19 Hospitalization
- CDC is asked to release race and gender data on long covid
- Omicron drives South Korea to record in new infections
By Dan Diamond
New research has identified four factors that could predict if a person will develop long Covid.
This Is What Made Covid the ‘Almost Ideal Polarizing Crisis’ THOMAS B. EDSALL
A wave of Covid-19-related school staffing issues has led some states to take drastic steps to keep schools open, including enlisting state employees, retirees and National Guard members to fill in as substitute teachers.
- Biden Administration Withdraws Emergency Vaccine Mandate
- Omicron Deaths in U.S. Exceed Delta’s Peak
- New York Mask Mandate Reinstated in State Appeal
- When Should a Vaccinated Person Who Recovered From Covid-19 Get Boosted? It’s Complicated
January 25, 20222:59 PM EST Jan 25 (Reuters)
COVID is less severe with Omicron than Delta, U.S. study suggests
By Manojna Maddipatla and Leroy Leo
COVID-19 sick pay in California would return under new deal
Officials hope it will encourage infected workers to stay home.
As Super Bowl nears, 2,500 LAPD and sheriff’s employees out with COVID-related issues
Super Bowl guests to get KN95 masks
Israeli experts recommend a fourth COVID vaccine dose for adults
An Israeli panel said research shows a fourth COVID-19 shot provides three to five times as much protection against serious COVID-19 as three doses.
In South L.A., busy hospital deals with more widespread but less severe COVID infections
- Pennsylvania averaging most COVID-19 deaths per day in a year
- Judge reinstates mask requirement in Montco school district
Cases dropped nearly 60% across the Garden State.Nick Devlin, 1h ago
The Atlantic Daily: Parents Have Hit Their Pandemic Bottom
The Case Against Masks at School
MARGERY SMELKINSON, LESLIE BIENEN, AND JEANNE NOBLE
#WorldNewsTonight #COVID #NationalDecline
COVID-19 cases down 10% nationwide
Jan 24, 2022ABC News
Despite a national decline in COVID-19 cases, more than 1.1 million children tested positive last week and 19 states reported cases are still rising.
New California bill would require all students be vaccinated against COVID-19
Jan 24, 2022 KTLA 5
Courtney Friel reports for the KTLA 5 News at Noon on Jan. 24, 2022.
Hospital Greed Is Destroying Our Nurses. Here’s Why. | NYT Opinion
Jan 20, 2022 The New York Times
We’re entering our third year of Covid, and America’s nurses — who we celebrated as heroes during the early days of lockdown — are now leaving the bedside. The pandemic arrived with many people having great hope for reform on many fronts, including the nursing industry, but much of that optimism seems to have faded. In the Opinion Video above, nurses set the record straight about the root cause of the nursing crisis: chronic understaffing by profit-driven hospitals that predates the pandemic. “I could no longer work in critical care under the conditions I was being forced to work under with poor staffing,” explains one nurse, “and that’s when I left.” They also tear down the common misconception that there’s a shortage of nurses. In fact, there are more qualified nurses today in America than ever before. To keep patients safe and protect our health care workers, lawmakers could regulate nurse-patient ratios, which California put in place in 2004, with positive results. Similar legislation was proposed and defeated in Massachusetts several years ago (with help from a $25 million “no” campaign funded by the hospital lobby), but it is currently on the table in Illinois and Pennsylvania. These laws could save patient lives and create a more just work environment for a vulnerable generation of nurses, the ones we pledged to honor and protect at the start of the pandemic.
Nurses would like to set the record straight on the hospital staffing crisis.
By LUCY KING and JONAH M. KESSEL
Rich Countries Lure Health Workers From Low-Income Nations to Fight Shortages
Huge pay incentives and immigration fast-tracks are leading many to leave countries whose health systems urgently need their expertise.
By STEPHANIE NOLEN Jan. 24, 2022
A Shrinking Band of Southern Nurses, Neck-Deep in Another Covid Wave
The exodus of medical workers during the pandemic has been especially brutal for the small, nonprofit safety-net hospitals where millions of Americans seek care.
By ANDREW JACOBS and RORY DOYLE
Some weary Democratic voters are ready to hear the party’s plan for living with Covid.
A New York judge ruled that the state’s mask mandate is unconstitutional and can’t be enforced.
EZEKIEL J. EMANUEL AND MICHAEL T. OSTERHOLM
China’s Zero-Covid Policy Is a Pandemic Waiting to Happen
MICHELLE GOLDBERG
What Does It Mean to Be ‘Done With Covid’?
The trial will examine the new formulation as an initial two-dose regimen and as a booster dose.
Lisa Jarvis
Is Covid Becoming Endemic? What Would That Mean?
Why Are Doctors Still Scrambling for Covid-19 Drugs?
The company and partner BioNTech say the trial will examine safety and immune response, in case regulators deem an adapted vaccine necessary.
- Covid-19 Hospitalizations Continue to Fall
- Judge Strikes Down N.Y. Mask Mandate
- How to Get Free N95 Masks
By Daniel Halperin | Commentary
- New York state, seeking to save its indoor mask mandate, moves to appeal court ruling
- Hawaii governor proposes refunding taxpayers $100 each as state recovers from pandemic
Opinion by Ashish K. Jha
The study suggests a second booster may not yet be necessary. By Carolyn Y. Johnson
New studies show how a COVID-19 infection changes the timeline and likelihood of getting pregnant.
As a federal mandate looms, one in five nursing home workers haven’t been fully vaccinated.
- Declining omicron surge is a promising sign for Pa. and N.J. hospitals. But ‘it’s not over yet.’
- The vaccine mandate for Philadelphia city employees keeps getting delayed due to labor disputes
- Another old drug is being tried vs. COVID-19, and might actually help
COVID-19: UK to remove restrictions for eligible vaccinated arrivals, including from India. See changed rules
Omicron cases falling in parts of the US, but expert says COVID-19 is here to stay
COVID-19: Is Omicron 'sub-variant' BA.2 a threat in India? More than 400 cases found in England
Has third wave of coronavirus peaked in India? Find several answers
Unvaccinated people, children below 15 yrs not allowed at Republic Day parade
January 25, 20222:35 AM EST Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals JERUSALEM, Jan 25 (Reuters)
Israel mulls offering 4th COVID vaccine dose to all adults
BioNTech: watchdogs' requirements may defer planned launch of Omicron shot
#WorldNewsTonight #COVID #omicron
Are omicron cases close to peaking?
Jan 23, 2022 ABC News
Dr. Anthony Fauci said it appears the U.S. is headed in the right direction.
Covid Intensive Care: return to the hospital frontline - BBC News
Jan 24, 2022 BBC News
In 2020 many hospitals were overwhelmed, as a new coronavirus spread across the world and critically-ill Covid patients filled intensive care wards. Now vaccines and other medical treatments are protecting many people, but medical staff are still dealing with seriously ill patients. Unvaccinated people are among those still at high risk from the virus. Huw Edwards presents a BBC News at Ten special report by Clive Myrie, who’s returned to The Royal London Hospital, from where he reported at the height of the UK pandemic.
novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) 病毒：新型冠状病毒 2019-nCoV
Omicron driving up infection rates around Europe | DW News
Jan 20, 2022 DW News
Poland is bracing for a surge in coronavirus cases and is likely to be racking up 60.000 cases by mid-February according to the government. But a large percentage of the people in Poland are still unvaccinated. Only 23% of the population have had their booster.
CDC study finds prior infection provides better immunity against COVID than vaccines
Jan. 20, 2022 10:10 AM ET Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), PFE, MRNA, NVAXBNTX, AZN
By: Jonathan Block, SA News Editor82 Comments
COVID-19 Cases and Hospitalizations by COVID-19 Vaccination Status and Previous COVID-19 Diagnosis — California and New York, May–November 2021
Early Release / January 19, 2022 / 71
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7104e1.htm?s_cid=mm7104e1_w
Signs of the variant were present in sewage samples well before the first case was identified.
Why Some Vaccinated People Resist Omicron and Others Don’t
Lifestyles of Two Covid Patients Highlight Wealth Chasm in China
Omicron left testing labs overwhelmed, delaying results
The Omicron surge has created overwhelming demand for coronavirus tests. Laboratories and manufacturers have struggled to keep up.
Even as Omicron starts to ease in California, hospitals facing grim conditions
Growing signs Omicron is leveling off in California
Facilities in early hot spots like New York, Washington and Connecticut are reporting a drop in patient counts.594 min read
Prior Covid-19 Infection Offered Better Protection Than Vaccination During Delta Wave
How to Order Free Rapid Covid-19 Tests From the Government
Opinion: Herd Immunity Is Over—Long Live Superimmunity
Should We Get a Second Booster Vaccine? What the Science Says
Omicron, Inflation and Labor Shortages: CEOs Brace for Change in 2022
The Covid Race to Watch: Vaccines vs. Variants
It is too soon to know, scientists say, but mild initial illness may not signal reduced risk for the constellation of symptoms that can last for months.
Coronavirus Updates
NBC’s play-by-play coverage for the Beijing Olympics will be mostly remote.
Australia releases the court ruling that upheld Novak Djokovic’s expulsion over his lack of vaccination.
Doctors and patients described frustration over delayed surgeries, overflowing emergency rooms and hospital beds taken out of service amid staff shortages. By Christopher Rowland
By Jenny Rogers and Amy Joyce
By Allyson Chiu and Hannah Knowles
It’s a Terrible Idea to Deny Medical Care to Unvaccinated People
ED YONG
COVID Parenting Has Passed the Point of Absurdity
MELINDA WENNER MOYER
"Her partner had taken a picture of the baby and showed it to her, but that's all she got," Tina Stani told the New York Post.BY ADAM STATEN ON 1/20/22 AT 3:57 PM EST
A woman in her 40s allegedly refused to follow federal face mask regulations, forcing the plane to turn around about an hour into the flight.BY AARON MCDADE ON 1/20/22 AT 3:50 PM EST
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said earlier this week the country hasn't yet reached the peak of the Omicron variant's surge.BY MEGHAN ROOS ON 1/20/22 AT 1:44 PM EST
Carson criticized people for not putting more stock in natural immunity and said they avoided the subject to maintain control over people.BY JENNI FINK ON 1/20/22 AT 12:48 PM EST
Mask mandates are still in place in indoor public places, and it is recommended infected people going to the polls wear surgical masks or FFP2 masks.BY HEATHER BAIR ON 1/20/22 AT 12:13 PM EST
Dr Corey Casper said that a good way to combat vaccine skepticism is to be more honest about the pros and cons of the current options.BY JACK DUTTON ON 1/20/22 AT 9:50 AM EST
Residents of one neighborhood in Xi'an said they had been locked down for more than one month despite no positive cases among them.BY JOHN FENG ON 1/20/22 AT 8:49 AM EST
Crystal Hernandez died days after giving birth to a healthy baby boy in an emergency C-section.BY ED BROWNE ON 1/20/22 AT 5:24 AM EST
NBC had previously always included at least some on-site announces in Olympics coverage, although the networks sent a limited number of announcers to Tokyo last year.BY AILA SLISCO ON 1/19/22 AT 11:55 PM EST
A 40 percent spike in retirements in 2021 combined with the current surge of COVID cases has left New Mexico with a shortage of teachers and substitutes.BY AARON MCDADE ON 1/19/22 AT 10:33 PM EST
Omicron surge continues to overwhelm U.S. hospitals
Jan 19, 2022 CBS News
The Biden administration is planning to give out 400 million free N95 masks to Americans in the coming weeks as the coronavirus surge tightens its grip on hospitals in hard-hit areas of the country. CBS News correspondent Carter Evans reports from Missouri, where COVID-19 hospitalizations are rising among the unvaccinated. Then, Dr. Payal Patel, an infectious disease physician at the University of Michigan Medical School, joins CBSN's Lana Zak to discuss the latest.
Freedom of information revelation
Jan 20, 2022 Dr. John Campbell
13 March 2020 to 7 January 2022, England and Wales https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulati... 127,704 excess deaths above the five-year average Official data https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/detai... Deaths from COVID-19 with no other underlying causes FOI Ref: FOI/2021/3240 https://www.ons.gov.uk/aboutus/transp... Death registrations for 2020 and 2021 for deaths where COVID-19 was listed as the underlying cause, but had no other pre-existing conditions recorded on the death certificate, England and Wales This publication will be updated quarterly 2020 Total deaths, 9,400 0-64, 1,549 65 and over, 7,851 2021 Q1 Total deaths, 6,483 0-64, 1,560 65 and over, 4,923 2021 Q2 Total deaths, 346 0-64, 153 65 and over, 193 2021 Q3, Total deaths, 1,142 0-64, 512 65 and over, 630 Therefore, 2020 and first 3 quarters of 2021 Total deaths from covid alone, 17,371 Of this number 13,597 were 65 or over Of this number, 3,774 were under 65 Average age of death in UK from covid in 2021 82.5 years Average life expectancy in the UK, 2018 to 2020 https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulati... 79.0 years for males 82.9 years for females This represents a fall of 7.0 weeks for males and a slight increase of 0.5 weeks for females (from the latest non-overlapping period of 2015 to 2017) This is the first time we have seen a decline when comparing non-overlapping time periods since the series began in the early 1980s As of end of September https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/detai... Within 28 days of a positive test, 137,133 (7.9 times more deaths) Excess deaths from cancer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U90eD... Professor Karol Sikora, University of Buckingham Former head of cancer programme at WHO Probably an extra 50,000 deaths from cancer, over the past 18 months, you otherwise would not have had Failure to report early Difficulty getting to see GP Fear of hospital admissions Missed chemotherapy Missed radiotherapy 6 million waiting for NHS treatment
Germany tops 100,000 daily infections +++ Hong Kong culls hamsters | COVID latest
Jan 19, 2022 DW News
As the omicron variant spreads, the number of COVID-19 cases has also surged rapidly in Turkey. The country's health ministry reported nearly 70,000 new cases on Tuesday – one of the highest daily figures since the pandemic began. The government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan now hopes its locally made "Turkovac" jab will convince vaccine-hesitant Turks to roll up their sleeves. "Turkovac" received emergency use approval from Turkish authorities in December and is now being administered to the public. But experts have serious doubts about the vaccine's effectiveness. Germany reported 112,323 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, the latest new 24-hour record and the first daily tally north of 100,000. The national disease control body, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), published the figures early in the morning. The country's weekly incidence rate has now reached 584.4 new infections per 100,000 people over a seven-day period, the RKI reported. The institute registered 239 deaths connected to COVID, a reduction from the 384 reported on the previous Wednesday. The hospitalization rate rose, but only slightly, to 3.17 people per 100,000 per week, versus 3.13 one week ago. Hong Kong health authorities on Tuesday said about 2,000 hamsters and chinchillas needed to be put down after COVID-19 infections were traced back to a pet store. At least 11 hamsters tested positive for the COVID-19, and a store employee was also infected with the delta variant, according to officials. People who purchased hamsters from the store after December 22 have been instructed to hand over the animals to be destroyed, and not to set them free on the streets. Those who had been in contact with the animals would also have to quarantine.
Chapters
00:00 COVID-19 in Germany
03:08 Turkovac vaccine in Turkey
07:38 Hamster culling in Hong Kong
Early Omicron Breakthroughs Show MRNA Vaccines’ Weakness
MarketsOmicron Is a Bigger Risk for the Young, Medical Data Shows
Hamster-to-Human Covid Theory Gains Traction in Hong Kong
Xi Jinping’s Covid Defense Gets Weaker With Every Omicron Case
Supreme Court Gets Tangled in Flap Over Masks, Echoing U.S. Rift
N.J. Mandates Boosters for Health Workers, Drops Test-Out Option
Omicron Is a Bigger Risk for the Young, Medical Data Shows
Why Some Vaccinated People Resist Omicron and Others Don’t Faye Flam
Disinfectant Craze Rages On for Covid-Skittish U.S. Consumers
Los Angeles Times @latimes
When the coronavirus attacks the body, the immune system steps up, trying to respond quickly and powerfully enough to stop the virus from running wild.
latimes.comHow the body's immune system tries to fight off COVID-19When the coronavirus attacks the body, the immune system steps up, trying to respond quickly and powerfully enough to stop the virus from running wild.
The masks for adults will be free at thousands of pharmacies and other locations. By Lena H. Sun and Dan Diamond
The CDC says research from California and New York before Omicron’s spread showed unvaccinated people without previous infection faced the greatest risk.3 min read
Testing ordered for residents in 20 buildings, classes suspended in Hong Kong
Outbreak at Kwai Chung Estate’s Yat Kwai House also expands, with infections now reported in seven households.
New Zealand rules out Omicron lockdown; Indonesia dumps 1 million shots
PM Ardern said when Omicron starts to spread in the community, a ‘red’ traffic light setting would be imposed, which will see limits on public gatherings.
Philippines’ population growth slowed due to Covid-19
An estimated 324,000 babies were born last year, the lowest number since the period between 1946 and 1947, as Filipinos practised family planning amid coronavirus crisis and economic crunch.
China’s Covid cases fall as Tianjin says Omicron is under control
The country has adopted strict measures to curb the outbreak in the run-up to the Winter Olympics and Lunar New Year.
China’s Xian residents in lockdown find relief on social media
With people barred from leaving their homes, citizens are using WeChat mini-programs and chat groups to find food and supplies.
The heavy cost borne by the patients and their caregivers can be financially crippling and sway patients to put off treatment
- China Adds Rare Disease Drugs to National Medical Insurance List
- Rare Disease Patients Will Have to Wait for Affordable Drugs, Experts Say
The story of a man who labored nights so he could search for his missing son drew widespread sympathy and support online
Jan 20, 2022 08:47 PM
Do healthy kids need booster shots against COVID? WHO's chief scientist answers
Omicron restrictions in Scotland to end on Monday, says Nicola Sturgeon
US government to distribute 400 million Covid N95 masks for free
Sweden scraps demand for negative COVID test to enter country
Growing signs Omicron is leveling off in California
COVID-19 surge at LAPD and Sheriff’s Department keeps over 2,000 personnel at home
The new rule includes New Jersey workers in a variety of health care facilities including hospitals as well as long-term care facilities and other ...Matt Arco,
N.J. reports 145 COVID deaths, 8,467 cases as Murphy announces new vaccine requirements
Rate of staff COVID cases in N.J. schools drops for the 1st time since October
Here are the N.J. colleges requiring COVID boosters, and starting spring semester remotely
Fluvoxamine, a 40-year-old drug that costs a fraction of the pricey new treatments for COVID, now looks as if might actually help.
Is China's zero-COVID policy endangering global supply chains? | DW News
Jan 19, 2022 DW News
China's economic recovery has been hampered by renewed coronavirus outbreaks, which prompted Chinese
leaders to impose strict border controls or targeted lockdowns on cities including Tianjin, a manufacturing center. Overseas businesses say Beijing's hard-line "zero-COVID" strategy could ultimately lead to empty shelves in stores all over the world.
How omicron broke through coronavirus vaccines
Jan 18, 2022 Washington Post
The highly transmissible omicron variant of the coronavirus has taken over as the dominant strain in the United States, resulting in breakthrough infections among the vaccinated. Omicron has sparked alarm both internationally and in the United States, where it accounted for more than 98 percent of new infections during the week ending Jan. 8, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The variant has an unusually high number of mutations that make it significantly more contagious and capable of eluding the body’s first line of immune defenses.
SA, UK, US in that order
Jan 18, 2022 Dr. John Campbell
Avian influenza (bird flu), Is not a coronavirus
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-inf... H5N1 (H5N8) Influenza A virus, subtype H5N1 Enzootic, (SE Asia) epizootic, panzootic 2003 to May 2020 861 confirmed human cases, 455 deaths South Africa, leads the way https://www.worldometers.info/coronav... SA hospital data https://www.nicd.ac.za/diseases-a-z-i... Zoe, Omicron wave has peaked https://covid.joinzoe.com/data#levels... UK data https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk ONS https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulati... Deaths in the UK involving coronavirus Week ending 7 January 2022 1,023 deaths involving COVID-19 383 more than in the previous week Accounted for around 1 in every 14 deaths (7.3%). Total deaths in UK, 13,886 (8.3% below the five-year average) 13 March 2020 to 7 January 2022, England and Wales 127,704 excess deaths above the five-year average Positivity Prevalence England – 3,735,000 people (1 in 15) Wales – 169,100 people (1 in 20) Northern Ireland – 99,200 people (1 in 20) Scotland – 297,400 people (1 in 20) Antibodies, week beginning 20 December 2021 England, 97.5% of the adult population Wales, 96.8% Northern Ireland, 97.4% Scotland, 97.7% Antibody thresholds, using data from Delta Threshold of antibodies needed to provide protection from infections for those who are vaccinated More than 88% of the population had antibodies at or above the higher threshold. China https://www.theguardian.com/world/liv... One omicron infection detected in Beijing Tuesday, 11th January, received a package from Toronto, via the US and Hong Kong (4 days) Saturday 15th Patient self reported Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of Beijing’s CDC Omicron virus transmits fast, please pay attention, avoid buying stuff from overseas, make sure you wear gloves, don’t bring the package indoors. If you have to, clean the package outside with alcohol, and wash your hands Dr Ian Mackay, virologist, University of Queensland It’s an airborne virus. It’s not about surfaces. Technically, it can happen, sure. There’s a non-zero risk, sure. But is it happening again and again? No If you see and hear horses, don’t think zebras Transmission of SARS-CoV-2: implications for infection prevention precautions https://www.who.int/news-room/comment... SARS-CoV-2 contamination of surfaces and the survival of the virus on certain surfaces, there are no specific reports which have directly demonstrated fomite transmission. People who come into contact with potentially infectious surfaces often also have close contact with the infectious person, Fact that other coronaviruses and respiratory viruses can transmit via fomites Cancels public tickets for Winter Olympics in Beijing Selected spectators
Xi Jinping’s Covid Defense Gets Weaker With Every Omicron Case
MRNA Boosters Don’t Block Omicron, South African Study Shows
You Can Now Order Free Covid Tests Online From the U.S. Government
Swift End to Covid Threatened by Unvaccinated Faraway Locales
Omicron May Cut Future Severity of Coronavirus, Study Shows
Virginia Schools Prepare for Mask Clash With Governor Youngkin
- They relied on rapid coronavirus tests to gather safely. Some wish they hadn’t.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services sets new vaccination deadlines for health-care workers
By Dan Keating, Madison Dong and Youjin Shin
A recent report from Israel suggests even a fourth dose might not stop people from getting infected with the COVID variant—but vaccines still help, data shows.
While there are some indications that the Omicron variant is subsiding, data suggests that it will...
Kansas' health department said it would only continue contact tracing in "high-risk" settings,...
The Chief Medical Advisor to the President made no direct investments in China, but bought into a U.S.-based mutual fund trading in China stock.
Andrew Pugh said he did not initially get vaccinated after reading material on Facebook. Now, he is urging people to get the shot.
"Travelers are no longer considered to pose a particular risk of affecting the spread of Omicron in Sweden," the Swedish government stated. BY JUSTIN KLAWANS ON 1/18/22 AT 6:11 PM EST
"I've said from the beginning that our students deserve an in-person education and our schools need to stay open," Governor Kevin Stitt said.BY ZOE STROZEWSKI ON 1/18/22 AT 5:26 PM EST
"Messaging that schools are safe—without taking the steps to make them safe—does not keep children safe," the nurses' letter said.BY EMMA MAYER ON 1/18/22 AT 3:47 PM EST
Patients at Kent Hospital are waiting 10 hours for care as staff shortages, covid cases and other emergencies leave the emergency room scrambling. By Lenny Bernstein
By Lena H. Sun and Dan Diamond LIVE: CORONAVIRUS Access to these updates is free
- D.C. measure to require schools to tell parents about covid cases within 24 hours
- New U.S. website for free covid tests sees high demand — and some complaints
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said the city is “winning” against Omicron, but experts urged caution.
THE EZRA KLEIN SHOW’
Zeynep Tufekci on How to Prepare for the Pandemic’s Next Phase
Philippines: ‘No vax no ride’ plan for unjabbed commuters confuses public
- Plan, launched on Monday in Manila area, accused of being ‘draconian’; government tries to clarify new rules while mentioning ‘reason to apologise’
- There is some vaccine hesitancy in nation but tens of millions of vaccine doses have still not been used because of logistical issues
Hunger, debt: hit by Covid, Filipino farmers want more for their children Topic | Coronavirus Philippines
‘I dare not order’: China’s 150 million online shoppers fear virus threat
India’s new cases hit eight-month high; Japan widens curbs
India reports nearly 300,000 new infections over the last 24 hours, the highest in eight months, bringing the total to 37.9 million, second-highest globally behind the United States.
Beijing records 5 new Covid-19 cases as Winter Games loom
Officials in the city have meanwhile been told to be alert to the risk of Covid-19 spreading from inanimate object
No takers for Hong Kong hamster alarm at Shenzhen pet stores
Shenzhen pet shop employee says Hong Kong situation has had little impact across the border, as all hamsters sold there are locally bred.
Local government promises to punish offenders with fines up to five times the cost of the extra fee, as the capital deals with a fresh outbreak ahead of the Olympics
Jan 19, 2022 06:53 PM
Speculation brews that omicron reached Beijing via cross-border delivery; Hong Kong is set to kill thousands of hamsters amid contagion concerns; and rail trade between China and North Korea resumes
Jan 19, 2022 06:15 PM
Upset at culling plans, thousands of Hong Kongers volunteer to adopt the pets
US government to distribute 400 million Covid N95 masks for free
‘Nocebo’ effect, not Covid vaccine causing adverse reactions, claims study
Pandemic ‘nowhere near over’: WHO chief warns against assumption that Omicron is milder
One in ten COVID-19 patients could be infectious even after 10 days
Kelly Heyboer,
- Philadelphia, Montco to hold COVID-19 briefings today
- COVID-19 cases dropping around Philly, but deaths still rising
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, facing a mutiny, said that he would ease virus restrictions in England.
What comes next, now that the Omicron variant appears to be in retreat?
LUCY KING AND JONAH M. KESSEL
We Know the Real Cause of the Crisis in Our Hospitals. It’s Greed.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/19/opinion/covid-nurse-burnout-understaffing.html
Patients at Kent Hospital are waiting 10 hours for care as staff shortages, covid cases and other crises leave the emergency room scrambling.By Lenny Bernstein
By Lena H. Sun and Dan Diamond
LIVE: CORONAVIRUSAccess to these updates is free
U.S. recording over 800,000 COVID-19 cases each day
Jan 17, 2022 CBS News
The surge of new COVID-19 cases brought on by the Omicron variant continues to set records and strain hospitals across the nation. CBS news correspondent Mola Lenghi reports from New York City. Then Dr. Marie-Elizabeth Ramas, a family medicine physician in New Hampshire, joins CBSN to discuss the latest on the impact.
What study says about efficacy of fourth Covid-19 vaccine shot
Jan 17, 2022 CNN
CNN’s Ana Cabrera speaks with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed about new data from an Israeli study on the efficacy of a fourth dose of Covid-19 vaccine while Dr. Paul Offit discusses when the Omicron surge may come to an end in the US.
Scientists try to assess the impact of the Omicron wave in South Africa | DW News
Jan 18, 2022 DW News
South Africa was the first country to sound the alarm about the Omicron variant. Now the wave has passed – and other countries are looking to learn from its experience. Data shows how the Omicron variant causes a spike in case numbers - because it is highly infectious - a lot more than previous coronavirus variants. South Africa’s fourth wave was therefore sharper - but also shorter. But crucially, the Omicron wave has so far resulted in fewer deaths than previous waves. There were also fewer hospitalisations this time around. Some experts conclude that Omicron is less dangerous. But others have warned that many cases may go unreported or undetected, so the real numbers of cases and deaths could be much higher. They're warning not to underestimate Omicron as a "milder" variant.
HOSPITAL RELEASES PRELIMINARY DATA, WITHOUT SPECIFIC FIGURES
Israeli trial, world’s first, finds 4th dose ‘not good enough’ against Omicron
Expert at Sheba Medical Center says jab raises COVID antibody levels, but there are ‘still a lot of infections’ among those who received it
By TOI STAFF17 January 2022, 7:40 pmUpdated: Today, 8:21 am
Omicron May Cut Future Severity of Coronavirus, Study Shows
One Thing Covid Can’t Stop: Alcohol Sales
A welcome companion during lockdowns, booze has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels.
Are We Any Closer to the End of Covid?
By Katie ShepherdLIVE: CORONAVIRUSAccess to these updates is free
- Don’t count on omicron ending the pandemic, Fauci says
- As the omicron semester starts, online or in person, colleges are tense
Opinion by Lakshman Swamy
They fear that the “live with it” strategy underestimates the dangers posed by the omicron variant and could send messages that will lead people to abandon the measures known to limit its spread.By Joel Achenbach
By Katie Hurley
Authorities ordered some 2,000 hamsters in Hong Kong to be killed over concerns that the animals may have transmitted Covid-19 to humans, one of the city’s latest measures to try to stamp out a fresh outbreak.
By Allysia Finley | Commentary
Israeli adults were among the first in the world to roll up their sleeves for a Covid-19 vaccine, but many are now pushing back against the government’s campaign to inoculate their young children, despite the Omicron risk.
‘THE EZRA KLEIN SHOW’
The Pandemic Lessons We Clearly Haven’t Learned
TRESSIE MCMILLAN COTTOM
The Real Roots of the Debate Over Schools During Covid
Analysis: C.D.C. Grapples With Rapidly Evolving Virus and Imperfect Data
California surpasses 7 million coronavirus cases, adding 1 million in one week
The upswelling in reported cases is the fastest accumulation of infections in the history of the pandemic.
COVID surge, nurse burnout make mess out of hospital staffing
The hospital COVID census in San Bernardino County has nearly tripled from 398 before Christmas to 1,107 as of Jan. 13.
COVID killed droves of Indian health workers. Their families must fight for recompense
Op-Ed: In the Omicron surge, I am my family’s anger translator
As I See It | Covid-19 is infecting people via mail and frozen food? There’s no evidence
Australia suffers record deaths; Indonesia lifts ban on foreign arrivals
A total of 77 deaths was recorded, exceeding the previous high of 57 last Thursday.
18 Jan 2022 - 2:50PM
Extremely low’ risk of infection from handling mail, Health Canada says
Canadian authorities respond to Beijing CDC’s claim that a contaminated letter from Toronto could be the source of an Omicron case in the Chinese capital.
Hong Kong leader promises ‘fairness and truth’ in probes into alleged rule breaches
Investigations into whether Cathay Pacific abused quarantine exemption policy and conduct of officials caught up in birthday party scandal will not be ‘left unsettled’, Chief Executive Carrie Lam says.
Fourth vaccine shot less effective on Omicron, Israel study shows
A second booster jab brings antibodies to even higher levels but is not enough to prevent infection, according to the first-of-its-kind trial. 18 Jan 2022 - 4:42AM
Hong Kong culls hamsters over Covid-19 fears, pet store customers in quarantine
Two people tied to Little Boss pet shop confirmed as infected and 150 customers ordered into quarantine.
Customs, postal authorities have directed airports and logistics companies to disinfect cross-border deliveries more thoroughly
- Cover Story: China in Hand-to-Hand Combat With Omicron
- Nine Chinese Cities Now Have Local Omicron Flare-Ups
- You can now order free COVID-19 test kits from the federal government
- ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith say COVID-19 vaccine saved his life: ‘I had pneumonia in both lungs’
- COVID-19 antiviral pills in short supply at Philly-area pharmacies
Beginning today, the citywide mandate will require customers to show proof of vaccination at indoor restaurants and bars, sports venues, movie theaters, and other locations that serve food. Rob Tornoe
New antiviral pills are a promising treatment for COVID-19, but getting them may be tricky. Sarah Gantz
New Jersey's seven-day average for new confirmed positive tests dropped to 15,214, down 44% from a week ago but still up 228% from a month ago Brent Johnson,
When can N.J. kids return to school after being exposed to COVID? It’s confusing. Here’s why.
N.J. schools slow to ramp up ‘test to stay,’ which lets kids avoid COVID quarantine
Karin Price Mueller
One in ten COVID-19 patients could be infectious even after 10 days
COVID-19: Fourth dose of vaccine 'not good enough' against Omicron variant, reveals Israeli study
Omicron in Beijing may have arrived by mail from Canada: Report
Covid vaccination to be compulsory from February, says Austrian chancellor
As patience with the pandemic wanes, leaders in widely vaccinated democracies are deploying a new political strategy.
When is it morally acceptable for one person to subject another to risk? Is it okay to walk into a bar if you might sicken someone who might need hospital care?
CONOR FRIEDERSDORF JANUARY 16, 2022
China probably among the most vulnerable countries to Covid right now, says Dr. Scott Gottlieb
Jan 18, 2022 CNBC Television
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former FDA commissioner and CNBC contributor, joins CNBC's 'Squawk Box' to discuss the omicron Covid variant and China's latest efforts to tap down a recent uptick in cases.
Vaccination advice in the age of omicron
Jan 17, 2022 Dr. John Campbell
Has the risk benefit analysis changed now omicron is the variant? CDC reference https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-...Updated Jan. 12, 2022 https://www.gov.uk/government/publica... The NHS is offering COVID-19 vaccine to children and young people aged 12 to 17 years Two doses of vaccine 12 weeks apart (or 12 weeks after a positive test) UK boosters for 16 and 17 year olds in England https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60011877 https://www.england.nhs.uk/2022/01/hu... Starting today 600,000 people aged 16 and 17 have had two doses 889,700 in England have had at least one dose In line with JCVI guidance NHS cannot vaccinate 16 and 17-year-olds within 12 weeks (84 days) of a positive COVID-19 test Reduce further the "very, very small risk" of myocarditis in under-18s UK, giving Pfizer rather than moderna https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsup... Can the Covid-19 vaccine cause myocarditis? In most cases of myocarditis, heart function returns to normal. Cases, while still very rare, are slightly less rare in children and young people. It's still the case that millions of children around the world have had a Covid vaccine, virtually all of them without long term side effects. The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine has not been linked to an increased risk of myocarditis. Getting Covid-19 can itself lead to myocarditis, as well as other forms of severe illness. Who is at risk from myocarditis following the vaccine? Mostly affected young men aged 12 to 29 Usually after their second dose Israel study, up to 4 in 100,000 men Women was fewer than one in 100,000 Are children and young people at higher risk of heart inflammation from the vaccine? Cases of heart inflammation after the vaccine, while still very rare, are slightly less rare in children and younger adults (up to the age of 39) UK up to 15 December 2021, 12 to 17 year olds 39 cases of myocarditis or pericarditis (18 cases per million doses of vaccine) 18-29 year olds 29 per million doses 30-39 year-olds 22 per million doses Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and 4 CMOs confirmed the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is safe and effective for children aged 12 to 15, as well as vulnerable children from the age of five. Is there a risk of cardiac arrest from the Covid vaccine? No. There is no evidence that people are at risk of cardiac arrest in the days or weeks following the vaccine. Study of 4 million vaccinated people in Denmark, (n = 269) https://www.bmj.com/content/375/bmj-2... Professor Hoiby, message to world leaders https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkopH... Denmark has changed their national guidelines https://en.ssi.dk/news/epi-news/2021/... Based on a precautionary principle, we recommend aspiration before injection. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7ina... Evidence from Dr. Peter Gaillard (microparticulate pharmacologist) https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/astraz... Denmark v Norway Myocarditis 3 times more prevalent in Norway Found there were no deaths or diagnoses of heart failure in people who were diagnosed with myocarditis or pericarditis after being vaccinated. In the UK, no figures have been published for cardiac arrests in under-18s following the vaccine, which means there have been a tiny number too small to be published, or none at all. Catching Covid-19, on the other hand, can significantly increase your risk of cardiac arrest and death. Is there any link between the Covid-19 vaccine and cardiac arrests at football matches? No, there isn’t. Feeling like you need to be sick I’ve heard about people getting myocarditis after the vaccine and I’m worried. Should I have my second dose/ booster dose? Yes. It’s recommended that you have your second dose or booster dose, if you are eligible. I was diagnosed with myocarditis after having the vaccine. Should I go ahead and book my second dose/ booster dose? No, you should get advice from your health professional
novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) 病毒：新型冠状病毒 2019-nCoV
Pre-infection advice
Jan 15, 2022 Dr. John Campbell
If you would like John’s text books, (it is free to download the full PDFs) Physiology book in hard copy https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1547704527... Pathophysiology book in hard copy https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1547704517... Link to free download of my 2 textbooks http://159.69.48.3/ Omicron exposure is inevitable, an optimised immune system is not Omicron Symptoms Omicron incubation 2 days Symptomatic disease with omicron is shorter Most people could leave isolation at 5 days Long covid, probably less than with delta Current symptoms Runny nose, 73% Headache, 68% Fatigue, 64% Sneezing, 60% Sore throat, 60% Persistent cough, 44% Hoarse voice, 36% Chills or shivers, 30% Fever, 29% Dizzy, 28% Brain fog, 24% Altered smell, 23% Sore eyes, 23% Unusual muscle pains, 23% Skipped meals, 21% Loss of smell, 19% Chest pain, 19% Swollen glands, 19% Feeling down, 16% Remember, the 6 Ps. Poor preparation promotes probable poor performance
By Eva Dou and Pei Lin Wu
They fear that the "live with it" strategy underestimates the dangers posed by the omicron variant and could send messages that will lead people to abandon the measures known to limit its spread. By Joel Achenbach
By Jill U. Adams
By Jay Bhattacharya and Tom Nicholson | Commentary
- The Omicron variant is moving much faster than researchers can, worsening a longstanding problem for the agency: making tough decisions with scant data.
- Recommendations sometimes have skipped steps in the scientific review process, fueling public concern about how they affect the economy and education.
American opinion of the U.S. pandemic response is lower than ever, a new poll found. Here’s the latest.
The Philippines is struggling with a record virus surge, but doctors are hopeful.
What the Supreme Court’s Vaccine Case Was Really About LINDA GREENHOUSE
A long descent from a peak in cases could exact a larger toll than even Omicron’s blistering ascent.
JONATHAN WOLFF 6:00 AM ET
‘The Timeline You’re All Living in Is About to Collapse’ AMANDA WICKS
L.A. County sees 10-month high in COVID death rate
There was an average of 40 coronavirus deaths a day over the past week, a sign that Omicron may be deadlier than many initially believed.
Emergency rooms nearing ‘crisis levels’ in parts of California
More kids in the hospital with COVID renew fears for medically fragile children
Column One: A father’s death, a son’s despair — How COVID upended a family
Even before his father’s death, the teen had penned a school paper on the pain of life during the pandemic.
Jackie Roman,
Why can't kids learn amid the COVID pandemic?
Can live with Covid? South Africa to not impose lockdown or quarantine rules
UK’s vaccinated travellers may not have to take Covid tests in Feb, says report
US scientists look to come up with cheap, patent-free Covid jab. Why is it special?
NZ braces for Omicron spread; Singaporean infected with 2 strains in 8 months
PM Jacinda Ardern said the government is learning from other nations grappling with Omicron outbreaks as it prepares to manage its own.
Hong Kong confirms first local Delta case in weeks, 6 other infections emerge
Untraceable Delta case, first reported on Sunday, involves 23-year-old woman with high viral load; health secretary Sophia Chan urges residents not to let their guard down.
120Inner Mongolian port city bans imported fruit to keep coronavirus at bay
No coronavirus cases at crucial land-trade port in Manzhouli city that connects China with Russia and European countries, but other Chinese cities have already detected the virus on imported fruit.
‘May God guide us’: Filipinos fear Omicron will ‘paralyse’ nation
Just under half the country has been double-vaccinated, while the Duterte administration has ruled out another punishing lockdown ahead of polls in May.
17 Jan 2022 - 8:41AM
Don’t let Omicron smother the soul of Hong Kong’s live music scene
Neil Newman 17 Jan 2022 - 9:30AM
China and North Korea reopen rail link after 2-year coronavirus closure
Line between Dandong in China and Sinuiju in North Korea back in business.
Inner Mongolian port city bans imported fruit to keep coronavirus at bay
No coronavirus cases at crucial land-trade port in Manzhouli city that connects China with Russia and European countries, but other Chinese cities have already detected the virus on imported fruit.
17 Jan 2022 - 6:39PM
NZ braces for Omicron spread; Singaporean infected with 2 strains in 8 months
PM Jacinda Ardern said the government is learning from other nations grappling with Omicron outbreaks as it prepares to manage its own.
17 Jan 2022 - 6:26PM
Winter Olympics ticket sales stopped after Omicron found in Beijing
Events will be restricted to invitees only to prevent spread of Covid-19.
Stealthy, fast-spreading variant poses tough test for China’s ‘Covid Zero’ policy heading into Winter Olympics and Lunar New Year
- Cover Story: The Dangling Sword of Omicron
- China’s Omicron Outbreak Is Even Worse News for Global Supply Chains
The 40-day travel rush for the 2022 Lunar New Year has begun, with Covid-19 testing stations and checkpoints popping up at train stations across the country. During this year’s period, which runs from Monday to Feb. 25, national railways are expected to carry 280 million passengers, a railway executive said
Jan 17, 2022 05:00 PM
Caixin-Sinica Business Brief: China Battles Omicron and Delta Outbreaks
Nine Chinese Cities Now Have Local Omicron Flare-Ups
By Dhruv Khullar
Axios Local Jan 16, 2022 - Health
Stef W. Kight, Jared WhalenUpdated Jan 16, 2022 - Politics & Policy
The new normal: Google searches reveal America's COVID shopping habits
Fauci says it’s still an ‘open question’ whether omicron spells Covid endgame
Karen Gilchrist
A Thai start-up is working on a plant-based vaccine to fight Covid-19
Christine Tan MON, JAN 17TH 2022
China’s zero-Covid policy could deal another blow to global supply chains, Moody’s says
Sumathi Bala SUN, JAN 16TH 2022
U.S. steps up fight against fast-spreading Omicron variant
Jan 16, 2022 CBS News
The Biden administration is trying to step up the fight against the fast-spreading omicron variant by increasing access to free testing. Meanwhile, the CDC is advising people to wear the most protective masks they can find. Dr. Jeremy Faust, emergency physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital at Harvard Medical School, joins CBSN's Lana Zak for more.
Gottlieb says variant-specific vaccine could help reduce transmission
Jan 16, 2022 Face the Nation
Dr. Scott Gottlieb says vaccines targeting specific variants of the coronavirus could "restore the ability of the vaccine, potentially, to prevent transmission, and it once again becomes a public health tool for actually controlling spread."
Destined to fail? China maintains target of zero COVID cases | DW News
Jan 12, 2022 DW News
Nearly 20 million people are currently in strict lockdown in China and millions more are taking daily tests as the country seeks to achieve zero COVID cases. But how sustainable is this in the long-run?
CORONAVIRUS
With many new infections resulting from the spread of omicron, demand has jumped.
Inside Out | In two pandemic years, how our politicians have failed the world David Dodwell
Deltacron: could it happen for real and would it be a threat?
15 Jan 2022 - 1:00PM
Fears of new Hong Kong cluster as woman tests positive after leaving quarantine
The woman was said to have stayed at home during the five days between her completing quarantine and testing positive, but her family did not.
‘Quarantine isn’t punishment’: angry voices from Hong Kong’s Penny’s Bay
Hiccups among issues sparked under city’s tough zero-Covid policy, prompting apology from city leader.
15 Jan 2022 - 8:07PM
Beijing and Tianjin race to contain Omicron ahead of Winter Games
When will the pandemic end? This is what experts believe
Omicron is not the last Covid variant, scientists warn
Emergency rooms nearing ‘crisis levels’ in parts of California
Federal website to order free at-home COVID tests is launching next week
L.A. County reports highest daily total of coronavirus deaths in more than 9 months
NJ warns retailers not to price gouge on COVID tests
COVID hospitalizations in NJ fall for third day but deaths surpass 30K
“Everybody’s got it,” said one union leader. “This is twice as bad as when the delta [variant] was around.”
Erin McCarthy and Justine McDaniel
Expect more worrisome variants after omicron, scientists say
There’s no guarantee the sequels of omicron will cause milder illness.
SXSW returns in 2022 with COVID-19 safety protocols in place
BY SHEPARD PRICE
Flexible work is here to stay, but the shape it will take is up for debate in virtual board rooms around the world.
Many schools are aming to push through the wave of infections.By Nick Anderson and Lauren Lumpkin
By Lena H. Sun
By Andrew Jeong
By Jackie Lay and John Farrell
Many in GOP say taxpayers have spent enough, but gyms, minor league ball clubs and others say they were largely left out of previous aid efforts.
- Variant Overwhelms Rural Hospitals
- Wave Leads to New Highs of Hospitalized Children
- Covid Tracker: Charting the Spread
A domestically transmitted case of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 was detected in Beijing, weeks before the city is set to host the Winter Olympics.
The Pain of Online School Remains, Even When Kids Are in Classrooms
When Caregivers Can’t Take It Anymore VANESSA VESELKA
Some Colleges Loosen Rules for a Virus That Won’t Go Away
Greek Seniors Face Monthly Fine For Failure to Get Covid Shot
From Pandemic to Endemic: Can 2022 Succeed Where 2021 Failed?
Are We Any Closer to the End of Covid?
U.S. Faces ‘Tough’ Weeks Ahead; Djokovic Departs: Virus Update
Djokovic Loses Shot at Tennis History as Australia Deports Star
Surgeon General Defends Biden’s Response to Steep Covid-19 Surge
Why Impact of ‘Long Covid’ Could Outlast the Pandemic
#Gravitas #China #OmicronVariant
Gravitas: 5 Videos of lockdown horror from China
Jan 14, 2022 WION
China is trying to crush the Omicron variant with an iron fist. Its aggressive measures have triggered 'rare criticism' on Chinese social Media. Palki Sharma gets you 5 videos of China's crackdown.
Health infrastructure under pressure in Brazil amid a massive spike in COVID cases fueled by Omicron
Jan 16, 2022 WION
The Latin American nation of Brazil is currently witnessing an alarming rise in the number of COVID-19 infections. The massive spike, which has been fueled by the fast-spreading omicron variant of the Coronavirus has pushed the country's health infrastructure virtually to its edge now.
#Coronavirus #Omicron #Pandemic
Global Omicron infections keep surging | COVID Up date
Jan 14, 2022 DW News
Germany: Germany's intensified vaccination campaign appears to be paying off, with 780,000 doses administered within just one day, officials said. The figure is much higher than last week's daily jab rate of 593,000 doses. Many of the vaccinations were booster shots, which have been administered to more than 45% of the population. The number of people in Germany who are fully vaccinated (and not yet boostered) rose to more than 72% on Thursday. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government set a goal to have 80% of the population fully vaccinated by the end of January. France: France is easing some of its strict travel restrictions on visitors from the UK, French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced. Fully vaccinated British travelers who also have a COVID negative test will be allowed to enter France without having to self-isolate for 48-hours— and will no longer have to provide a "valid" reason for travel. The rules change goes into effect on Friday. Castex said France was relaxing the travel curbs since the highly-contagious omicron variant is now dominant in both France and the UK. The curbs had been in place since mid-December. Also in France, teachers across the country went on strike on Thursday over the government's chaotic COVID-19 strategy for schools. "The exhaustion and exasperation of the entire educational community have reached an unprecedented level," eleven unions said in a joint statement. France has logged an ever-climbing surge in infections this week, including a record of over 368,000 new cases in a single day. India: India recorded its highest-ever new daily COVID caseload on Thursday — logging more than 247,000 new daily cases for the first time. India is in the midst of a third wave of infections, with the omicron variant causing cases to exponentially rise in cities like New Delhi and Mumbai.
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Unvaccinated workers in Singapore risk losing their jobs
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Omicron causes new COVID-19 infections to spike all over the world | COVID-19 Special
Jan 13, 2022 DW News
Getting vaccinated twice is not enough to prevent infections, and even boosters aren’t 100% effective. Should countries administer fourth vaccinations like Israel? The Omicron variant is causing new Covid-19 infections to spike all over the world.
Researchers say it’s the fourth most important factor determining the severity of the illness.
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Eli Lilly and GlaxoSmithKline/Vir COVID-19 therapies get WHO backing
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By: Dulan Lokuwithana, SA News Editor
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- In its guidelines published in the British Medical Journal Thursday, the panel has strongly recommended Lilly's Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor baricitinib (Olumiant) in combination with corticosteroids for patients with severe COVID-19.
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US hospital concerns
Jan 13, 2022 Dr. John Campbell
US hospitals are under great pressure, there are essentially three reasons for this. Ontario, Canada, largest province in Canada, population of 15 million. Several weeks ago we were told to STOP going for testing unless we were in a high risk category, so the number of cases is dramatically under-reported, https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/this-is-wh... So when you see cases dropping in Canada and the R value decreasing, its completely inaccurate, Ontario represents almost half of the popular of the entire country. Steve US hospital pressure https://www.theatlantic.com/health/ar... With or for covid Jeremy Faust, emergency physician Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts The truth is, we’re still in the emergency phase of the pandemic, and everyone who is downplaying that should probably take a tour of a hospital before they do Sara Murray, hospitalist at UC San Francisco If a virus that causes less severe lung disease affects an extraordinarily large proportion of the population, you’ll still get a lot of them in the hospital with severe lung disease Factors Low vaccination uptake Comorbidities Residual circulation of delta Post delta infection Omicron areas, lower hospital admissions Dr. Walensky I suspect the deaths we are seeing now are still from Delta James Lawler, infectious-disease physician, University of Nebraska Medical Center the vast majority of our COVID-positive cases are at the hospital for reasons related to their COVID infection Two neat categories, with and for Vineet Arora, a hospitalist at the University of Chicago Medicine If you’re on the margin of coming into the hospital, COVID tips you over COVID might not be listed as a reason for admission, but no COVID, no admission These incidental infections are not so incidental for people with chronic conditions We have a lot of chronically ill people in the U.S., and it’s like all of those people are now coming into the hospital at the same time So, its 3 categories For covid With covid that exacerbated a chronic condition Truly incidentals Craig Spencer, emergency physician, Columbia University Medical Center The health-care system is in crisis and on the verge of collapse It doesn’t matter whether it’s with or for. It’s a pure deluge of numbers Mr Donald J. Trump Boosters, politicians who refused to say whether they had received one were “gutless” The fact is that I think the vaccines saved tens of millions throughout the world https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/01/... Dysphunc I've had Covid-19 for 3 days now - 2nd vaccination dose 1 month ago. It just feels like a bad case of Pharyngitis. Congested sinus, gunky sore throat and bronchial tract inflamed. Occasional painful aspiration but nothing like when I had double Pneumonia. Oximeter reporting 95-98% the whole time so far which is reassuring.
novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) 病毒：新型冠状病毒 2019-nCoV
#Omicron #Coronavirus #HealthSystem
Omicron wave in India: Is its health system prepared? | DW News
Jan 13, 2022 DW News
India is experiencing a rapid rise in COVID-19 infections as the omicron wave hits the country. New daily cases have surged to almost 250,000 - the highest number of infections since late May. This despite nearly 70 percent of all adults having received at least one dose of a vaccine. Even though fewer patients with Omicron infections are being hospitalized, this new wave has hit hospital staff hard, with hundreds of hospital and other front-line workers falling ill. What can be expected as India confronts the new variant?
The states are grappling with a wave of hospitalizations driven by the omicron variant.
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Omicron wave: Is Europe prepared? Record numbers of COVID-19 cases in Germany | DW News
Jan 12, 2022 DW News
The World Health Organization has warned that more than half of Europeans could become infected with the Omicron variant within the next few weeks. That’s as coronavirus infections across Europe are reaching record numbers. France has just seen a daily record of 368,000 infections. Italy has seen cases more than double in 24 hours. Germany reported over 80,000 new Covid-19 infections on Wednesday - that's more in a single day than at any time during the pandemic. Omicron cases in Spain are soaring despite one of the highest vaccination rates in the EU. The government only recently reduced the quarantine period to 7 days. But with long waiting times at family doctors, some patients are cutting their losses and heading straight to hospital. And that's putting even more strain on the healthcare system there as DW's Nicole Ris reports.
International data agrees
Jan 12, 2022 Dr. John Campbell
Omicron is less severe and natural immunity works Link to free download of my 2 textbooks http://159.69.48.3/ Clinical outcomes among patients infected with Omicron (B.1.1.529) SARS-CoV-2 variant in southern California https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.11... https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.11... Background The Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of SARS-CoV-2 has rapidly achieved global dissemination, accounting for most infections in the United States by December 2021. November 30, 2021 to January 1, 2022, Delta v Omicron Using S gene target failure (SGTF) (99.7%) Hospital admission Lengths of hospital stay Hospital admissions associated with new-onset respiratory symptoms Intensive care unit (ICU) admission Mechanical ventilation Mortality Group 1, omicron N = 52,297, cases with Omicron variant infections Hospital admissions, 235 (0.5%) Mean follow-up, 5.5 days 88 admitted ITU, 7 Ventilated, 0 Deaths, 1 Length of hospital stay, 3.4 days (70%) less than delta Group 2, non – omicron (delta) N = 16,982, cases with Delta variant infections Hospital admissions, 222 (1.3%) Mean follow-up, 15.8 days 189 admitted ITU, 23 Ventilated, 11 Deaths, 14 Also Omicron variant infection, reduced risk of hospitalization across age and comorbidity categories Risk of symptomatic hospitalization was markedly reduced among cases who had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection ≥90 days prior Intrinsically less severe infection Less severe in vaccinated and unvaccinated Evidence for a reduction in severe outcomes among vaccinated cases with both Delta and Omicron variant infections in our study suggests substantial public health benefits from continued COVID-19 vaccination. Dutch data https://twitter.com/marionkoopmans/st... https://t.co/TJ6peBST2I Common cold protection https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/23301... Cross-reactive memory T cells associate with protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection in COVID-19 contacts https://www.nature.com/articles/s4146... https://www.nature.com/articles/s4146... Cross-reactive immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 52 COVID-19 household contacts We enumerate the frequency of specific T cells Spike, nucleocapsid, membrane, envelope and ORF1, that cross-react with human endemic coronaviruses Nucleocapsid-specific T cells Limited protective function of spike-cross-reactive T cells Our results are thus consistent with, pre-existing non-spike cross-reactive memory T cells, protecting SARS-CoV-2-naïve contacts from infection, thereby supporting the inclusion of non-spike antigens in second-generation vaccines.
#COVID19 #Omicron #WorldNewsTonight
Omicron cases explode to 1.4 million in a day | WNT
Jan 11, 2022 ABC News
Health officials defended their pandemic response on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, while with so many teachers out sick parents are being asked to teach classes.
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Police say that the Kingmed Diagnostics manager’s actions either spread the virus, or risked its spread
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Covid-19 was the leading cause of death among U.S. police officers in 2021, a report said.
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Indonesia bans 14 countries over three-month high in COVID cases | DW News
Jan 12, 2022 DW News
COVID-19 infection rates are spiking in many places around the world, some countries are counting on vaccine booster campaigns to provide relief. One of those countries is Indonesia, which launches its booster campaign today. With some 4 million infections and 150 thousand deaths, the world's fourth most populous nation has been hit hard by the pandemic. The health ministry has pledged to vaccinate more than 208 million of its 270 million people. DW's Asia-Pacific Bureau Chief Georg Matthes visited one factory in Bandung on the island of Java ramping up production for the booster drive.
Omicron infection rates skyrocket in Israel | DW News
Jan 11, 2022 DW News
Israel's health ministry on Monday reported that infections had reached new daily highs. The ministry said there had been 21,501 new cases in the past 24 hours. Its believed the figures could be higher, but Israel has eased up on testing. Around 61 percent of the country has been fully vaccinated with booster jabs. The country has also introduced fourth jabs to eligible groups of its population including those who work in healthcare and people with compromised immune systems, among others.
COVID-19 hospitalizations rise as Omicron variant spreads
Jan 10, 2022 CBS News
Omicron's rapid spread is fueling a wave of new COVID-19 hospitalizations in the United States. More children are also being admitted to hospitals, according to CDC data. CBS News correspondent Janet Shamlian reports from Houston. Then Dr. Jeremy Faust, emergency physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital at Harvard Medical School, joins CBSN's Lilia Luciano to discuss the latest on the pandemic.
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Mark Gongloff
Hong Kong's ‘Covid Zero’ Policy Meets Its Match in Omicron
Singapore Breaks Down Covid Deaths by Vaccine, With Moderna Seeing Lowest Rate
JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon Issues Warning to Unvaccinated New York Staff
Covid Cases Jump 340% Among ICE Detainees in One Week
Repeat Booster Shots Spur European Warning on Immune-System Risks
United Airlines CEO Says 3,000 of Its Workers Have Contracted Covid
But it may get much worse. Already struggling hospitals could house about 300,000 covid patients later this month if models are correct. By Fenit Nirappil, Brittany Shammas, Dan Keating and Lenny Bernstein
- States activate crisis standards as omicron strains hospitals
- 7:01 a.m.Key coronavirus updates from around the world
- 6:31 a.m.Private insurers to pay for eight rapid tests a month, Biden administration says
By Lena H. Sun and Rachel Roubein
- 1:15 p.m.Pfizer plans to manufacture up to 100 million doses of omicron-specific vaccine by spring
- 12:20 p.m.Fauci lashes out at Sen. Rand Paul, accuses him of fundraising from personal attacks for ‘political gain’
- 11:30 a.m.Sen. Burr criticizes administration’s pandemic messaging, says people are ‘confused’
In the first week of 2022, Europe registered at least 7 million coronavirus cases, more than doubling over a two-week period.
The move reflects rising concerns that current vaccines may need to be tweaked for new variants of the coronavirus.
By Laura Reiley
- 3:20 p.m.United Airlines says 3,000 employees have tested positive for the coronavirus
- 2:45 p.m.Global cases reach new pandemic high, WHO officials say
- 2:04 p.m.Key coronavirus updates from around the world
By Amy Goldstein and Sara Sorcher
From mass tests to lockdowns, China is on high-alert to keep the coronavirus at bay ahead of the Winter Olympics. WSJ examines the zero-Covid strategy in the city of Xi’an to see how it has sparked backlash from residents and affected chip makers.
Private insurers will have to cover the cost starting Saturday under a Biden administration plan that aims to make it more affordable for people to screen for infections and limit the spread of the Omicron variant.
- Workers Sick With Omicron Add to Manufacturing Woes
- Meta Sets Booster Requirement
- U.S. Cases Set to Triple Pre-Omicron Record
Hospitals are caring for the highest number of patients with Covid reported during the pandemic, with the seven-day average reaching 140,576. Many are showing up at hospitals for other reasons and then testing positive.
Omicron continues to appear milder than earlier variants but its heightened transmissibility has pushed Covid-19 infections to unprecedented levels, resulting in large numbers of hospitalizations in the U.S. and Europe.
- Some Nations Offer a Second Covid Booster
- Hong Kong’s Strict Quarantine System Pushed to Limits
- China’s Zero-Covid Strategy Tested Ahead of Olympics
Toyota, Samsung and Volkswagen are among companies with production affected as economists warn of more challenging bottlenecks ahead.
- Omicron, Supply-Chain Troubles to Slow Growth, World Bank Says
- Leaders Worried About Economic Fallout
By Apoorva Ramaswamy and Vivek Ramaswamy | Commentary
Pfizer's CEO on Omicron, a Fourth Shot and 2022
Pfizer has sold and distributed billions of doses of its Covid-19 vaccine, generating an estimated $36 billion in sales last year. CEO Albert Bourla talks with The Journal. Read Transcript
- WHO says omicron is life threatening for unvaccinated, elderly and people with underlying conditions
- Everything you need to know about new, (mostly) free at-home Covid tests
France reports new Covid infection record with daily cases surging to over 360,000
Matt Clinch
CDC director says Covid cases on cruise ships surged 30-fold in last two weeks
Jessica Bursztynsky
U.S. sets fresh records for Covid hospitalizations and cases
Nate Rattner
Fauci says Sen. Rand Paul’s false accusations has incited death threats
Jessica Bursztynsky
Over half of Europe will be infected with omicron in the next 2 months: WHO
Covid vaccine programs could end with third dose for most people: Israeli doctor
TUE, JAN 11TH 2022
More than a quarter of New Jersey schools are remote this week. Katie Kausch,
N.J. reports 142 COVID deaths, 21,483 cases as Murphy’s emergency powers are set to expire
COVID cases rose sharply in nearly every N.J. county. See the major hotspots.
More than 1 in 4 N.J. schools are not open for in-person learning due to COVID, state says
As COVID hospitalizations rise in NJ, ventilator use is up 71%
As COVID pandemic grinds on, NJ mental health services stretched thin
- ‘The vaccine is our strategy’: Wolf brushes aside questions about possible shutdowns
- Look for face masks with a tight fit, Bettigole says
Christopher Rowland, Washington
- The Covid testing system that was supposed to help keep classrooms open safely is itself being tested. In much of the country, things are not going well.
- The issue, experts say, isn’t that testing doesn’t work, but that many districts are bungling the execution or failing to muster the resources to test properly.
Check the cases in your county
PhotosU.S. CasesGlobal Cases
The Morning: We look at the growing gap between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated.
Over half of Europe could be infected with Omicron soon, the W.H.O. said.
United Airlines detailed Omicron’s toll: 3,000 workers have the virus.
The staggering number of infections among the vaccinated is changing Americans’ pandemic mindset.
Two Years Is Long Enough
HELEN LEWIS
Should Teen Boys Get Boosted?
RACHEL GUTMAN
GSK and Vir Biotechnology Announce United States Government Agreement to Purchase Additional Supply of Sotrovimab, Authorized for the Early Treatment of COVID-19
01/11/22 at 7:12 AM ESTPDF Version
– 600,000 additional doses to be supplied to the US government for distribution in Q1 2022, enabling further access to sotrovimab nationwide –
– Brings total number of doses secured to date through binding agreements to approximately 1.7 million globally –
– Preclinical data generated through both pseudo-virus and live virus testing demonstrate sotrovimab retains activity against all tested SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern including Delta and Omicron –
LONDON and SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GlaxoSmithKline plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) and Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIR) today announced that the US government will purchase an additional 600,000 doses of sotrovimab, an investigational monoclonal antibody for the early treatment of COVID-19, enabling further nationwide access to sotrovimab for patients. The additional 600,000 doses will be delivered throughout the first quarter of 2022. This agreement is an amendment to earlier commitments announced with the US government in November 2021.
Including the commitments announced today, GSK and Vir have received binding agreements for the sale of approximately 1.7 million doses of sotrovimab worldwide. In addition, today’s agreement also includes the option for the US government to purchase further additional doses in the second quarter of 2022.
Sotrovimab, which was granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2021, is an investigational single-dose intravenous (IV) infusion SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody. Under the EUA, sotrovimab can be used for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kg) with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing, and who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death.
GSK and Vir expect to manufacture approximately 2 million doses globally in the first half of 2022 and additional doses in the second half of the year.
Sotrovimab
Injection, 500 mg, for intravenous use
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the Treatment of COVID-19
FACT SHEET - HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS (ENGLISH)FACT SHEET - HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS (SPANISH)FACT SHEET - PATIENTS (ENGLISH)FACT SHEET - PATIENTS (SPANISH)FDA LETTER OF AUTHORIZATION
Deltacron
Jan 10, 2022 Dr. John Campbell
Not a new form of coronavirus Recombination event Lab contamination Prof Leondios Kostrikis, professor of biological sciences,University of Cyprus, Head of the Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Virology Suggested delta and omicron variants had amalgamated There are currently omicron and delta co-infections and we found this strain that is a combination of these two 25 sequences were subsequently submitted to GISAID https://www.gisaid.org Dr Thomas Peacock, Imperial College London, Department of Infectious Disease November, very small cluster, really awful spike mutation profile B.1.1.529, later omicron Deltacron genetic profile Looks to be quite clearly contamination Several colleagues almost definitely contamination doesn’t look like a real recombinant Dr Simon Clarke, University of Reading It’s perfectly possible for different versions of the virus that causes Covid-19 to combine sections of their genetic material, creating a recombinant, which is a genetic mosaic of the different variants with altered characteristics, but they contain a number of telltale signs and ‘deltacron’ just doesn’t have any Instead, its proposed genetic code looks more like what would happen if you contaminated one sample with another That could have happened at any point between sampling and sequencing in the laboratory and I strongly suspect this is what has happened. New variants will continue to come along, but I don’t think this is one. Deltacron’s genetic code Scars of a notoriously faulty primer V3 72 amplicon As of Monday morning https://www.gov.uk/government/publica... https://www.gov.uk/government/news/co... UKHSA no new variants under surveillance Prof Leondios Kostrikis https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europ... indicate an evolutionary pressure to an ancestral strain to acquire these mutations and not a result of a single recombination event Deltacron infection is higher among patients hospitalised for Covid-19 than among non-hospitalised patients, so that rules out the contamination hypothesis the samples were processed in multiple sequencing procedures in more than one country. And at least one sequence from Israel deposited in a global database exhibits genetic characteristics of Deltacron Professor Nick Loman, microbial genomics professor University of Birmingham (UK) While a recombinant form of Delta and Omicron would not be a complete surprise, the finding from Cyprus is more likely a “technical artefact” that arose in the process of sequencing the viral genome
Why The Biggest Pharma Company In The U.S. Is Breaking Up
Jan 10, 2022 CNBC
Johnson & Johnson, the biggest pharmaceutical company in the U.S. based on its market cap, announced in November 2021 it plans to spin off its consumer business into a new publicly-traded company by November 2023. Analysts overwhelmingly say it’s a smart business move, but it could also come with some risks. Watch the video above to learn why Johnson & Johnson is splitting itself up and how investors are reacting. Johnson & Johnson announced in November that it plans to spin off its consumer business into a new publicly traded company by November 2023. The news didn’t surprise Wall Street. “The analyst community has been talking about splitting up J&J for years,” said Jared Holz, health-care equity strategist at Oppenheimer. “The timing situation is critical, just because people have been very curious or intrigued as to why now.” Johnson & Johnson is the biggest pharmaceutical company in the United States based on market cap. It was ranked 36th on the 2021 Fortune 500 List of the largest U.S. corporations based on total revenue. The company has experienced dividend growth for nearly 60 years and has consistently outperformed the S&P 500 for the past 25 years. “What the market is saying is that companies should focus on their core competencies and let us diversify,” said Louise Chen, managing director at Cantor Fitzgerald. “We’ve already seen several examples of large pharma separating out noncore assets.” So far, investors’ reaction to the spinoff has been mild, with the stock moving only modestly higher on the news in November. “There are some risks to this execution from separating out the consumer business,” Chen said. “I think investors aren’t fully convinced yet of the standalone earnings potential of both companies.” There are other potential headwinds to the split. The company has been dealing with numerous legal challenges over the past several years, many of which are ongoing and could result in as-yet-unknown fines and settlements.
China's Tianjin tests 14 million residents for COVID after omicron cases surface | DW News
Jan 10, 2022 DW News
The port city of Tianjin has begun testing its residents after a cluster of 20 people tested positive for COVID-19, including at least two with the omicron variant. Tianjin is about 115 kilometers from Beijing, which hosts the Winter Olympics next month.
Not all coronavirus variants are equal. And this one may not even exist.
Demand for Covid-19 test kits spurs mass hiring of temp workers in China
Highly contagious variants of the coronavirus are behind some of the worst outbreaks seen since the onset of the pandemic, resulting in tens of millions of tests being administered both domestically and abroad.
Omicron threat prompts Lunar New Year travel warnings from Chinese cities
Hefei, the capital of central Anhui province, is handing out a coupon worth 1,000 yuan (US$157) to migrant workers if they choose to stay in the city over the holiday, rather than making the annual pilgrimage home.
Singapore calms fears over Covid-19 mRNA jabs for young children
No serious adverse events have been reported among children aged five to 11 who got the Pfizer-BioNTech jab, authorities said
10 Jan 2022 - 5:31PM
Local transmission of the Covid-19 variants causing headaches in Beijing ahead of the games
- Update: Port City Neighboring Beijing Scrambles to Contain First Local Omicron Flare-Up
- First Omicron Case Reported on Chinese Mainland
Researchers call for better safety standards in review of the 110 reported laboratory accidents that occurred from 2001 to 2018
Jan 10, 2022 07:50 PM
North China’s Tianjin and the city of Anyang in Central China’s Henan province both reported two new cases of the highly transmissible omicron variant over the weekend. Both cities have launched new rounds of mass testing and designated more Covid-19 risk areas to control the spread of the virus Jan 10, 2022 06:18 PM
NJ COVID hospitalizations continue spike, surpassing 6,000 Sunday
Latest COVID wave sweeping through NJ police and fire departments
Search our memorial of those taken by COVID-19
The 6,075 COVID patients in New Jersey's hospitals is the most since April 29, 2020.Brent Johnson,
Omicron sent N.J. schools back to COVID purgatory. How soon can they escape?
N.J.’s federal stimulus funds will have few strings attached, Biden administration says
New York Sees Signs of Omicron Peak While ICUs Remain Pressured
Record Wave of U.S. Omicron School Closures Is Set to Abate
T Cells Triggered by Common Cold Fend Off Covid in Study
Broadway Keeps Vaccine Rules; NYC Cases Near Peak: Virus Update
Regeneron to Test Multiple Omicron-Fighting Antibodies in People
Djokovic Debacle Exposes Australia’s Xenophobic Policies Ruth Pollard
Singapore Says Virus Deaths Lowest Among Moderna Takers
- 12:33 p.m.Pfizer CEO hopes virus can be ‘controlled’ with annual shots and pills for illness
- 11:27 a.m.Rep. Ben Cline tests positive for the coronavirus
- 11:06 a.m.Fate of vaccinate-or-test mandate for private employers uncertain as enforcement begins
- 10:16 a.m.Covid stole many people’s sense of smell. Seniors are especially vulnerable.
COMING TUESDAY AT 9:30 A.M. ET
States such as Florida say the treatment is still needed for covid cases caused by the fading delta strain of the virus.
By Lenny Bernstein, Laurie McGinley and Katie Shepherd
By Shelly Tan
By Judith Graham
Coronavirus surge hits factory workforces just as they struggle with supply-chain issues and rising costs. “You have to be pretty creative in these times.”Hospitals Cut Beds as Nurses Call In Sick
- Mask mandates in N.J. schools and daycares will continue, Murphy says
- Delaware to require masks indoors in public settings
Efrat R. Kean, For The Inquirer
Erin McCarthy and Justine McDaniel
Beijing tightens Covid protocols ahead of the Winter Olympics
Jan 10, 2022
CNBC Television
CNBC's Eunice Yoon joins 'Squawk Box' to report on the latest Covid-19 restrictions placed on the northern Chinese city of Tianjin as the Winter Olympics loom.
Moderna CEO: We can supply up to 3 billion Covid vaccine booster doses this year
Jan 10, 2022 CNBC Television
Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel joins CNBC's 'Squawk Box' to lay out the company's supply agreements for its Covid-19 vaccine and booster doses in 2022.
novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) 病毒：新型冠状病毒 2019-nCoV
States battle COVID-19 as Omicron variant spreads across U.S.
Jan 9, 2022 CBS News
CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann reports on the continuing spread of the Omicron variant across the U.S. and the many ways in which rising infections are impacting Americans. Then, CBSN's Lana Zak sits down with Dr. Stanley Perlman from the University of Iowa to further discuss the Omicron variant in relation to testing shortages, masking procedures, quarantining rules and more.
Cyprus Finds Covid-19 Infections That Combine Delta and Omicron
With Shots Finally on Hand, Nations Struggle to Get Them in Arms
U.K. Minister Says Britain Is Moving Beyond the Pandemic
China in Mass Testing Blitz After Reporting First Community Spread of Omicron
Hong Kong’s Covid Strategy Has Failed. Miserably
States such as Florida say the treatment is still needed for covid cases caused by the fading delta strain of the virus.
By Lenny Bernstein, Laurie McGinley and Katie Shepherd
By Shelly Tan
The variant’s extraordinary transmissibility could enhance immunity as it rips through the population.By Joel Achenbach and Carolyn Y. Johnson
By Judith Graham
Triaging who is eligible for Covid-19 tests can help ensure that patients who need a test the most get results fast enough. But turning some people away from testing risks perpetuating the virus’s spread.
- How Reliable Are Rapid Tests for Detecting Omicron?
- U.S. Seven-Day Case Average Tops 700,000
- Europe’s Strategy: Hassle the Unvaccinated
- Virus Tracker: Charting the Spread
By Luc Montagnier and Jed Rubenfeld | Commentary
What Covid-19 Vaccine Did You Get? You Probably Don’t Know Its Name.
Omicron Comes to China, Prompting Mass Testing and Quarantines
At least two confirmed cases of the new variant of Covid-19 were reported in the port city of Tianjin, weeks ahead of the Winter Olympics in neighboring Beijing
Republicans see Biden’s education record as providing an opening with voters, and Democrats say the GOP opposed relief funding for schools last year.
Don’t Work Out With Covid-19, at the Gym or Anywhere Else
Opinion: The Endless Loop of Covid-19
Esther Ruth Mbabazi for The New York Times
COVID has always divided Americans. The Omicron wave is even dividing the vaccinated.
L.A. County sets new daily record with nearly 46,000 coronavirus cases
LAUSD sports competitions are put on pause this week amid COVID surgeAbcarian: Get vaccinated. Stay calm. It’s looking like we all might get COVID someday
Gov. Newsom proposes $2.7 billion to expand COVID-19 response efforts
A universal flu vaccine may be the next big mRNA breakthrough for Moderna, Pfizer
Pfizer CEO says omicron vaccine will be ready in March
Spencer Kimball
Moderna CEO says fall Covid booster shots will likely target omicron
Spencer Kimball
Experts cast doubts over reported ‘deltacron’ variant, citing lab contamination
Holly Ellyatt
Gilead developing tablet formulation of COVID drug remdesivir - CNBC
Jan. 10, 2022 11:06 AM ET Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) By: Jonathan Block, SA News Editor
- Gilead (GILD +1.0%) is testing a tablet form of its COVID-19 drug Veklury (remdesivir), CNBC reports, adding it is in early stages.
- The drug is currently only available as an injection.
- https://www.vekluryhcp.com/
- https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/GILD
UK coronavirus deaths top 150,000 | DW News
Jan 9, 2022 DW News
More than 150,000 people have died in the United Kingdom after catching coronavirus, the British government said on Saturday. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the virus has "taken a terrible toll on our country" and offered his condolences to people who have lost friends and relatives. The UK is one of the most affected countries in Europe, second only to Russia, which has a reported death toll of almost 315,000. Globally, the UK is the seventh country to pass this grim milestone, following the United States, Brazil, India, Russia, Mexico and Peru. The number of daily reported cases in the UK reached a record 200,000 last week. In recent days, this has subsided slightly, with 146,390 cases reported on Saturday. The UK has introduced new pandemic measures, including compulsory wearing of face masks by students in schools, but did not impose restrictions on social gatherings over the festive period. Due to the massive increase in positive cases, the country's Defense Ministry announced on Friday that it would send troops to assist hospital staff.
Symptoms and Sequelae
Jan 9, 2022 Dr. John Campbell
Common cold symptoms with acute infection, but can there be long term after effects of infection. Link to free download of my 2 textbooks, http://159.69.48.3/ https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulati...
Long COVID continues to affect more than a million people 1.3 million people (2%) in the four weeks to 6 December 2021 LC for less than 12 weeks 21% (270,000 people) LC for more than 12 weeks 70% (892,000 people) LC for a year or more 40% (506,000 people) 20% reported their ability to undertake day-to-day activities had been “limited a lot” Symptoms Fatigue, 51% Loss of smell, 37% Shortness of breath, 36% Difficulty in concentrating, 28% Self-reported long COVID was greatest in: aged 35 to 69 years females people living in more deprived areas those working in health care and social care those with another activity-limiting health condition or disability those in teaching and education Encephalitis lethargica https://www.researchgate.net/figure/E... Sleepy sickness https://academic.oup.com/brain/articl... Brain disease Statue-like condition, speechless, motionless One million victims or more Half a million deaths Most survivors never returned to their pre-morbid vigour Oliver Sacks They would be conscious and aware – yet not fully awake; they would sit motionless and speechless all day in their chairs, totally lacking energy, impetus, initiative, motive, appetite, affect or desire; they registered what went on about them without active attention, and with profound indifference. They neither conveyed nor felt the feeling of life; they were as insubstantial as ghosts, and as passive as zombies English sweats (England, 1529) mal mazzuco (Italy, 1597) Kriebelkrankheit (Germany, 1672–75) Rafania (Sweden, 1754–57) nona (Italy, 1890–91) Post encephalitic Parkinsonism Risk of post covid diabetes https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/w... Increased risk of severe COVID-19 European pediatric populations during the COVID-19 pandemic Increases in the number of type 1 diabetes diagnoses Increased frequency and severity of diabetic ketoacidosis CDC Group 1 Diabetes incidence among patients aged less than 18 years after covid diagnosis Group 2 Diabetes incidence among those matched by age and sex, no covid diagnosis Group 3 Received a pre pandemic non–COVID-19 acute respiratory infection diagnosis Result N = 80,893 patients with COVID-19 New diabetes diagnosis 0.08%, 64 patients New diabetes diagnosis was 31% more likely to occur N = 439,439 patients with COVID-19 New diabetes diagnosis 0.25%, 1,233 patients New diabetes diagnoses were 166% more likely to occur New diabetes diagnosis in less than 18s 116% more likely to occur among those with COVID-19 than among those with ARI during the pre pandemic period Non–SARS-CoV-2 respiratory infection was not associated with diabetes. More severe covid may increase risk of DM Implications highlights the importance of COVID-19 prevention strategies in 18s and under Monitoring for long-term consequences, DM 1 and DM2 More than 30 days after the index date Screen for diabetes symptoms post covid Polyuria Thirst Weight loss Increased hunger Fatigue Stomach pain Nausea or vomiting Also https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-... Genital itching or thrush Cuts and wounds take longer to heal. Blurred eyesight Developing DKA breath that smells fruity (like pear drop sweets, or nail varnish remover) deep or fast breathing dry skin low blood pressure confusion feeling very tired or sleepy passing out Aetiology of post covid DM ? direct attack of pancreatic cells expressing angiotensin converting enzyme 2 receptors ? stress hyperglycemia resulting from the cytokine storm ? alterations in glucose metabolism caused by infection ? precipitation of prediabetes to diabetes
2 years in: What's the best strategy to end the coronavirus pandemic? | COVID-19 Special
Jan 7, 2022 DW News
How can we learn to live with COVID-19? We look at a child vaccination program in Chile aimed at keeping schools open, and hear about Argentina’s COVID passport. Is travel an option with Omicron? Tourists take to the skies despite the fast-spreading variant. Plus: German epidemiologist Tobias Kurth talks about what we can expect in 2022. Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:33 COVID in Germany 03:43 COVID and international travel 08:08 Interview with epidemiologist Tobias Kurth, Institute of Public Health, Charité Berlin 12:58 Children & COVID in Chile 17:30 Ask Derrick: How does genome sampling work 20:40 COVID Passports in Argentinia
The variant’s extraordinary transmissibility could enhance immunity as it rips through the population.
By Joel Achenbach and Carolyn Y. Johnson
By Monica Rodman and Sarah Hashemi
By Lena H. Sun and Tyler Pager
By Lori Aratani and Ian Duncan
Lab studies and clinical data support early reports about the variant that is responsible for the dramatic surge in Covid-19 cases.
Small operators are lobbying Congress for fresh funding as renewed Covid-19 restrictions, supply challenges and staffing shortages lead to continuing high costs and debt.
U.S. to Spend $10 Billion to Boost Small Businesses
The Treasury Department program aims to rev up business in disadvantaged communities and spur a broader economic recovery.
With less than half of India’s population fully vaccinated and infections rising rapidly, public-health experts warn that the healthcare system is again vulnerable.
Republicans see Biden education record as providing an opening with voters, and Democrats say the GOP opposed relief funding for schools last year.
High-volume Covid-19 vaccine clinics are reopening in malls, convention centers and stadiums, aiming to reach children and administer more boosters during the Omicron surge.
By Sumathi Reddy
Frustrated They Can’t Get Covid-19 Tests, Americans Go About Their Lives
Opinion: The Vaccine Mandate Case May Mark the End of the ‘Work-Around’ Era
Asymptomatic carriers may be tempted to keep their fitness resolutions. Medical professionals say that’s a bad idea.
- Chicago teachers have voted to go remote as Covid cases surge nationwide. Teachers’ unions elsewhere are citing staffing issues and testing shortages.
- The tensions are a distinctly unwelcome development for Democrats, who fear an election backlash from parents concerned about risks and child care.
Omicron is changing how experts think about Covid data. Here’s how to interpret the latest trends.
Parents, It’s Going to Be a Very Long January JESSICA GROSE
Hong Kong Omicron cases could hit 250,000 in 6 months ‘if Covid-19 rules not tightened’
But Chinese University study predicts that reducing social contact by 40 per cent could limit number to 12,500, with 700 severe cases.
Covid-19 party scandal: Hong Kong leader suspends 13 senior officials
Earlier in day, scandal escalates dramatically as authorities order all 170 attendees of birthday party in Wan Chai restaurant to quarantine at the Penny’s Bay facility
8 Jan 2022 - 4:20PM
Explainer | What are Hong Kong’s latest Covid-19 rules for travel and social distancing?
7 Jan 2022 - 1:31PM
Frustrations rise as Gov. Newsom’s vow to screen students for COVID falls short
LAUSD determined to open amid increase in infections; Montebello schools will delay term
L.A. County sees a record 44,000 new coronavirus cases
Why are rapid tests in such short supply?Lopez: Still have questions about COVID-19 vaccines? This nurse has answers
L.A. County sues another restaurant for defying COVID-19 orders
USC, UCLA among California colleges extending remote instruction
Some Angelenos say it’s time to learn to live with COVID
‘Unwelcome just about everywhere’: Europe tightens the screws on the unvaccinated
From mandating COVID-19 shots for everyone over 50 to excluding the uninoculated from more venues, European countries get tougher on the unvaccinated.
Justine McDaniel and Erin McCarthy
Number of NJ COVID patients on ventilators has grown 50% since Jan. 2
Growing list of NJ colleges enact vaccine booster mandates
COVID cases continue climb at Sussex facility as answers are sought More in News
'We're living in wild times': NJ businesses squeezed by COVID surge
Hospital workers say the latest surge has them at their wits' end. They fear many more will leave the field. Elizabeth Llorente,
N.J. reports 72 COVID deaths and 29,564 as hospitalizations and ICU numbers edge higher
N.J. schools should require vaccines for sports and clubs, guidelines say. But some districts won’t comply.
Omicron variant: What is the incubation period and how does it compare to other COVID variants?
New COVID cases are spiking in N.J. due to omicron. Here’s where it’s hitting the hardest.
Another N.J. Catholic school announces closure, blames low enrollment and COVID
Deion Johnson
German leaders agree to new omicron measures | DW News
Jan 7, 2022 DW News
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and leaders of the country's 16 states agreed on a new raft of rules and restrictions on Friday to curb the spread of COVID-19. Scholz outlined new rules for restaurants and bars, while also shortening quarantine and self-isolation periods. It was the first meeting in the new year between Scholz and state leaders, coming at a time when the new German government is looking to ramp up vaccination and booster campaigns amid a surge driven by the omicron variant.
Omicron growth for next two weeks
Jan 7, 2022 Dr. John Campbell
United States omicron surge will continue
300,000 new infections: France sees 'supersonic rise' in COVID cases | DW News
Jan 6, 2022 DW News
France recorded 332,200 new infections in a 24-hour period on Wednesday, which is Europe's highest single-day number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. It was also the first time that French cases breached the 300,000 mark as the country continues to break daily case records during an omicron-driven surge. Although hospitals are preparing for a potential surge in patients, authorities are hopeful that France's high vaccination rate will prevent many people from developing severe infections, like those which were seen at the beginning of the pandemic. Nevertheless, the number of COVID hospitalizations has seen an uptick, with 72% of French ICU beds now occupied by people with the virus, The Associated Press reported. The increased pressure on resources has prompted authorities to allow health workers who have tested positive to keep treating patients in the face of staff shortages. Early Thursday, French legislators in the lower house passed legislation that included a new "health pass" to limit unvaccinated people's access to public places including restaurants, regional trains and planes. The draft will now go to the Senate before a final vote in the National Assembly.
New York City School Operations Crumble Under Omicron’s Weight
U.S. Hospitals Struggle to Match Walmart Pay as Staff Flee Omicron
Omicron Study in South Africa Points to End of Acute Pandemic Phase
Australia’s Daily Covid Cases Surpass 100,000 for First Time
U.S. Hospitals Struggle to Match Walmart Pay as Staff Flees Omicron
U.K. Study Fails to Prove Masks Work in Schools
Opinion: Extra Benefits for Anti-Vax Jobless? Really?
Moderna Sees Boosters in Autumn; Germany Mulls Curbs: Virus Update
U.S. Is Open as Canada Shuts Down. The Difference? Their Health Care Systems
China Tests Thousands in IPhone City as Covid Cases Spread
Citi Confronts Vaccine Holdouts in No Jab, No Job Mandate
Vaccine Skeptics Slammed Across Europe as Omicron Variant Rages
- Q&A: I’m unvaccinated and immunocompromised. How can I travel safely?
- FDA: People who got Moderna vaccine can get booster after five months
By Dan Diamond, Fenit Nirappil and Dan Keating
The demand for testing has far outstripped supply in recent weeks as millions of Americans traveled during the holiday season while the highly contagious omicron variant rapidly spread. By Jacob Bogage and Dan Diamond
With no school in sight, families around Chicago reflect on how the pandemic has affected their children.
Coronavirus updates: Global cases topped 300 million, but experts say it’s time to stop focusing on that figure.
Here’s When We Expect Omicron to Peak JEFFREY SHAMAN
Virus Cases Rise, Criticism Mounts, but Ships Keep Cruising
Skipping tests leaves many people unable to determine whether they are infected and potentially exposing others. Those who do manage to get at-home tests rarely report the results.
- Global Cases Cross 300 Million Mark
- In U.K.’s Biggest Covid-19 Surge, Few Need Ventilators
- Countries Ditch Restrictions, Bet on More Vaccinations
- What Is ‘Flurona’? What to Know About Co-Infections
- Covid Tracker: Charting the Spread
Why At-Home Covid-19 Tests Are So Hard to Find
Home Covid-19 tests are scarce in some parts of the country. But it didn't have to be this way. WSJ's Brianna Abbott explains.Read Transcript
By The Editorial Board | Review & Outlook
The new variant is spreading quickly enough to inundate hospitals that were already buckling under the cumulative toll of every previous surge.
This could be the start of a major dismantling of the federal government.
Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine protects teens against COVID inflammatory condition
Jan. 07, 2022 4:41 PM ETBioNTech SE (BNTX), PFEBy: Jonathan Block, SA News Editor8 Comments
Effectiveness of BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) mRNA Vaccination Against Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children Among Persons Aged 12–18 Years — United States, July–December 2021
Early Release / January 7, 2022 / 71
Laura D. Zambrano, PhD1,*; Margaret M. Newhams, MPH2,*; Samantha M. Olson, MPH1; Natasha B. Halasa, MD3; Ashley M. Price, MPH1; Julie A. Boom, MD4; Leila C. Sahni, PhD4; Satoshi Kamidani, MD5; Keiko M. Tarquinio, MD6; Aline B. Maddux, MD7; Sabrina M. Heidemann, MD8; Samina S. Bhumbra, MD9; Katherine E. Bline, MD10; Ryan A. Nofziger, MD11; Charlotte V. Hobbs, MD12; Tamara T. Bradford, MD13; Natalie Z. Cvijanovich, MD14; Katherine Irby, MD15; Elizabeth H. Mack, MD16; Melissa L. Cullimore, MD17; Pia S. Pannaraj, MD18; Michele Kong, MD19; Tracie C. Walker, MD20; Shira J. Gertz, MD21; Kelly N. Michelson, MD22; Melissa A. Cameron, MD23; Kathleen Chiotos, MD24; Mia Maamari, MD25; Jennifer E. Schuster, MD26; Amber O. Orzel, MPH2; Manish M. Patel, MD1; Angela P. Campbell, MD1,†; Adrienne G. Randolph, MD2,27,†; Overcoming COVID-19 Investigators (View author affiliations)
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7102e1.htm?s_cid=mm7102e1_w#contribAff
Covid will likely become an annual vaccination for most people, says Dr. Scott Gottlieb
Jan 7, 2022 CNBC Television
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former FDA commissioner and CNBC contributor, joins CNBC's 'Squawk Box' to discuss the worrisome omicron coronavirus variant, Pfizer's Covid-19 pill and more.
New Jersey hospital CEO: We're seeing a huge surge in Covid hospitalizations
Jan 6, 2022 CNBC Television
Robert Garrett, Hackensack Meridian Health CEO, the largest healthcare provider in New Jersey, joins CNBC's 'Squawk Box' to discuss the latest surge of Covid-19 infections sweeping across the U.S.
While fewer patients are seeing the worst outcomes of Covid-19, the third big pandemic wave to hit the state is taxing healthcare providers.
Before the Omicron variant emerged, the president had said the nation was “closer than ever to declaring our independence from a deadly virus.” Now the White House is shifting its message.
The account of a woman who lost her unborn baby in the eighth month of pregnancy after being denied swift medical attention prompted a nationwide social-media outcry.
Many employers have vowed to stay open but are struggling as employees fall sick or quarantine. By David J. Lynch
- 1:43 p.m.More than 1,700 flights canceled Thursday after two weeks of disruption
- 12:52 p.m.Record 4,000 children hospitalized amid omicron surge
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reviewed more than 100 studies that show most viral transmission occurs early on, with a person’s infectiousness peaking around one day before they experience their first symptoms and declining within several days. By Lena H. Sun
By Allyson Chiu
By Dan Keating, Madison Dong and Youjin Shin
Armando Franca/Associated Press
Covid updates: Americans are resisting boosters, even as the U.S. expands eligibility.
The C.D.C.’s communications missteps have clouded the Biden administration’s Covid policies.
Chicagoans remained in “an untenable situation” after schools abruptly closed over Covid guidelines
COVID: Germans less worried about omicron, survey shows
Coronavirus digest: Omicron variant less severe but not 'mild,' WHO says
Germany loosens omicron travel restrictions for UK, South Africa
Omicron from mice
Jan 6, 2022 Dr. John Campbell
Omicron, South Africa on November 24th, 2021 Omicron diverged from the B.1.1 lineage roughly in mid-2020 Mutations not found in: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta SARS-CoV-2 variants isolated from three chronically infected patients The B.1.1 variants showed the highest sequence similarities to Omicron Normal rate of mutations in spike protein RNA ∼0.45 mutations per month During missing time for Omicron 27 mutations accumulated in spike protein RNA (in Branch O) during 18 months ∼1.5 mutations per month ∼3.3 times faster than the average rate of other variants First hypothesis Omicron could have “cryptically spread” and circulated in a population Second hypothesis Omicron could have evolved in a chronically infected COVID-19 patient Third hypothesis Omicron could have accumulated mutations in a nonhuman host and then jumped into humans Mice Evidence for a mouse origin of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant https://www.sciencedirect.com/science... The rapid accumulation of mutations Omicron Proximal origin occurred in humans or another mammalian host? Omicron, 45 point mutations that Omicron acquired since divergence from the B.1.1 lineage Significantly different from the spectrum for viruses that evolved in human patients Omicron spike protein sequence, stronger positive selection than that of any previous variants Suggesting a possibility of host-jumping Resembled the spectra associated with virus evolution in a mouse cellular environment Mutations in the Omicron spike protein significantly overlapped with SARS-CoV-2 mutations known to promote adaptation to mouse hosts (through enhanced spike protein binding affinity for the mouse cell entry receptor) So Omicron jumped from humans to mice, rapidly accumulated mutations conducive to infecting that host, then jumped back into humans, indicating an inter-species evolutionary trajectory for the Omicron outbreak Fortunately Evolved to increase binging to mouse ACE2 receptors Consistent with human immune escape Consistent with upper airway adsorption © 2021 The Authors. Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Genetics Society of China. Published by Elsevier Limited and Science Press.
Even more mutations than omicron: Is the new COVID variant a cause for concern? | DW News
Jan 5, 2022 DW News
Just when we thought things were looking up at least a little, because the omicron variant, while being more contagious, often takes a milder course than delta, a new variant has emerged. We do not yet know how dangerous it is, or even where it originated. The new variant was detected in early December in a traveler who returned to France from Cameroon, the hospital IHU Mediterrannee in Marseille announced. The returnee from Cameroon reportedly infected 12 people in southern France. This new mutant, called B.1.640.2, has 46 mutations in an "atypical combination," according to a preprint study that has not yet been peer-reviewed. According to this study, the two already known spike protein mutations N501Y and E484K are also found in the new coronavirus variant. The N501Y mutation, for example, was detected very early in the alpha variant. It causes the pathogen to bind more strongly to human cells and thus to spread more easily in the body. E484K is one of the escape mutations located directly in the spike protein and thus possibly reduces the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. But what these mutations mean and whether the new coronavirus variant B.1.640.2 is actually more contagious than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus cannot yet be said with any real confidence, due to the lack of available data and the small number of cases.
novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) 病毒：新型冠状病毒 2019-nCoV
Gottlieb says Omicron appears to be a "milder form" of COVID-19, but pediatric danger remains
Jan 2, 2022 Face the Nation
Former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb tells "Face the Nation" that while the Omicron variant appears to be a "milder form of the coronavirus," which is good news for most Americans but dangers remain for kids
Goldman Backtracks on Return-to-Office as Omicron Surges
JPMorgan, Citi, BofA Employees to Start 2022 Working From Home
Fauci Cites ‘Unprecedented’ Covid-19 Rise; Worries for Hospitals
U.S. Flight Headaches Continue on Snowstorm, Staff Shortages
Anthony S. Fauci said that U.S. health officials are considering recommending that Americans get tested for the coronavirus before going back to work under the shortened isolation protocol they recently introduced. By Jeff Stein
How I’m Trying to Save My Restaurant from Omicron RON HSU
With Omicron’s Rise, Americans Brace for Returning to School and Work
COVID hospitalizations in NJ continue steep rise, surpassing 4,000
For NJ hospitals during this COVID spike, fear over lack of staffNJ hospitals cut back on monoclonal antibodies as omicron spreads
A growing list of New Jersey schools will keep classrooms closed next week due to a surge in COVID cases at the end of December. Kelly Heyboer
Two Hudson County police officers die from COVID
COVID hospitalizations in N.J. hit highest levels since 2020 amid worries about omicron spread
Colorado governor tells anti-vaxxers getting COVID is their own darn fault | Mulshine Paul Mulshine,
Live updates: 2,300 U.S. flights cancelled amid outbreak
For air travelers, the new year picked up where the old one left off – with lots of frustration.
BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
They were so careful, for so long. They got covid anyway.
More cruise ships under CDC investigation due to COVID cases
CORONAVIRUS WHO chief worried about 'tsunami' of omicron, delta cases
JANUARY 02, 2022 10:18 AM
JANUARY 01, 2022 1:23 PM
UPDATED DECEMBER 31, 2021 4:12 PM
Public schools in Collingswood, Oaklyn, and Burlington Township announced they would shift to remote learning for the first few weeks of the year. Juliana Feliciano Reyes
The pandemic has been a near-perfect mass hair-loss event.
US reports record numbers of COVID infections l GMA
Jan 2, 2022 Good Morning America
Cases of children hospitalized due to COVID-19 are on the rise leaving many schools grappling with how to stay open.
New Year's celebrations affected by COVID-19 for a second year
Jan 1, 2022 CBS News
The U.S. begins 2022 with record-high new coronavirus cases. The nation reported more than 2 million new cases over the past seven days, beating the previous record of 1.7 million set last January. CBS News reporter Alexander Tin gives Bradley Blackburn an update on CBSN.
COVID-19 pandemic: What to expect in 2022 | DW News
Jan 1, 2022 DW News
It's been two years since the WHO set up an emergency crisis team in response to an outbreak of unusual pneumonia cases in the city of Wuhan, China. That was one day after Chinese authorities alerted the WHO to a cluster of cases in the city. Beijing says the novel coronavirus can be traced back to this live food market in Wuhan. The subsequent outbreak turned the world upside down, with COVID-19 going on to infect at least 280 million people, killing more than 5 million and disrupting everyday life across the planet.
China’s Xi’an Cases Grow; U.K. Plans for Absences: Virus Update
Another 2,600 U.S. Flights Canceled Amid Virus, Bad Weather
Cases Rise ‘Through the Roof’ as Omicron Sweeps Across U.S.
New York Shatters Daily Covid Record With 85,476 New Cases
U.K. Tinkers With Covid Measures as Omicron Cases Spike
Officials in the city struggled to provide basic services this week, with scores of transit workers, police officers and paramedics now sick. By Emmanuel Felton
By Christine Armario and Lindsey Bever
Systems nationwide are seeking Covid-19 tests to return students to the classroom after the winter break.5 min read
- Europe Fights Record Cases, Looks Ahead to Reopenings
- New Covid-19 Pills Carry Risks: What Patients Should Know
- Tracking the Spread of Covid-19
Combing Nasal and Injected Covid Vaccines Offers Extra Immunity Boost, New Study Says
Residents Struggle to Buy Groceries as Lockdown Upends Life in Xi’
Younger adults driving virus surge in Southern California
In L.A., daily tallies double every 2 days; over 70% of the newly infected are under 50.
L.A. County public and private school staff must wear high-grade masks; rules for athletes tighten
Schools urged to tighten testing, upgrade masks when they reopen Monday
With sexually transmitted infections soaring in California, new law pushes at-home tests
Law could help quell STI epidemic that has raged nearly unchecked as the focus
Nathan Bomey Economy & Business
Bob Herman Jan 1, 2022 - Health
Omicron wave will only end after masses are infected - analysis
Israel has no plan to stop the Omicron wave, which has already swept across the country.
By MAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMAN Published: DECEMBER 28, 2021 20:19
Updated: DECEMBER 28, 2021 21:35
Severity of COVID-19 reinfection and associated risk factors: findings of a cross-sectional study in Bangladesh
View ORCID ProfileMd. Ziaul Islam, View ORCID ProfileBaizid KHoorshid Riaz, Shah Ali Akbar Ashrafi, Sharmin Farjana, Syeda Sumaiya Efa, Mohammad Adnan Khan
Europe: COVID-19 deaths surpass 1 million mark as Omicron variant threatens to batter the region
Jan 1, 2022 WION
COVID-19 deaths have surpassed the 1 million mark with the ongoing surge in infections across Europe. Now, the Omicron mutant variant threatens to batter the region.
COVID cases continue to rise ahead of New Year's celebrations | WNT
Dec 31, 2021 ABC News
There were more than 2 million COVID-19 infections in the final week of 2021. New Year's Eve celebrations have been scaled back in many cities around the world.
COVID-19 updates from around the world amid Omicron scare | World Latest English News | WION
Jan 1, 2022 WION
The Philippines will tighten restrictions in the capital city of Manila with an exponential surge in the COVID-19 infections led by the omicron mutant variant.
Cases Rise ‘Through the Roof’ as Omicron Sweeps Across U.S.
U.K. Vows to Avoid Lockdown, German Cases Rising: Virus Update
JPMorgan, Citi, BofA Employees to Start 2022 Working From Home
U.S. Schools Push Covid Tests After Anxiety of Holiday Surge
Kids’ Covid Hospitalizations Hit Record in U.S. Omicron Surge
Novavax Files Final Data on Covid Vaccine to U.S. Regulators
Texas Asks U.S. for Aid; Kid Hospitalizations Rise: Virus Update
Pfizer’s antiviral treatment can interact with other drugs in dangerous and life-threatening ways, and Merck’s isn’t recommended for pregnant women.
China put up barriers to studying the origins of Covid-19, leading to a conflict that means less scientific collaboration and more mistrust among global powers that must work together to head off the next disaster.
Officials in the city struggled to provide basic services this week, with scores of transit workers, police officers and paramedics now sick. By Emmanuel Felton
By Amy Cheng Coronavirus Updates
By Dan Zak
- As the year closed out, Omicron drove coronavirus cases to record highs, upended air travel and left staffing holes at hospitals.
- Uncertainty looms as the variant continues to spread, and as people return to workplaces and schools that vow to remain open.
Scientists say that Omicron may peak in the U.S. in mid-January, but that it could still overwhelm hospitals.
Many marked the end of 2021 with subdued celebrations, as Omicron cast a pall. See how people rang in the new year.
Younger adults driving virus surge in Southern California
In L.A., daily tallies double every 2 days; over 70% of the newly infected are under 50.
L.A. COVID-19 cases hit 27,000Schools urged to tighten testing, upgrade masks when they reopen Monday
California calls for stricter COVID isolation for infected people
Just over a third of Philadelphia children ages 6 months to 17 years have received their flu vaccines, compared to 55% in 2019
In emergency rooms and intensive care units, nurses grapple with the emotional toll, with no end in sight. “You can’t heal a knife wound with the knife still in it,” one said. Erin McCarthy
Judith O’Donnell, the chief of infectious disease at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, spoke to The Inquirer about the latest COVID-19 surge and the symptoms of the omicron variant. Aubrey Whelan
KATHERINE J. WU, ED YONG, AND SARAH ZHANG
We probably will need additional shots. But just how many depends on our immune systems, the virus, and how often they collide. KATHERINE J. WU
Many virologists assume the coronavirus will become endemic and we will have to live with it.
Pfizer COVID antiviral treatment Paxlovid approved by U.K. regulators
Dec. 31, 2021 3:01 PM ET Pfizer Inc. (PFE)By: Jonathan Block, SA News Editor3 Comments
- The U.K.'s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has approved Pfizer's (PFE +1.6%) COVID-19 antiviral treatment Paxlovid.
- https://seekingalpha.com/news/3784408-pfizer-covid-antiviral-treatment-paxlovid-approved-by-uk-regulators
- https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PFE
- https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-authorizes-first-oral-antiviral-treatment-covid-19
How the world battled the coronavirus in 2021
Dec 31, 2021 CBS News
Three COVID-19 vaccines became widely available in the United States this year -- yet the country saw twice the number of COVID deaths than it did in 2020. CBS News' Naomi Ruchim reviews the battle against the coronavirus in 2021, and discusses the other major health news of the year.
Vaccine hesitant Germans emigrate | COVID-19 Special
Dec 30, 2021 DW News
With every wave of COVID-19 illnesses in Germany comes a new backlash from those strongly opposed to the health-measures taken in response -- Including vaccination. Protests and refusal to wear a mask in public-places are the actions they most commonly take. Some, however, have gone to more extreme measures.
Covid-19 cases among US children ‘extremely high’
Dec 30, 2021 CNN
Across the US, an average of 334 children were fighting Covid-19 in a hospital on any given day during the week that ended on December 27, according to data from the CDC and the US Department of Health and Human Services. That's a 58% increase from the previous week.
JetBlue cuts hundreds of January flights due to omicron surge as travel disruptions worsen
Leslie Josephs THU, DEC 30TH 2021
WHO says omicron has not spread widely among vulnerable, severity unclear
Fauci predicts omicron Covid wave will peak in U.S. by end of January
Kevin Breuninger WED, DEC 29TH 2021
WHO warns vaccine-resistant Covid variants could emerge as pandemic drags on
Here's the latest news and headlines from the pandemic.
CDC Tells Even Vaccinated to Avoid Cruises; Operators' Shares Tumble
Biden Vaccine Rule Fights Prompt Clashing Calls to High Court
New Covid Drugs in Short Supply as Omicron Spreads Across U.S.
T Cells Come to the Rescue as Studies Show They Buck Omicron
Bobby Ghosh
Pfizer’s New Covid Pill Could Spark a Fiery Ethical Debate
U.S. Airlines Cancel Over 1,000 Flights on Day Before New Year’s Eve
JetBlue, United and Allegiant cite virus-related staff shortages.
The idea of a rapid peak and swift decline of the coronavirus variant’s spread has a precedent in South Africa. Columbia University researchers estimate infections in the United States could top out during the week of Jan. 9.
By Amy Cheng
By Dan Diamond
Staffing shortages because of the coronavirus continued to cut into carriers’ schedules, with JetBlue canceling about 17% of its Thursday flights as of midday.
The long authorization process is part of nationwide failure to make and distribute enough rapid tests for Covid-19, public-health experts say.
- Long Lines, Empty Shelves Slow Testing
- U.S. Hits Record Number of New Cases Twice in Same Week
- Covid Tracker: Charting the Spread
By Devorah Goldman | Commentary
Karsten Moran for The New York Times
France promised normalcy. Now, Omicron is challenging whether that’s even possible.
A top U.K. medical official warned that the country is “on a war footing” against the coronavirus.
With more than 580,000 Covid cases, the U.S. shattered its daily case record for the second day in a row.
Child Hospitalizations Rise, but Most Cases Are Milder
- Case counts in the country are down by 30 percent in the last week, researchers said, without a major spike in deaths.
- The data offers cautious hope to other countries grappling with the variant. But there are caveats, including possibly distorted case figures. Here’s the latest.
New daily cases topped one million globally. See where they are rising.
More than 1,200 U.S. flights have been canceled as Omicron roils staff and storms hit the West.
The C.D.C. told travelers to avoid cruises, regardless of vaccination.
The F.D.A. plans to allow Pfizer booster shots for 12- to 15-year-olds.
Coronavirus vaccines rarely lead to problems in younger children, the C.D.C. reported.
As at-home tests gain popularity, doubts are rising about public Covid case counts.
As Omicron Spreads, Officials Weigh Redefining ‘Fully Vaccinated’
Australia’s struggles could presage similar challenges in Asian countries that have tried to eliminate Covid-19 or keep cases low.
We probably will need additional shots. But just how many depends on our immune systems, the virus, and how often they collide. KATHERINE J. WU
Hospitalizations of children are rising in Philadelphia, cases in New Jersey are skyrocketing, and Delaware plans to declare a state of emergency with strained hospitals.
Justine McDaniel and Jason Laughlin
Where to get a free COVID-19 test in Philadelphia
- How accurate are rapid at-home COVID-19 tests
- What are the symptoms of omicron? Here’s how they differ in vaccinated and unvaccinated patients.
Omicron causes record-breaking COVID cases in US l ABCNL
Dec 30, 2021 ABC News
ABC News contributor Dr. John Brownstein discusses the rising COVID-19 cases in the U.S. as the World Health Organization warns of a "tsunami" of new infections worldwide.
U.S. reaches record high of more than 486,000 new COVID cases amid Omicron surge
Dec 30, 2021 CBS News
Nearly half a million new COVID-19 cases were recorded in the U.S. on Wednesday. That number from the CDC is the highest single-day tally since the start of the pandemic. CBS News correspondent Nancy Chen reports from New York City. Then Dr. Payal Patel, an infectious disease physician at the University of Michigan, joined CBSN's Elise Preston to discuss the latest on the nation's health crisis.
novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) 病毒：新型冠状病毒 2019-nCoV
Omicron disrupts Christmas celebrations around the world | DW News
Dec 25, 2021 DW News
A surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant has been disrupting holiday travel plans all around the world. Thousands of flights have been canceled globally, because of the impact of the coronavirus on airline employees and on passengers. Despite this, people are trying their best to maintain the Christmas spirit. Instead of the usual last minute Christmas rush, the streets in London have fallen silent. The UK broke their record of COVID cases for the third day in a row - recording about 122,000 infections. Numbers have climbed so high that some estimates predict one in ten Londoners have the infection. The surge in cases has dampened the Christmas cheer, and left many industries struggling with staff shortages as sick workers are forced to isolate. It's a problem that has hit airlines particularly hard. Some 2,000 flights around the world had to be canceled on Christmas Eve, adding another layer of stress to peoples' already precarious holiday plans. In Spain, you don't have to be traveling far to face disruptions to everyday life - just stepping outside your front door now means having to wear a mask. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the decision after two consecutive records in daily cases. It's come as an unwelcome surprise to many. Though it may not be the COVID-free Christmas that so many had hoped for, people are doing their best to make sure some of the festive spirit remains. Many of Europe's hospitals are once again being stretched to their limits, and staff are more burned out than ever. Despite this, they’re still trying to bring some joy to patients spending Christmas on the wards. DW's Christine Mhundwa reports from Belgium.
Airlines’ U.S. Holiday Flight Cuts Near 1,800 on Crew Shortages
Hundreds of Flights Canceled; U.K. Cases at Record: Virus Update
Australia’s Biggest State Hits Covid-19 Record on Christmas Day
Airlines Drop 1,600 U.S. Xmas-Weekend Flights as Covid Bites
Record Irish Cases; Dutch Official Faces Threats: Virus Update
On Christmas, Pope Prays for Vaccines for the Poor
The Best and Worst Places to Be as Omicron Upends Christmas
Singapore Finds New Omicron Cluster, Braces for Community Spread
United and Delta Cancel Hundreds of Christmas Flights
Hundreds of Flights Canceled; U.K. Cases at Record: Virus Update
The holiday weekend began with governments wrestling with whether to focus on containing the spread of Omicron or trying to mitigate its effects, as staff outages and self-isolation requirements continued to disrupt travel.
The Covid-19 variant is sidelining pilots and flight attendants, forcing airlines to cancel hundreds of flights during the Christmas holiday rush.
What to Do if Your Flight Is Canceled
Once a hot spot of Covid-19 deaths, the region now leads much of the world in vaccinations, as health policy makers rush to shield their countries from new variants roiling other places.
AstraZeneca Shot Helps Fill Global Need
The pope, in his annual Christmas message, highlighted the social impact of the pandemic while reiterating his previous calls for equitable distribution of Covid-19 vaccines.
By Peggy Noonan | Declarations
The Northwest China city of 13 million people has seen its health code system crumble and kidney patients cut off from dialysis as it battles a growing outbreak
- Gallery: Xi’an Locks Down Due to Covid Outbreak
- Xi’an Kidney Disease Patients Cut Off From Dialysis Due to Covid Lockdowns
A flurry of new laws restrict the authority of state or local health officers to take steps proven to help safeguard the public’s health.By Amy Goldstein
A week ago, the country braced for what looked like its worst stretch of the pandemic. But its hospitalization rate is at the low end of predictions. By Chico Harlan
About 800 children have been admitted nearly every day this week.
By Ariana Eunjung Cha and Jacqueline Dupree
By Derek Hawkins and Lindsey Bever
By Kim Bellware
- Roughly 15 percent of U.S. adults remain unvaccinated despite the new variant. For many, skepticism about Covid shots has hardened into steadfast beliefs.
- Experts say that unvaccinated adults are the most at risk of severe illness or death. They could also soon overwhelm hospitals, some of which are already full.
With dashed plans and a surge in cases, here’s how New Yorkers spent their holiday.
Many African countries are toughening Covid rules to cope with a fourth wave.
Another Christmas of Distress in America’s I.C.U.s
U.S. blood banks are experiencing their biggest shortage in a decade because of the pandemic. Follow Covid updates.
SENAY BOZTAS We’re Locked Down Again in the Netherlands. Here’s a Warning.
KATHERINE J. WU, ED YONG, AND SARAH ZHANG DECEMBER 23, 2021
People around the world celebrate Christmas in the second year of the pandemic.
Travel disruptions and virus risk have again left holiday plans in disarray across the globe.
Coronavirus: Australia sees record infections as New Zealand is ‘Omicron-free’
Elsewhere, Malaysia confirms first local Omicron cases; Kyoto finds four new cases.
Covid-19 in China: 3 Omicron cases in Shenzhen
The cases of the new variant were among 5 positives among passengers who arrived in the southern city on a flight from Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Families are downsizing their Christmas gatherings and making other unhappy adjustments as COVID-19 cases mount.
David McHugh, The Associated Press
Roche COVID-19 At-Home Test granted FDA Emergency Use Authorization to expand access to rapid self-testing solutions in the United States
- Rapid test to support the American public’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, with availability to purchase over-the-counter (OTC) at pharmacies and retailers nationwide
- The COVID-19 At-Home Test uses a simple nasal swab sample to enable individuals to self-test at home and receive accurate, reliable and quick results in as few as 20 minutes for SARS-CoV-2 and all known variants of concern, including Omicron.
- EUA granted through Roche’s participation in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Independent Test Assessment Program to bring rapid tests to the OTC market
Basel, 24 December 2021 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY)
https://www.roche.com/media/releases/med-cor-2021-12-24.htm
- The FDA has granted Emergency Use Authorization to Roche's (OTCQX:RHHBY) COVID-19 at-home test.
- https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/RHHBY
- https://www.roche.com/
Number of daily infections increases five-fold in the world | Coronavirus Pandemic | WION
Dec 25, 2021 WION
The number of daily infections has increased five-fold in the world as the Coronavirus cases surge. Take a look at this report.
The hidden deaths behind the COVID-19 crisis | COVID19 Special
Dec 24, 2021 DW News
How many people have died from COVID-19? News magazine The Economist estimates that the pandemic's true death toll is four times higher than the official numbers. Is the official COVID-19 death toll just the tip of the iceberg?
United and Delta Cancel Around 200 Christmas Eve Flights
Western Storms Bring Flood Threats, Snow for Christmas
Airlines Face Weeks of Uncertainty as Omicron Stalls Travel
The Places Where Travel Recovered Fastest (and Slowest) in 2021
South Africa Covid-19 Hospitalizations at 9,202 With 6.6% in ICU
Omicron Brings New Risks to Unvaccinated Pregnant Women
Upheaval from the highly transmissible Omicron Covid-19 variant is spreading, but signs are mounting that the disease caused by Omicron is milder than previous strains.
School officials are analyzing constantly evolving data to help them determine whether they can safely reopen after the holiday break.
The new Covid-19 variant has driven one in six Britons to cancel going to a Christmas party, and traffic in stores and restaurants is down.
The CDC issued new guidelines for healthcare workers, reducing their recommended isolation time.
Scientists are using automation, real-time analysis and pooling data from around the world to rapidly identify and understand new coronavirus variants before the next one spreads widely.
Upheaval from the highly transmissible Omicron Covid-19 variant is spreading, but signs are mounting that the disease caused by Omicron is milder than previous strains.4 min read
School officials are analyzing constantly evolving data to help them determine whether they can safely reopen after the holiday break.4 min read
The new Covid-19 variant has driven one in six Britons to cancel going to a Christmas party, and traffic in stores and restaurants is down.
The CDC issued new guidelines for healthcare workers, reducing their recommended isolation time.6 min read
Even in the digital age, analog chips such as those the company makes in Texas are essential, and they are in short supply.6 min read
Steelmakers, glass manufacturers and other energy-hungry businesses in Europe are calling on governments to take action to stop record gas and electricity prices from hobbling the region’s economy.4 min read
What’s After Omicron? How Scientists Hunt for New Coronavirus Variants
Scientists are using automation, real-time analysis and pooling data from around the world to rapidly identify and understand new coronavirus variants before the next one spreads widely.
VIDEO FDA Authorizes Merck’s Covid-19 Pill: Here’s How It Works
Never before has the world seen such an increase in the gulf between the haves and the have-nots.
Many Californians will likely get infected during Omicron surge. How bad will it get?
Omicron becoming dominant in some parts of California
What makes the Omicron variant spread so easily?
Why booster shots give dramatic protection against COVID
ICU staff are demoralized over ‘needless’ COVID-19 misery
Should I stay or go? People agonize over holiday travel plans
United, Delta, Lufthansa cancel hundreds of flights due to Omicron
Will this pandemic ever end? Here’s what happened with the last ones
Authorities have used travel restrictions, lockdowns and mass testing wherever new coronavirus cases have emerged
Capital of northwestern China’s Shaanxi province records 234 new infections traced back to a traveler from Pakistan who arrived Dec. 4 Dec 24, 2021 07:38 AM
Merck's Covid-19 antiviral pill receives FDA authorization
Dec 23, 2021 CNBC Television
Merck's antiviral Covid-19 pill has received an FDA emergency authorization following a similar nod for Pfizer's Paxlovid. However, there are key differences between the two antivirals. CNBC's Meg Tirrell reports.
Merck and Ridgeback win FDA clearance for COVID-19 pill
Dec. 23, 2021 9:28 AM ET Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) PFEBy: Dulan Lokuwithana, SA News Editor11 Comments
- After an initial decline, Merck (NYSE:MRK) traded higher on the news that the FDA authorized COVID-19 pill molnupiravir, developed by the company in partnership with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.
- https://seekingalpha.com/news/3783035-merck-and-ridgeback-win-fda-clearance-for-covid-19-pill
- https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/MRK
- https://www.merck.com/
Army’s Vaccine Could Protect Against All Coronavirus Variants
Dec 22, 2021 Forbes Breaking News
Scientists in the U.S. Army are developing a Covid-19 vaccine designed to protect against current and future variants—and even other coronaviruses— and are expected to announce positive early results within weeks, a head researcher told the military news outlet Defense One on Tuesday.
Army to announce vaccine that protects against an array of COVID-19 variants | TheHill
U.S. Army develops COVID vaccine effective against all variants, including Omicron
Dec. 22, 2021 9:28 AM ET
AstraZeneca PLC (AZN), PFE, JNJ, MRNANVS
By: Jonathan Block, SA News Editor214 Comments
- Researchers at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research have developed a pan-coronavirus vaccine effective against all variants, including Omicron, Defense One reports.
- In preclinical studies, the Spike Ferritin Nanoparticle (SpFN) vaccine was shown to offer significant protection in non-human primates.
- https://seekingalpha.com/news/3782691-us-army-develops-covid-vaccine-effective-against-all-variants-including-omicron
DIRECTOR, EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES BRANCH
KAYVON MODJARRAD, M.D., PH.D.
https://eidresearch.org/our-team/kayvon-modjarrad-md-phd
The impact of COVID-19 on poverty and global inequality | DW News
Dec 23, 2021 DW News
The coronavirus pandemic has also become an inequality pandemic. Never before have we seen such a simultaneous increase in the gulf between the haves and the have-nots around the world. The virus has exposed, fed off and increased existing inequalities of wealth, gender and race. Hundreds of millions of people are being forced into poverty, while the richest – both individuals and corporations – are getting even richer thanks to soaring stock prices. The crisis has exposed the inability of our deeply unequal economy to work for all. At the same time it's revealed the vital importance of government action to protect our health and livelihoods.
Some 13 million residents of the capital of Northwest China’s Shaanxi province have been told to stay at home amid the Covid-19 outbreak that has grown to 234 cases as of Thursday. The flare-up, which started Dec. 9, has forced local authorities to kick off a third round of citywide testing, suspend transportation and seal off some districts
Dec 23, 2021 06:01 PM
City of 13 million people imposes travel controls, seals off high-risk areas and tests 10 million as Covid-19 flare-ups spread
Dec 23, 2021 04:47 AM
In a peer-reviewed paper, Chinese researchers found that the variant was better able to evade the immunity gained from only two shots
Dec 23, 2021 08:28 PM
Omicron will mean tougher rest
Merck Covid Pill Gains U.S. Clearance for High-Risk Adultsan
Omicron Brings New Risks to Unvaccinated Pregnant Women
To Grandmother's House Or No? Omicron Disrupts Holiday Plans
U.S. Weighs How to Ration Pfizer Pills Early On Among High Risk
The variant’s spread could extend delays for vaccination programs in poor countries, leaving large populations unprotected and prolonging the circumstances most likely to result in more variants. By Miriam Berger
- Track U.S. covid numbers by state
- 1:41 p.m.Pregnancy apps have become a battleground of vaccine misinformation
- 1:09 p.m.Booster shots crushed Israel’s delta wave. It’s betting a fourth dose will do the same to omicron.
The What To Expect site managed to clean up its anti-vaccine problem.By Ashley Fetters Maloy and Will Oremus
By Shira Rubin
By Derek Hawkins and Lindsey Bever
This is not the worst moment of America’s viral emergency, but it’s one of the most disappointing, as the variant spreads explosively and the pandemic barrels mercilessly into its third year.By Joel Achenbach and Fenit Nirappil
Fewer people are dining in restaurants, and rising Covid-19 case numbers are leading many businesses to close for a short period. Meanwhile, growth in consumer spending slowed to 0.6% last month.
- Heard on the Street: Spending Was Strong Heading into Omicron, and Will Be After
- Jobless Claims Hold Near Historic Lows
- Stocks Rise as Investors Digest Data
The study found people infected with the Omicron variant are between 50% to 70% less likely to be hospitalized than those who caught earlier strains of Covid-19, adding to a body of evidence on Omicron’s reduced severity in populations with high levels of immunity.
Many adults at high risk of severe disease could take the therapy to avoid hospitalization, but the FDA recommended using it only if other authorized drugs aren’t available and appropriate.
How Merck’s Covid Treatment Works
Refusing to wear face masks has been a common offense in air travelers’ historically bad behavior this year.
Pfizer Covid antiviral pill Paxlovid receives emergency authorization
Dec 22, 2021 CNBC Television
The Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency authorization to Pfizer's Covid treatment pill, a major milestone that promises to revolutionize the fight against the virus. CNBC's Meg Tirrell reports. The Food and Drug Administration granted emergency authorization Wednesday to Pfizer’s Covid treatment pill, a major milestone that promises to revolutionize the fight against the virus. The medication, which is recommended for people at a high risk of developing severe Covid-19, could be available to patients as early as this weekend. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told CNBC earlier this month the company has already shipped some of the pills to the U.S. so they can be prescribed as soon as the FDA authorization comes through. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to quickly follow suit with its seal of approval, authorizing its distribution. The FDA cleared the pill for patients 12 and up with mild to moderate Covid who are most likely to end up hospitalized or not survive. The agency said it should be prescribed as soon as possible after diagnosis and within five days of symptom onset. “Today’s authorization introduces the first treatment for COVID-19 that is in the form of a pill that is taken orally — a major step forward in the fight against this global pandemic,” Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement. “This authorization provides a new tool to combat COVID-19 at a crucial time in the pandemic as new variants emerge and promises to make antiviral treatment more accessible to patients who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19.” The company reiterated Wednesday that it’s ready to start delivery in the U.S. immediately. Pfizer’s pill is the first oral antiviral drug authorized by the FDA that is specifically designed to fight Covid. The authorization comes at a crucial turning point in the pandemic, as hospital systems across the U.S. have been battered by a wave of delta infections, and are now bracing for another wave of patients infected with the highly contagious omicron variant. While the FDA said vaccines are the first line of defense against Covid, the drug provides a new tool in its fight against the virus. While the vaccines have proven effective in preventing severe illness from the virus, health-care providers need medications to treat the tens of millions of people in the U.S. who still have not gotten vaccinated. The pill, if delivered in time, could help alleviate the strain on health-care systems during an expected wave of omicron infections. Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and an FDA advisor, said that the development is good news, but immunizing unvaccinated people remains the ultimate goal. “Would you be more likely to take this drug than you would to get a vaccine? I think the answer to that question is yes,” Offit said in a phone interview. “So therefore it is of value for those 40 million, 50 million people in this country who simply refuse to be vaccinated. I mean, this may keep them out of the hospital.” The U.S. has purchased 10 million courses of Pfizer’s treatment, Paxlovid, in a $5 billion deal. President Joe Biden said in November that his administration is working to ensure that the treatments are free and accessible. Biden said last month that delivery would start by the new year and continue through 2022.
12.22.2021
Pfizer COVID-19 pill granted FDA authorization
Dec. 22, 2021 12:17 PM ET Pfizer Inc. (PFE) By: Dulan Lokuwithana, SA News Editor116 Comments
- The FDA has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the COVID-19 pill developed by Pfizer (NYSE:PFE).
- https://seekingalpha.com/news/3782760-pfizer-covid-19-pill-granted-fda-authorization
- https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PFE
- https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-receives-us-fda-emergency-use-authorization-novel
Israel moves toward 4th COVID vaccine shot
Dec 22, 2021 ABC News
The fourth shot would be for people over 60 amid a surge in omicron infections. ABC News’ Rhiannon Ally has more.
Israel will offer FOURTH dose of coronavirus vaccine to people over the age of 60 to shore up protection against Omicron
- Israel will become the first nation to administer fourth doses of Covid vaccines, approving the shots for those over the age of 60 on Tuesday
- Health care workers will be eligible for the additional shots as well, starting immediately
- Israel has recorded 341 cases of the variant as of Tuesday afternoon, and total Covid cases have increased 57% over the past two weeks
- U.S. officials like Dr Anthony Fauci and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla have said that a fourth dose may be eventually needed for Americans as well
By MANSUR SHAHEEN U.S. DEPUTY HEALTH EDITOR FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 17:24 EST, 21 December 2021 | UPDATED: 03:43 EST, 22 December 2021
Omicron Less Likely To Cause Hospitalization And Develop Into Severe Disease: South African Study
Dec 22, 2021
Forbes Breaking News
People who contract the Omicron variant are 80% less likely to be hospitalized compared to previous variants and those hospitalized with omicron are at a 70% lower risk of severe disease than Delta, according to a new study by South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases released Wednesday.
U.K. Plays Waiting Game; Astra Shot Protects: Virus Update
Omicron Brings New Risks to Unvaccinated Pregnant Women
To Grandmother's House Or No? Omicron Disrupts Holiday Plans
Omicron Hospitalization Risk Is Far Below Delta’s in Two Studies
Omicron May Double Risk of Getting Infected on Planes, IATA Says
Omicron Hospitalization Risk Is Far Below Delta’s in Two Studies
Pfizer Pill Adds to Growing U.S. Stockpile of Virus Treatments
Duke Joins Colleges Going Online; U.K. Case Record: Virus Update
NYC Sees Jail 'Crisis' on Positive-Test Rates Over 17% at Rikers
Study finds mRNA vaccine boosters significantly increase protection against Omicron
Dec. 22, 2021 1:07 PM ET
BioNTech SE (BNTX), PFE, MRNA JNJ
By: Jonathan Block, SA News Editor7 Comments
- A new study from Denmark has found that boosters of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines -- those produced by Moderna (MRNA -7.1%) and Pfizer (PFE +1.9%)/BioNTech (BNTX -5.3%) -- significantly increase protection against the COVID-19 variant.
- https://seekingalpha.com/news/3782789-study-finds-mrna-covid-vaccine-boosters-significantly-increase-protection-against-omicron
- https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.20.21267966v1
WHO says vaccine booster programs will prolong Covid crisis: ‘No country can boost its way out of the pandemic’
PUBLISHED WED, DEC 22 202111:01 AM ESTUPDATED WED, DEC 22 20215:51 PM EST Hannah Miao
- WHO officials criticized blanket Covid vaccine booster programs as poor countries struggle to obtain initial immunization shots.
- The officials warned vaccine inequality could lead to the emergence of more mutant variants.
- The comments from the WHO come as health officials in the U.S. promote vaccine booster shots amid a surge in Covid cases caused by the omicron strain.
- https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/22/who-says-covid-vaccine-booster-programs-will-prolong-pandemic.html
- 8:31 a.m.AstraZeneca says its booster increases antibodies to fight omicron
- 7:58 a.m.Australian states reverse course, reintroduce mask mandates amid omicron surge
- Track U.S. covid numbers by state
- Track global cases and deaths
From at-home care to evaluating an emergency, here’s what to do if you get a breakthrough coronavirus infection.
By Derek Hawkins and Lindsey Bever
By Joel Achenbach and Fenit Nirappil
From at-home care to evaluating an emergency, here’s what to do if you get a breakthrough coronavirus infection.
By Derek Hawkins and Lindsey Bever
In less than a month, the country's outbreak has gone from a near-vertical rise to a near-vertical fall. By Max Bearak
By Carolyn Y. Johnson and Katie Shepherd
By Hannah Knowles and Paulina Firozi
By Allyson Chiu and Hannah Knowles
What home supplies should you have if someone is infected?
After studies in Scotland and South Africa, scientists are unsure whether higher transmissibility outweighs the reduced disease severity.
- Novavax Says Early Data Shows Vaccine Protects Against Variant
- Spread Prompts More Interest in Boosters
- Biden Tests Negative for Covid-19
- How and When to Test for the Virus
The Paxlovid pill is the first drug cleared in the U.S. that newly infected patients can now take at home to stay out of the hospital.
- Gilead’s Remdesivir Therapy Cuts Risk of Hospitalization in Study
- Covid Tracker: Charting the Spread
Companies, schools, governments and families are trying to apply the lessons learned over the past two years of the pandemic in an effort to make life and business more normal.
The flu is making an unwelcome comeback, coinciding with the fast-spreading Omicron variant.
When Will the Covid-19 Pandemic End? And How? (Published 2020)
Omicron fears cancel Christmas in New Delhi, as India braces for third wave
Officials say they are ready for a surge in cases given Omicron’s seemingly milder symptoms when compared to the deadly Delta variant. But millions remain unvaccinated – and protection is waning even for those who are.
Strict 3-day confinement for Hong Kong pilots under Covid-19 surveillance
Third jab ‘significantly’ boosts Omicron antibodies: AstraZeneca
The third dose neutralised the Omicron variant to levels similar to those after the second dose against the Delta variant.
Singapore jumps in Covid resilience ranking as it starts to live with virus
Singapore, which fell sharply after being ranked top in the Bloomberg index, has found an equilibrium of relatively open travel while maintaining domestic restrictions.
Staff, students at 2 Hong Kong universities told to get jabbed, tested – or else
At Chinese University and Lingnan University, consequences for failing to comply with new rules for entering campus include involuntary withdrawal and forced leave.
23 Dec 2021 - 9:07AM
South Africa approves J&J's COVID-19 booster shot - Reuters
Dec. 23, 2021 8:13 AM ET Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) By: Mamta Mayani, SA News Editor
- South Africa's health regulator has approved the use of Johnson & Johnson's (NYSE:JNJ) vaccine for a second dose or booster, Reuters reports.
- https://seekingalpha.com/news/3782987-south-africa-approves-jjs-covid-19-booster-shot-reuters
- https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/JNJ
Stores limiting sales of COVID tests amid high demand
Dec 23, 2021 ABC News
Rapid antigen tests, which can detect if a someone is potentially contagious, are in high demand as people prepare for holiday gatherings.
Scientists research link between Covid variants and untreated HIV - BBC News
Dec 21, 2021 BBC News
South African scientists are researching the hypothesis that new Covid variants could be linked, in some cases though not limited too, people with untreated HIV. However as research progresses they are concerned about further stigmatising people living with the virus. "Normally your immune system would kick out a virus pretty quickly, if fully functional," said Professor Linda-Gayle-Bekker, who heads the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation in Cape Town. "In someone where immunity is suppressed, then we see virus persisting. And it doesn't just sit around it replicates. And as it replicates it undergoes potential mutations."
novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) 病毒：新型冠状病毒 2019-nCoV
WHO: Omicron spreading significantly faster than delta | DW News
Dec 18, 2021 DW News
The World Health Organization (WHO) said that according to evidence thus far, the omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading far more rapidly than the delta variant. In a statement released on Friday, the WHO said "omicron has a substantial growth advantage over delta. It is spreading significantly faster than the delta variant in countries with high levels of population immunity." Meanwhile, a ban on non-essential travel between France and the United Kingdom has come into effect. The new restrictions, announced by France on Thursday with just a week to go until Christmas, set off a last-minute rush. The French government imposed the curbs to help slow the spread of the Omicron variant. The UK has seen a spike in coronavirus infections, with more than 93,000 new cases on Friday.
COVID-19 variants fuel new infections nationwide
Dec 17, 2021 CBS News
More than 120,000 new COVID-19 cases are being reported every day in the U.S. CBS News' Elise Preston reports on disruptions caused by the Delta and Omicron variants ahead of the holiday season. Then, Dr. Bhavna Lall, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Houston College of Medicine, joins CBSN's Lana Zak to discuss the latest.
Germany's Health Minister Lauterbach warns of "massive fifth wave" due to omicron | DW News
Dec 18, 2021 DW News
German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach warned of a "massive fifth wave" of the coronavirus the country is facing with the arrival of the omicron variant. At a press conference in Hanover, Lauterbach said, "We must prepare for a challenge that we have not yet had in this form." Although omicron may be milder than other variants, this might "keep deaths low for two to three weeks, before the growth of the virus would eat up this advantage," Lauterbach said, underlining that a difficult period ahead was "inevitable." With an eye toward the approaching Christmas holiday, Lauterbach appealed to those traveling this holiday season to get tested frequently. Germany has reimposed health restrictions following high case numbers, barring unvaccinated individuals from restaurants and non-essential commerce. The government has also placed an advance order for 80 million doses of omicron-specific vaccines being developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.
England Has Hundreds of Thousands of New Omicron Cases Daily
Vaccine Data Gaps Point to Millions More in U.S. Who Lack Shots
U.K., Netherlands Weigh New Curbs to Stem Omicron: Virus Update
Biden Shot-or-Test Rule to Take Effect After Stay Lifted
N.Y. Covid Cases Top 20,000 for Daily Record as Shutdowns Spread
Biden Shot-or-Test Rule to Take Effect After Stay Lifted
Weighing the Risks of Holiday Travel During Omicron: What the Experts Say
China Urges Residents to Avoid Travel as Holiday Season Looms
U.K. Considers New Covid Measures as Hospitalizations Rise
U.K., Netherlands Mull Fresh Curbs to Stem Omicron: Virus Update
Inside South African Virology Labs: Hunting for the Next Variant
The two major updates underscore the reality that navigating the pandemic will be a major challenge for months to come.By Carolyn Y. Johnson and Laura Meckler
“You feel like you are penalized for doing the right thing.” By Fenit Nirappil and Jaimie Seaton
- Boeing drops vaccine mandate for U.S. workers, joining Amtrak, other federal contractors amid court fights
- Moderna halts patent dispute over vaccine with federal government
- New York cases hit record high as Rockettes, Broadway cancel shows
Results from the modified trials in children as young as 6 months old are expected in the first
By Annabelle Timsit, Ellen Francis and Meryl Kornfield
Some businesses are expecting a strong holiday season, while others are closing or seeing cancellations, showing pandemic’s uneven impact. By Rachel Siegel and Laura Reiley
The Omicron variant appears better able to break into cells and evade immunity, and seems to replicate faster in the airways than the Delta variant of Covid-19.
- New York Hits Covid-19 Case Record
- What to Do If You Test Positive
- Covid Tracker: Charting the Spread
THE SATURDAY ESSAY
- As the pandemic has entered its third year, resurgent thanks to the Omicron variant, experts are urging U.S. adults to get vaccinated and boosted.
- Yet among vaccinated Americans, only 30 percent have received a third dose, according to the C.D.C., and the lagging response is worrying health experts.
With Omicron fueling a spike in cases, the nation’s Covid testing capacity is facing intense pressure.
New York State reported the highest single-day number of coronavirus cases since testing became widespread.
MICHELLE GOLDBERG
What Will It Take to Get Schools Back to Normal?
Shawna Chen- Politics & Policy
Jacob Knutson, Erin Doherty- Politics & Policy
ina Reed, Dec 17, 2021 - Health
With a vaccination rate of over 89%, Portugal is leading Europe. But new infections are on the rise.
Australia’s new Covid-19 cases hit record high
Prime Minister Scott Morrison continued to play down the risks as the country eases pandemic curbs.
18 Dec 2021 - 5:26PM
Hong Kong’s zero-Covid strategy ‘killing’ Cathay Pacific, major shareholder warns
Qatar Airways boss Akbar Al Baker tells Post he believed a significant percentage of Cathay flights would have been back in the air by this stage of the pandemic.
18 Dec 2021 - 4:37PM
WHO approves India-made Novavax coronavirus vaccine for emergency use
The decision is good news for poorer countries, as it paves the way for the jabs to be included in the UN-backed Covax programme.
18 Dec 2021 - 3:05AM
#COVID19 #Omicron #WorldNewsTonight
Delta COVID-19 cases surge, omicron variant spreading rapidly ahead holidays | WNT
Dec 17, 2021 ABC News
The White House warned millions of unvaccinated Americans that this winter will bring “severe illness and death” as two variants of COVID-19 advance across the country.
Dr. Scott Gottlieb says time is running out to get a Covid booster as omicron looms
Dec 17, 2021 CNBC Television
Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb discusses climbing Covid-19 cases and why "time is running out" to get a booster. "The best way to protect yourself against this variant is a booster shot," Gottlieb tells CNBC.
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations surge ahead of holidays
Dec 16, 2021 CBS News
Coronavirus infections and hospitalizations are continuing to climb at an alarming rate in the U.S. ahead of the busy holiday season. CBS News correspondent Meg Oliver reports on how the recent COVID-19 surge is prompting disruptions across the country. Then, Dr. Shad Marvasti, an associate professor and the director of Public Health, Prevention and Health Promotion at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix joins CBSN's Lana Zak to discuss the latest.
N.Y. Covid Cases Top 20,000 for Daily Record as Shutdowns Spread
Weighing the Risks of Holiday Travel During Omicron: What the Experts Say
NFL and NHL Postpone Games as Covid-19 Cases Mount Among Players
Moderna Delays Patent Application on Covid Shot for NIH Talks
South Africa Hospitalization Rate Plunges in Omicron Wave
Sinopharm, J&J, Sputnik Vaccines Are Weaker Against Omicron in New Study
Covid Hits Europe Schools Hard as Omicron Stalks New-Year Return
CDC Backs Pfizer, Moderna Covid Vaccines Over J&J’s Shot
Therese Raphael and Sam Fazeli
Health authorities said the rate of a rare but serious blood-clotting disorder associated with the Johnson & Johnson shot is higher than previously detected.5 min read
- Pfizer Seeks Approval for 12-to 15-Year-Olds
- N.Y. Firms Weigh Mask, Vaccine Policies
- Army Says 96% of Troops Fully Vaccinated
Boosters appear to provide good protection, and studies suggest omicron symptoms may be milder. But amid soaring cases and increasing closures, many are puzzled on how to assess the risk. By Tyler Pager and Dan Diamond
- Following a spike in Covid cases and a coming Omicron surge, employers are now scaling back their ambitions for in-person business and socializing.
- As companies weigh vaccine guidelines and adjust their office returns, they also face a more immediate challenge: How will they celebrate the holidays?
The C.D.C. said that other vaccines should be preferred over Johnson & Johnson’s. Here’s the latest.
The Omicron variant will spread quickly through the U.S., experts say. The threat it poses is less certain.
The Morning: With Omicron on the rise, millions of Americans remain unvaccinated.
Coronavirus: WHO gives the nod for mix-and-match vaccine schedules
Countries that use inactivated shots approved by the agency for first dose can use mRNA or vectored vaccines for subsequent doses, says WHO.
Covid surge is gripping New York City ahead of the holidays: ‘We’ve never seen this before’
Alexandra Marquez THU, DEC 16TH 2021
HEALTH AND SCIENCE
Omicron replicates faster than delta in airways, infection seems less severe, study says
THU, DEC 16TH 2021
Omicron symptoms could seem like a cold — but don’t underestimate this variant, experts warn
THU, DEC 16TH 2021
Novavax COVID-19 vaccine granted WHO nod
Dec. 17, 2021 9:12 AM ET Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) By: Dulan Lokuwithana, SA News Editor26 Comments
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced its decision to clear the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Novavax (NASDAQ:NVAX) on Friday, sending the company shares ~5.7% higher in the pre-market.
https://seekingalpha.com/news/3781289-novavax-covid-19-vaccine-granted-who-nod
https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NVAX
And Now for the Good News About Omicron
‘The Media Variant’ Hits New York City
Omicron Is About to Overwhelm Us
Well, Guess It’s About Time to Get COVID
The agency’s director has said, repeatedly, that schools without mask mandates have triple the risk of COVID outbreaks. That claim is based on very shaky science.
CELINE GOUNDER DECEMBER 16, 2021
Don’t Be Surprised When You Get Omicron
The new variant poses a far graver threat at the collective level than the individual one—the kind of test that the U.S. has repeatedly failed.
Dr. Anthony Fauci: If Covid counts keep increasing, we 'may need to be more restrictive'
Dec 17, 2021 CNBC Television
Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the worrisome omicron coronavirus variant and explains why people who are fully vaccinated and boosted "should feel reasonably comfortable" this holiday season.
Fauci says a redefinition of fully vaccinated is ‘on the table’
Countries around world see rise in Covid as Omicron spreads - BBC News
Dec 17, 2021 BBC News
Countries across the world are starting to see a dramatic rise in the number of the daily recorded cases of Covid as Omicron spreads. First to experience the dramatic surge in cases was South Africa, but the early data suggests fewer people have died or are requiring hospital treatment compared with previous waves of infection.
#Germany #Vaccination #Omicron
Why does Germany not have enough vaccine doses? | DW News
Dec 16, 2021 DW News
It is not the beginning Germany's new Health Minister Karl Lauterbach would have hoped for. A week after taking office, he admitted on Thursday that Germany has a shortage of both BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna vaccine doses and that he is negotiating to buy more vaccines, mainly from Eastern European countries. "We want to buy BioNTech from other countries — Romania, Bulgaria, Poland and Portugal," he confirmed. He also suggested some of the BioNTech vaccine doses ordered for the second quarter of 2022 could be obtained earlier. Lauterbach confirmed that 35 million additional doses of Moderna had been ordered directly from the manufacturer with EU approval. On Wednesday, Lauterbach and Finance Minister Christian Lindner announced that Germany would shell out an extra €2.2 billion ($2.48 billion) for vaccine purchases. The third "booster shot" will be the "central building block" in the fight against the omicron variant, the health minister told the Thursday press conference, adding, "We need to be very quick." As things stand, 50 million vaccine doses are expected in the first quarter of 2022, but 70 million are needed. Lauterbach said he is especially concerned after examining current data from the UK, where cases of the omicron coronavirus variant are believed to be doubling on a near daily basis. He stressed that an "offensive booster strategy" is Germany's best tool in fighting the pandemic. Meanwhile, children between the ages of 5 and 11 are now being vaccinated in Germany. It's a step many parents have long been waiting for.
#VaccineMandates #Corona #Omicron
Should COVID-19 vaccination be mandatory? | COVID-19 Special
Dec 16, 2021 DW News
Austria will be the first European country to introduce a general vaccine mandate. Many other countries in the EU, including Germany, are also considering at least a partial mandate, affecting medical and nursing staff.
Many countries in the EU are debating vaccine mandates that would affect medical and nursing s
France to drastically restrict travel from UK - BBC News
Dec 16, 2021 BBC News
France is tightening Covid restrictions for travellers arriving from the UK, as the government in Paris tries to slow the spread of the Omicron variant. From Saturday, most travellers who are not French residents or citizens must give a "compelling reason". Some lorry drivers and students will be able to travel, but Britons visiting relatives are not currently listed. All arrivals will have to provide a negative Covid test less than 24 hours old and isolate for at least two days. Confirmed Omicron cases are currently much higher in the UK than in France. French citizens, their partners and children, legal residents, and EU citizens travelling home through France, won't need an essential reason to travel - but must still abide by all other rules.
novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) 病毒：新型冠状病毒 2019-nCoV
#Coronavirus #Omicron #Pandemic
Europe braces for skyrocketing omicron wave | Coronavirus Latest
Dec 16, 2021 DW News
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said on Wednesday that vaccinations on their own would not be enough to halt the spread of the omicron COVID-19 variant. The agency has called for "strong action" as it raised the risk assessment for omicron to "very high." "In the current situation, vaccination alone will not allow us to prevent the impact of the omicron variant, because there will be no time to address the vaccination gaps that still exist," ECDC Director Andrea Ammon said in a statement. The ECDC has called for the reintroduction of mask-wearing, hand sanitizing, working from home and curbs on crowded spaces to help stop the spread of the virus. The European health commissioner, Stella Kyriakides, said in a tweet that "omicron is a real threat, and will likely become the dominant variant by the start of 2022."
Long Covid Patients Face Fatigue, Poor Sleep Even After One Year
Omicron Infects 70 Times Faster But Is Less Severe, Study Says
U.K. Covid Cases Hit Record High as Omicron Spreads
Unvaccinated Covid Patients Overwhelm U.S. Hospitals
- 6:14 a.m.Covid surges lead D.C.-area schools to cancel activities, go virtual
- 5:39 a.m.Key coronavirus updates from around the world
By Susan Svrluga and Lauren Lumpkin
The peak could be as soon as January, straining hospitals, the agency told public health leaders.
By Lena H. Sun, Joel Achenbach, Laurie McGinley and Tyler Pager
The rapid spread of Omicron has weakened Europe’s economic recovery, but there are signs that the supply blockages that have hobbled factories over recent months are easing.
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- Omicron Drives Record Daily Case Count in U.K.
- Princeton, Cornell, Others Urge Students to Head Home Because of Outbreaks
Why the rapid spread of ‘mild’ Omicron is cause for alarm
Hopes that the rapidly spreading variant will be less serious than its predecessor Delta may be premature.
16 Dec 2021 - 12:28PM
Regeneron developing antibodies to target omicron as current cocktail loses potency against variant
Denmark expects omicron to overtake delta within a week. What that means for the U.S.
Omicron symptoms could seem like a cold — but don’t underestimate this variant, experts warn
Regeneron CEO: We'll need Covid antibodies to work against omicron if it surges
Dec 16, 2021 CNBC Television
Regeneron CEO Len Schleifer sits down with CNBC's Meg Tirrell and the 'Squawk Box' team to break down the company's latest data on its Covid-19 antibody's defense against the omicron variant.
Regeneron developing antibodies to target omicron as current cocktail loses potency against variant
Regeneron says it has experimental monoclonal antibodies effective against Omicron
Dec. 16, 2021 8:50 AM ET
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN)
By: Jonathan Block, SA News Editor1 Comment
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:REGN) says it has monoclonal antibodies in development that are effective against the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
- https://seekingalpha.com/news/3780749-regeneron-says-it-has-experimental-monoclonal-antibodies-effective-against-omicron
- https://www.regeneron.com/
Regeneron says Covid antibody loses potency against omicron
Dec 16, 2021 CNBC Television
CNBC's Meg Tirrell joins 'Squawk Box' to report on the latest news from Regeneron, which found that its Covid-19 antibody has diminished potency against the worrisome omicron variant.
REGEN-COV® (casirivimab and imdevimab) has been granted an Emergency Use Authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/REGN
https://www.regeneron.com/science/pipeline
https://investor.regeneron.com/static-files/4aed42a1-3d26-48af-bd01-3f0c92938c11
Omicron spreading at unprecedented rate, WHO says - BBC News
Dec 15, 2021 BBC News
The new coronavirus variant Omicron is spreading across the globe at an unprecedented rate, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned. Cases of the heavily mutated variant have been confirmed in 77 countries. But at a press conference, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was probably in many others that had yet to detect it. Dr Tedros said he was concerned that not enough was being done to tackle the variant.
Hospital Systems Are Pushed Past the Brink as Patients Go Unvaccinated
The Omicron Variant Is Chipping Away At Worldwide Air Travel
U.K. New Cases Hit Record; NYC Threatens Fines: Virus Update
EU Regulators Recommend Booster of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine
By Lena H. Sun, Joel Achenbach, Laurie McGinley and Tyler Pager
LIVE: CORONAVIRUSAccess to these updates is free
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The study is the largest on the omicron variant to date, involving 211,000 positive cases. By Lesley Wroughton
By Angela Haupt
Several colleges and universities have shifted to remote exams as the Omicron variant spreads in the U.S.
- JPMorgan Healthcare Conference Goes Virtual on Omicron Concerns
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- What to Know About Omicron
By The Editorial Board | Review & Outlook
Allison Zaucha for The New York Times
Outside the world inhabited by the professional classes in a handful of major metropolitan areas, many Americans are leading their lives as if COVID is over.
I’m Starting to Give Up on Post-pandemic Life
4 Covid-19 cases spark mass testing in south China city
Millions of residents in Dongguan warned of legal consequences if they fail to comply as authorities race to stop the spread.
Omicron to become dominant in Europe by mid-January, EU chief warns
Ursula von der Leyen, however, said the 27-nation bloc had enough vaccines to fight the new strain.
15 Dec 2021 - 5:42PM
South Korea coronavirus cases hit record 7,850; Australia reopens borders
Elsewhere, Australia reopened its borders to vaccinated skilled migrants and foreign students while PM Scott Morrison tested negative after potential exposure.
Singapore warns of ‘potentially big’ wave of infections as it tightens rules
‘We have to learn to live with Omicron as we have with Delta,’ health minister Ong Ye Kung says.
Updated 50 minutes ago
- Current COVID-19 vaccines hold up against omicron variant with boosters, Fauci says
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Moderna says booster shot “significantly increased” antibody levels against Omicron
Dec. 15, 2021 12:25 PM ET Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) By: Dulan Lokuwithana, SA News Editor1 Comment
- Announcing initial findings on the effect of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine against the newly found Omicron variant, Moderna (MRNA +4.2%) said an additional vaccine dose at half of the initial dose “significantly increased” neutralizing antibody levels against the variant.
Preclinical Data Highlight the Significant Antigenic Shift of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variant and its Effect on the Neutralizing Activity of Monoclonal Antibodies, Convalescent Antibodies and Vaccine-Elicited Antibodies
12/14/21 at 4:39 PM ESTPDF Version
– Data demonstrate sotrovimab, developed by Vir in conjunction with GlaxoSmithKline, continues to retain in vitro neutralizing activity against all tested variants of concern, including Omicron –
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIR)
https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/VIR
Omicron spreads like wildfire in the UK | DW News
Dec 15, 2021 DW News
The omicron variants of the coronavirus spreads like wildfire in the UK. On Wednesday, the UK recorded its highest ever daily number of coronavirus cases, more than 78,600. That’s around 10,000 more than the previous high in January, with the highly-transmissible Omicron variant fueling the surge in cases. A senior British health chief called Omicron "probably the most significant threat" since the start of the pandemic. This week UK lawmakers voted to toughen coronavirus measures, including introducing COVID-19 passes for some venues.
Omicron spread sees countries around the world report record levels of Covid - BBC News
Dec 16, 2021 BBC News
The UK, South Africa, France and Italy have all recorded their highest daily Covid cases since the pandemic began. The spread of the Omicron variant has triggered a race to increase vaccinations, with many countries vaccinating young children’s they often account for the majority of cases.
Many Omicron patients “not as seriously ill” as in previous Covid waves say doctors - BBC News
Dec 13, 2021 BBC News
The Omicron variant of coronavirus was first identified in South Africa. Doctors there say the early indications are that while hospitalisations are rising, so far the number of deaths and people needing intensive care is lower than at the same stage of previous waves of the virus.
Omicron Accounts for 3% of U.S. Covid Cases as Delta Reigns
Who Has What? Omicron Raises Stakes for Quick Covid Sequencing
Apple to Again Require Masks at U.S. Stores and Limit Crowds
Pfizer Covid Pill Stops Hospitalization, Not Milder Symptoms
- 2:45 p.m.Omicron spreading swiftly and should not be dismissed as mild, WHO chief warns
- 1:48 p.m.United Kingdom drops all 11 nations from travel ‘red list’
By Amy Cheng
By Lesley Wroughton
More restrictions have been placed on residents in the virus-hit cities of Hangzhou, Shaoxing and Ningbo in Zhejiang province, even as more than half a million people remain in quarantine
Dec 14, 2021 08:42 PM
Tourist attractions across Zhejiang province are bereft of visitors as a rise in virus cases has forced authorities to step up restrictions on people’s movements. Nearly 200 cases have been reported since Dec. 5 in the cities of Hangzhou, Ningbo and Shaoxing, the worst affected by the current outbreak, resulting in lockdowns of some communities. At a press conference on Monday, provincial officials required the three cities to control the movement of people there until March 15
Dec 14, 2021 05:37 PM
Guangzhou reports China’s second case of Omicron variant
Man, 67, entered the country and repeatedly tested negative for Covid-19 during his 14 days in quarantine before returning positive result.
Target asymptomatic Covid-19 cases to stop spread: Chinese study
People who test positive but show no sign of illness need to be isolated too, Peking University researchers say.
As Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain tries to quell a surge of infections, his own party is turning on him.
Facing a Covid spike, the N.F.L. will mandate booster shots among team staff who work most closely with players.
AxiosUpdated Politics & Policy
The first large real-world study found that while Omicron reduced vaccine effectiveness against infection to 33% from 80% for Delta, its effect on protection against hospitalization was less marked, falling to 70% from 93%.
The grocery chain will no longer provide two weeks of paid emergency leave for unvaccinated employees who contract Covid-19, unless local jurisdictions require otherwise.2 min ago
“It’s the only way we’re going to have a chance of beating this pandemic," said Stephen Starr. "Business is booming in New York and people feel safe."
Erin McCarthy and Michael Klein
FDA AUTHORIZES LOWER 1,200 MG INTRAVENOUS AND SUBCUTANEOUS DOSE OF REGEN-COV™ (CASIRIVIMAB AND IMDEVIMAB) ANTIBODY COCKTAIL TO TREAT PATIENTS WITH COVID-19
TARRYTOWN, N.Y., June 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --
EUA supported by pivotal Phase 3 data showing 1,200 mg dose reduced risk of hospitalization or death by 70%
Only antibody therapy currently available in all 50 states, including eight states with high rates of two variants of concern
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for REGEN-COV™, lowering the dose to 1,200 mg (600 mg casirivimab and 600 mg imdevimab), which is half the dose originally authorized. As part of the updated EUA, REGEN-COV should be administered by intravenous (IV) infusion; subcutaneous (SC) injections are an alternative when IV infusion is not feasible and would lead to a delay in treatment.
By KIM TONG-HYUNG
By DANICA KIRKA
Is India prepared for the next wave? | Covid-19 Special
Dec 14, 2021 DW News
India's health ministry has recorded the fewest new infections in a year and a half. But that alone might not be enough to fight the pandemic, with new variants on the rise. Just over a third of the population there is fully vaccinated.
#Coronavirus #Europe #Pandemic
State of the pandemic within Europe primarily determined by vaccination rates | DW News
Dec 14, 2021 DW News
Vaccination rates are very unequal around the world. There are also big differences within Europe and the European Union. Leading the pack is Portugal, where 88 percent of the total population is fully vaccinated. Spain is also doing well, at 80 percent. In Germany, just 69 percent of the population is fully vaccinated - a relatively low rate compared with the rest of Western Europe. It's a very different picture moving east: Many countries in eastern Europe are lagging behind, with countries such as Croatia, Slovakia and Romania having vaccinated less than 50 percent of the population. But the lowest vaccination rate in the EU is in Bulgaria, at just over 26 percent. It's not a perfect comparison among countries, since data is collected differently. But there is a clear and stark difference. In the United Kingdom, the number of people infected with the new omicron variant is rising rapidly. Cases are currently doubling every 2 to 3 days and the government says that Omicron could become the dominant variant within days. The government has now opened up booster shots to anyone 18 and over. Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants all adults to get a third jab before the new year.
#CovidBrazil #Immunity #VaccinationRate
How Brazil got over 75% adults fully vaccinated | COVID-19 Special
Dec 13, 2021 DW News
Could there be reasons to be optimistic in Brazil? Over 75 percent of adults are fully vaccinated in Brazil, even if kids aren't yet getting the jab. In some big cities the vaccination rate is almost 95 percent. Many Brazilians are hopeful that things could soon return to normal. It's been among the worst-affected countries in the world, with more than 600,000 people dying from COVID-19 there. But there are signs the pandemic could be loosening its grip. Many families are planning big Christmas parties. Even the New Year's Eve party on Copacabana Beach will take place, albeit in a smaller format. But are they celebrating too soon? After a slow start, vaccination rates have increased and there are fewer new infections in Brazil. Vaccine-maker Pfizer has launched a study to find out what happens when an entire city gets the jab.
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Michael Lewis
2021 TIME
HEROES OF THE YEAR
THE MIRACLE WORKERS
DECEMBER 13, 2021 7:41 AM EST BY ALICE PARK AND JAMIE DUCHARME TIME USA
- 4:45 p.m.In Liberty County, workers who quit feel liberated, but the community discovers a powerful downside
- 4:07 p.m.Former commissioners endorse Califf as FDA chief, saying leadership is ‘critical’ in pandemic
- 4:00 p.m.Philadelphia to require vaccination for indoor restaurants, bars
- U.S. Supreme Court won’t block vaccine mandate for New York health workers
- Vaccine mandate doesn’t change much for most Philly entertainment venues
- New Jersey to provide free at-home COVID-19 tests to residents
A new mandate will require proof of vaccination to dine indoors in Philly. What spaces are affected? How will it be enforced? Here's what you need to know.
Pfizer Covid Pill Stops Hospitalization, Not Milder Symptoms
Pfizer Stops 70% Omicron Hospitalizations in South Africa Study
Key Takeaways From South Africa Study
Omicron is more resistant to vaccines but causes milder covid cases, major South African study finds
The study is the largest on the omicron variant to date, involving 211,000 positive cases.
By Lesley Wroughton
- 6:57 a.m.S. Korean city will trial facial recognition tech for contact tracing
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- 5:38 a.m.Omicron now in the District, Maryland and Virginia, with first case present for weeks
Antiviral drug Paxlovid stayed 89% effective at reducing the risk of hospitalization and death in a final analysis of a key study in high-risk adults.
The grocery chain will no longer provide two weeks of paid emergency leave for unvaccinated employees who contract Covid-19, unless local jurisdictions require otherwise.
- California to Restore Indoor Mask Mandate
- Supreme Court Says No Religious Exemption for N.Y. Health Workers
- Australia Eases Covid-19 Travel Rules
Guangzhou reports China’s second case of Omicron variant
Man, 67, entered the country and repeatedly tested negative for Covid-19 during his 14 days in quarantine before returning positive result.
Guangdong town feels force of China’s ‘dynamic zero-Covid strategy’
On Tuesday, China’s National Health Commission reported 51 new local symptomatic cases – all but seven were identified in the coastal Zhejiang province.
Singapore warns of ‘potentially big’ wave of infections as it tightens rules
‘We have to learn to live with Omicron as we have with Delta,’ health minister Ong Ye Kung says.
The country's largest manufacturer announced it would cut production of Covishield by half.
PFIZER ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL PHASE 2/3 STUDY RESULTS CONFIRMING ROBUST EFFICACY OF NOVEL COVID-19 ORAL ANTIVIRAL TREATMENT CANDIDATE IN REDUCING RISK OF HOSPITALIZATION OR DEATH
Tuesday, December 14, 2021 - 06:45am
- Final data available from all high-risk patients enrolled in EPIC-HR study (n= 2,246) confirmed prior results of interim analysis showing PAXLOVID™ (nirmatrelvir [PF-07321332] tablets and ritonavir tablets) reduced risk of hospitalization or death by 89% (within three days of symptom onset) and 88% (within five days of symptom onset) compared to placebo; no deaths compared to placebo in non-hospitalized, high-risk adults with COVID-19
- The above data have been shared with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as part of an ongoing rolling submission for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA)
- Separately, interim analyses of an ongoing second study in standard-risk adults (EPIC-SR) showed a 70% reduction in hospitalization and no deaths in the treated population, compared to placebo, in the secondary endpoint; the novel primary endpoint of self-reported, sustained alleviation of all symptoms for four consecutive days, as compared to placebo, was not met. The study continues
- An approximate 10-fold decrease in viral load at Day 5, relative to placebo, was observed in both EPIC-HR and EPIC-SR, indicating robust activity against SARS-CoV-2 and representing the strongest viral load reduction reported to date for a COVID-19 oral antiviral agent
- Recent in vitro data confirm that nirmatrelvir is a potent inhibitor of the Omicron 3CL protease, which, combined with existing in vitro antiviral and protease inhibition data from other Variants of Concern (VoC) including Delta, indicates that PAXLOVID will retain robust antiviral activity against current VoCs as well as other coronaviruses
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE)
Pfizer says its Covid pill will protect against severe disease, even from Omicron.
By Carl Zimmer and Rebecca Robbins
- Dec. 14, 2021Updated 7:23 a.m. ET
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/14/health/pfizer-covid-pill-paxlovid.html
India battles to contain spread of Omicron variant - BBC News
Dec 13, 2021 BBC News
India is battling to contain the spread of the new Omicron variant of Covid. The country was hit hard during the second wave of coronavirus earlier this year and was criticised for not telling the world early enough about Delta, which spread rapidly and became the dominant variant across the globe. More than half of India's adult population is fully vaccinated. That however still leaves hundreds of millions at risk and doctors have warned that if an Omicron-fuelled third wave hits, medical facilities could still be overrun very quickly. "We are just starting to see an uptick in the number of patients... these are double vaccinated people starting to get infection again," says Dr Sumit Ray, from Holy Family Hospital in Delhi.
Gravitas | Wuhan virus pandemic: Why India needs to prepare for a new surge
Dec 13, 2021 WION
The UK has reported the world's first omicron death in less than three weeks, this new variant has spread to more than 60 countries. Is India ready to contain Omicron? Palki Sharma tells you why India needs to prepare for a surge.
novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) 病毒：新型冠状病毒 2019-nCoV
#Omicron #Covid19 #VaccineMandate
UK PM Johnson warns of Omicron 'tidal wave' raising alarm in Europe | COVID update
Dec 13, 2021 DW News
UK PM Johnson warns of Omicron 'tidal wave' as concern grows in Europe | DW COVID update British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the UK needs to prepare for a 'tidal wave' of omicron cases. Concerns are growing across Europe, as a number of countries bring in measures to combat a rise in infections. However, rules in Austria will be relaxed for the fully vaccinated, after the country imposed Europe's first full lockdown this winter. But protests against the country's plans for mandatory inoculations continued across the weekend. There were also demonstrations in the Czech Republic against compulsory jabs for the over sixties and public servants. France's first closures in months also came into force this weekend with nightclubs shuttered until at least January. Meanwhile Russia has passed the milestone of ten million coronavirus cases. COVID passes are required across much of the country, but only 40 percent of people are currently fully vaccinated. There was little Christmas cheer from UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who warned of a tidal wave of omicron cases. With the festive season in full swing, there are concerns across the continent that the COVID Christmas hangover could last well into 2022. Germany is beginning the latest phase in its coronavirus vaccination campaign today. It's for children between the ages of 5 and eleven. Parents who want to immunize their young kids can now do so - even though the official recommendation here is specifically for kids with serious pre-existing conditions to get the jab. Some other countries have already been vaccinating kids under 12. The US started inoculating young children at the beginning of November. Israel has also been giving under-12s COVID-19 shots for nearly a month. In both countries, over 16 percent of young kids have received at least one dose. The vaccine rollout comes after a sharp rise in overall infections in Germany. There's a higher concentration of cases in the Eastern part of the country - including kids in this age group. Most don't experience severe COVID-19 symptoms, but they can spread the virus to others. DW reporters visited one German family, who say: for their children, the rollout can't come soon enough!
Omicron can hit the double vaccinated, Oxford study says
Some of the largest U.S. hospital systems have dropped Covid-19 vaccine mandates for staff after a federal judge temporarily halted a Biden administration mandate that healthcare workers get the shots.
The news comes as the health minister warns that the spread of the new variant is “phenomenal.”
By Karla Adam and William Booth LIVE: CORONAVIRUSAccess to these updates is free
- 8:34 a.m.Former Trump trade adviser defies House subpoena in coronavirus probe
- 7:46 a.m.Vaccine holdouts in U.S. military approach 40,000 even as omicron fuels booster calls
- People 65 and older are still falling seriously ill in great numbers, particularly if they are unvaccinated, and U.S. hospitals have been strained this month.
- Many older Americans have continued to endure isolation and fear long after tens of millions of younger people have largely resumed normal lives.
Therese Raphael and Sam Fazeli
Questions about vaccine protection and disease severity remain open. By Rick Noack
Coronavirus: cases on the rise in China’s Delta hotspots in Zhejiang
Omicron variant: Britain to be added to Hong Kong’s highest-risk category
A source says Britain will be moved to enhanced-measures category where arrivals must spend one week in Penny’s Bay Quarantine Centre, and then 14 days in hotel.
South Korea to use facial recognition tech to track Covid-19 cases
The pilot project in Bucheon will use AI algorithms to analyse footage gathered by more than 10,000 CCTV cameras and track an infected person’s movements.
13 Dec 2021 - 3:18PM
Covid-19 antibody treatment ‘holds up well’ against Omicron, developer says
The results echo other recent findings that emphasize the need for booster shots.
#WHO #OmicronVariant #EnglishNews
Omicron variant reduces vaccine efficacy, spreads faster than Delta, says WHO | Latest English News
Dec 13, 2021
According to the the World Health Organisation (WHO), the new omicron coronavirus variant spreads faster and considerably reduces vaccine efficacy compared to the delta variant.
#UK #BorisJohnson #OmicronVariant
UK PM Boris Johnson warns of looming 'tidal wave' of Omicron variant cases | Latest English News
Dec 13, 2021 WION
United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned of a looming "tidal wave" of Omicron COVID-19 variant, and brought forward a target to give over-18s a booster jab by one month to the end of December.
Fact check: Why are there so many COVID vaccination breakthroughs? | DW News
Dec 12, 2021 DW News
The number of vaccination breakthroughs is increasing in many places — and this trend is likely to continue with the omicron variant. These factors have been pushed by anti-vaccine campaigns online. But do vaccination breakthroughs really mean that COVID-19 vaccines don't work? DW looks at the science.
Australia cuts wait time for Covid booster;
record severe cases in South Korea
12 Dec 2021 - 12:11PM
UK announces booster drive to fight Omicron coronavirus variant
Britain’s medical advisers raised the Covid Alert Level due to a ‘rapid increase’ in infection from the variant.
Don’t go home for the Lunar New Year, Chinese workers urged
Several local authorities step up pandemic controls and call for ‘unnecessary’ travel to be put on hold for the holidays.
12 Dec 2021 - 8:21PM
Nigeria plans reciprocal ban on flights from four countries over Omicron
Nation expects to put Argentina, Britain, Canada and Saudi Arabia on a ‘red list’ this week, says aviation minister Hadi Sirika, ‘just like they did to us’.
UK announces booster drive to fight Omicron coronavirus variant
Britain’s medical advisers raised the Covid Alert Level due to a ‘rapid increase’ in infection from the variant.
Pfizer Course Has 23% Efficacy Vs. Omicron in S. African Study
England Could Face 75,000 Covid Deaths This Winter: Study
Two Weeks Into the Omicron Outbreak: Where to From Here?
U.S. Outbreak Worsens; Vaccine Protest in Vienna: Virus Update
Questions about vaccine protection and disease severity remain open. By Rick Noack
Opinion JESSE BLOOM AND SARAH COBEY
Caitlin Owens Dec 11, 2021 - Health
Here’s how to think about all the emerging data.
A coming winter surge and the spread of Omicron have made it clear that COVID is everyone's problem.
#UnitedKingdom #Omicron #Covid
United Kingdom reports rapid spread of the Omicron variant |WION | World News |English News | Covid
Dec 11, 2021 WION
The number of Omicron cases rising in the United Kingdom has been enormously worrying for the authorities. Experts have warned that Omicron variant could become the dominant strain in the United Kingdom by the end of December.
#Omicron #Coronavirus #Covid19
Origin, transmissibility, severity: What we know about the Omicron variant so far? | COVID19 Special
Dec 10, 2021 DW News
The new coronavirus variant omicron has so far been found in 57 countries, the World Health Organization said, warning that the rate of hospitalization resulting from infection is likely to rise. The WHO said it needed more data to evaluate the severity of the disease caused by the new variant. "Even if the severity is equal or potentially even lower than for delta variant, it is expected that hospitalizations will increase if more people become infected and that there will be a time lag between an increase in the incidence of cases and an increase in the incidence of deaths," it said. The newest COVID variant was first detected in South Africa, but that doesn't mean omicron originated there. It's a sign of the country's progress in gene sequencing.
Covid-19 Special - COVID-19 Special: Where did omicron come from?
Two Weeks Into the Omicron Outbreak: Where to From Here?
Early U.S. Omicron Cases Caused Mild Illness in Vaccinated
Mild Omicron Cases Reach U.S.; Record Korea Deaths: Virus Update
Boosters Provide 70% to 75% Omicron Protection in U.K. Study
Brii Biosciences’ shots are the first treatment of their type to be approved in China after showing an 80% reduction in hospitalizations and deaths
Dec 10, 2021 06:26 AM
LAUSD poised to back down from student COVID vaccination deadline
Officials want to avoid having to bar more than 30,000 students from campus who are now too late to meet the Jan. 10 inoculation deadline.
L.A. County may be at the start of a winter COVID-19 surge, health official says
Omicron was in California weeks ago, before officials raised alarms, water sample suggests
Young Latinos are dying of COVID at an alarming rate — the effects could be felt for generations
They were barely scraping by as janitors before COVID. Now, this family struggles to surviveAbuela Rosa led her family to the middle class. In the face of COVID, they protect her legacy
Weekly coronavirus case rates have climbed by 33% over the last two weeks, sending Los Angeles County back into the CDC's worst coronavirus transmission tier.
By Rick Noack
The Los Angeles Unified School District terminated nearly 500 unvaccinated employees and vowed to put tens of thousands of unvaccinated students into an online learning program. By Lindsey Bever
The U.N.-led initiative is now aiming for 800 million doses to be delivered by the end of the year,
The partnership between the two competitors is now bearing fruit to expand the world’s vaccine supply. The first Merck-made Johnson & Johnson shots shipped Friday.
December 10, 20211:26 PM EST United States By Mrinalika Roy Dec 10 (Reuters)
Most reported U.S. Omicron cases have hit the fully vaccinated -CDC
Omicron detected in Florida and Texas as it takes root in 25 U.S. states
Annika Kim Constantino FRI, DEC 10TH 2021
New CDC data shows first-known omicron Covid patient in U.S. presented symptoms Nov. 15
Spencer Kimball FRI, DEC 10TH 2021
England Could Face 75,000 Covid Deaths This Winter: Study
Pfizer Course Has 23% Efficacy Vs. Omicron in S. African Study
Two Weeks Into the Omicron Outbreak: Where to From Here?
U.S. Outbreak Worsens; Vaccine Protest in Vienna: Virus Update
Faye Flam
#Germany #Coronavirus #Pandemic
German lawmakers approve stricter COVID measures | DW News
Dec 10, 2021 DW News
Lawmakers in Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, voted on Friday in favor of updating Germany's infection protection law in a bid to curb the fourth wave of COVID-19 infections in the country. Among the measures is Germany's first coronavirus vaccine mandate — currently limited to health workers. A few hours later, the new measures were given the green light from the upper house of parliament, the Bundesrat. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's newly inaugurated government has made combating the pandemic a priority, as concerns over a new spike in cases grow as the Christmas holidays draw closer. The changes include measures aimed at getting people vaccinated and speeding up the booster shot campaign — and are initially valid until March 15, 2022. Medical workers in hospitals, nursing homes, doctors' offices, facilities for people with disabilities and other health facilities will now be asked to show proof of vaccination or recovery from COVID-19. Only health workers who can provide a medical reason for not getting the jab will be exempt from the mandate. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, who is an epidemiologist, said it was unacceptable that some people at hospitals and care homes are still not vaccinated. "This vaccine mandate is necessary because it's completely unacceptable that, after two years of pandemic, people who have entrusted their care to us are dying unnecessarily in institutions because unvaccinated people work there,'' he said. "We cannot accept this." Andrew Ullmann, an MP with the Free Democrats (FDP) who are part of the new governing coalition, emphasized that while personal freedom is paramount, "freedom always comes with responsibility." "We have to be aware that we have a responsibility that comes with the freedom and that responsibility is for other people to be sure that they are safe," Ullmann, who is a physician, told DW. "This means that our hospitals are not overwhelmed by the cases of COVID-19." German lawmakers are set to debate another, likely more contentious bill in the coming weeks on a vaccine mandate that would apply to everyone.
Pfizer CEO says fourth COVID vaccine dose may be needed
Dec 9, 2021 CBS News
Some teenagers may soon be eligible for COVID-19 vaccine booster shots. This news comes after Pfizer revealed that three doses of its vaccine are more effective at neutralizing the Omicron variant than two. Dr. Esther Choo, professor of emergency medicine at Oregon Health and Sciences University, joins CBSN to discuss some of the latest coronavirus headlines.
Covid: England braces for Plan B rule changes amid Omicron fears @BBC News live 🔴 BBC
Dec 9, 2021 BBC
People in England are preparing for more restrictions on daily life after the PM approved his Covid Plan B to limit the spread of Omicron.
As the world turns its focus to the omicron variant, cases caused by delta continue to mount in the U.S.
Omicron Four Times More Transmissible Than Delta in New Study
Rethinking Work After the Pandemic
The Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer Screening and Biobanking
With a backlog of cancer screening and treatment, what can be done to get cancer care back on track?
Dec 07, 2021 ERIK STEINFELDER
The teenagers can now get the extra dose at least six months after finishing the two-dose series.
- GE, Union Pacific Suspend Vaccination Mandates After Injunction on Biden Order
- Rollout for Children Is Slow in Many States
- Makers Are Unsure if Fine-Tuning Shots for Omicron Is Worthwhile
- Did Covid Cause Flu Strain to Go Extinct?
Sam Baker, Kavya Beheraj Health
World Health Organization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) Interim Recommendation Supports Use of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine as a BoosterGrowing body of evidence supports use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine as both a mix-and-match and homologous booster, following primary vaccination regimen
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., December 9, 2021 – Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ)
https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/JNJ
Face masks become mandatory in most indoor settings in England today
Luke Rildey DIGITAL PRODUCER PUBLISHED Friday 10 December 2021 - 05:27 LAST UPDATED Friday 10 December 2021 - 06:55
NIH and CDC fail us on Omicron, as they have throughout the pandemic
By Marty Makary December 8, 2021 8:05pm
Covid Crisis Threatens Holiday Season as U.S. Hospitals Overflow
HSBC, JPMorgan, Deutsche Bank Tell London Staff to Stay Home
U.K. Expert Warns on Omicron; French Booster Drive: Virus Update
About 7.6% of South Africa’s Hospitalized Covid-19 Patients Are In ICU
Doctors are focusing on early diagnosis of the potentially dangerous condition.
- Why Omicron’s Complex Mutations Could Change the Pandemic’s Outlook
- For Clues to How Omicron Plays Out, Look to the U.K.
Covid Is Making Many Offices Obsolete. Here’s What Happens to Them Next.
Switzerland Weighs Partial Lockdown, Mandatory Work From Home
- Los Angeles County experiences post-Thanksgiving case rise, amid fears for winter
- Key coronavirus updates from around the world
China tightens border with Vietnam to stop coronavirus surge
City of Pingxiang adds checkpoints and clamps down on illegal entry to the country.
What Omicron and China’s slowdown mean for Asian economies
- New Covid-19 variants are expected to continue triggering new localised restrictions, with a China slowdown also raising concern
- But higher vaccination rates and smaller waves of infection are boosting Asia’s resilience, and the RCEP is likely to inject new trading activity, analysts say
World on alert as Omicron spreads
By Marcelo Duhalde, Kaliz Lee, Dennis Wong Published December 7, 2021
The new Covid-19 variant Omicron has continued its global spread since the World Health Organization announced it was a “variant of concern” on November 24, after it was detected in southern Africa. Scientists worldwide are racing to establish how contagious and deadly Omicron is, and if current treatments and vaccines are effective against it.
https://multimedia.scmp.com/infographics/news/world/article/3158620/omicron/index.html
Ex-MI6 chief Richard Dearlove says Britain's science sector has been compromised by 'malign Chinese Communist influence' which is why it parroted China's party line that Covid did NOT leak from a Wuhan lab
- Ex-MI6 boss said UK universities have become dependent on Chinese funding
- He raised concerns on whether Britain echoed China's 'information campaign'
- Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) is laboratory at the centre of alleged cover-up
- China has repeatedly insisted the virus spilled naturally into humans from bats
By KATIE WESTON FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 10:36 EST, 9 December 2021 | UPDATED: 11:52 EST, 9 December 2021
#COVID19 #GenderGap #vaccination
The gender gap in COVID-19 vaccine distribution | COVID-19 Special
Dec 9, 2021 DW News
In many African countries, it's mainly men who are getting vaccinated against COVID-19. As a consequence, 70 percent of people testing positive for the virus in South Sudan are women. What's behind the gender gap?
Will we have to alter vaccines whenever a COVID-19 variant occurs? | DW News
Dec 8, 2021 DW News
Drugmakers BioNTech and Pfizer say a three-shot course of their coronavirus vaccine is effective against the newly discovered Omicron variant. BioNTech has also annouced they could have a new Omicron-specific vaccine by March 2022. Earlier, the World Health Organization said there is no reason to expect that the existing vaccines against the coronavirus will fail against the Omicron variant.
novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) 病毒：新型冠状病毒 2019-nCoV
India struggles to fully vaccinate its people against COVID-19 | DW News
Dec 9, 2021 DW News
As the year ends, India is trying to ramp up its vaccination drive, to meet the ambitious target of vaccinating all adults in the country. The government has laid special emphasis on encouraging people to get fully vaccinated. But the numbers reveal that millions who are eligible for their second dose have not come back for it.
Original Article Protection against Covid-19 by BNT162b2 Booster across Age Groups
Editorial Booster Doses and Prioritizing Lives Saved
A high rate of coronavirus infections among children in South African hospitals for other conditions hints at Omicron’s spread.
Tens of thousands of U.S. children are coping with the loss of parents or caregivers to Covid. A bipartisan group is urging help.
Where the Despairing Log On, and Learn Ways to Die
By Roni Caryn Rabin Dec. 8, 2021
By Adela SulimanLIVE: CORONAVIRUSAccess to these updates is free
- 10:41 a.m.Italian who tried to evade vaccine using prosthetic arm now claims he’s received his shot
- 10:08 a.m.World leaders are still running afoul of their own coronavirus restrictions
The variant erodes a key line of defense from vaccines, but boosters can help restore protection.
By Carolyn Y. Johnson and Joel Achenbach
Districts across the U.S. report that students are acting out more often in the return to in-person learning. Some schools are responding with more counseling, increased patrols and fewer suspensions.
The teenagers can now get the extra dose at least six months after finishing the two-dose series.
Death-benefit payments rose 15.4% in 2020 to $90.43 billion, mostly due to the pandemic, according to the American Council of Life Insurers. It’s the sharpest rise since 1918.
A Super-Shot to Take Down All Variants? Scientists Say It's Possible
Omicron Four Times More Transmissible Than Delta in New Study
Senate Votes to Block Biden Vaccine Mandate for Large Companies
Hard-Hit New Hampshire Snaps Up Free Home Covid Tests as U.S. Dawdles
The variant will change the risk landscape for the vaccinated. The question is, how much?
Sam Baker, Kavya Beheraj Health
WHO calls for action as Omicron variant spreads to 57 countries
Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was dismissive of reports suggesting the strain led to a milder course of Covid-19, saying it was too early to say.
9 Dec 2021 - 4:42AM
Scientists call for more virus surveillance to detect new variants sooner
Just 2 per cent of global Covid-19 cases have been sequenced, according to a study by researchers in China and Britain.
9 Dec 2021 - 12:30AM
Coronavirus: Omicron protection effective after three doses, vaccine makers say
Pfizer-BioNTech suggest vaccine should be effective in preventing Covid-19, and against Omicron, if given three times
8 Dec 2021 - 11:41PM
New anti-Covid steel developed in Hong Kong expected to hit market in 6 months
The new material has a copper content of more than 10 per cent, enabling it to inactivate 99.75 per cent of coronavirus cells within three hours.
9 Dec 2021 - 6:04PM
FDA clears AstraZeneca’s Covid antibody treatment for immunocompromised
WED, DEC 8TH 2021
EVUSHELD (formerly AZD7442) long-acting antibody combination authorized for emergency use in the US for pre-exposure prophylaxis (prevention) of COVID-19
Only antibody therapy authorized in US for pre-exposure prophylaxis
Pivotal phase III data showed robust efficacy and long-term protection with one dose in high-risk population
Evusheld (formerly AZD7442) long-acting antibody combination authorised for emergency use in the US for pre-exposure prophylaxis (prevention) of COVID-19
PUBLISHED8 December 2021 8 December 2021 21:00 GMT
Only antibody therapy authorised in US for pre-exposure prophylaxis
Pivotal phase III data showed robust efficacy and long-term protection with one dose in high-risk population
https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2021/evusheld-long-acting-antibody-combination-authorised-for-emergency-use-in-the-us-for-pre-exposure-prophylaxis-prevention-of-covid-19.html
3 doses of Pfizer vaccine may be needed to protect against Omicron Covid variant - BBC News
Dec 8, 2021 BBC News
Pfizer has said that initial lab studies suggest that a third dose of their Covid-19 vaccine may be needed to neutralise the new Omicron covid variant. The study suggested that people who had received just two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine had far fewer of the neutralising antibodies that fight the variant. Boosting that with an additional third vaccine restored protection to similar levels provided against earlier strains of the virus. Huw Edwards presents BBC News at Ten reporting by medical editor Fergus Walsh.
Pfizer CEO: Three Covid shots against omicron variant equivalent to two targeting original strains
Dec 8, 2021 CNBC Television
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla sits down with CNBC's Meg Tirrell to break down the company's latest data, which suggests three doses of its Covid-19 vaccine neutralizes the worrisome omicron variant.
Third Pfizer-BioNTech Dose Is Key to Fight Omicron’s Spread
#Covid19 #Healthcare #Pandemic
How can we bolster healthcare systems for future pandemics? | COVID-19 Special
Dec 8, 2021 DW News
Exhausted staff, too few beds, equipment shortages: What can be done to strengthen health care systems? And how best to prepare for the next wave? And the next pandemic? Are healthcare systems in need of an overhaul?
Pfizer, BioNTech Say Booster Dose Needed to Fight Omicron
Scientists Discover Harder-to-Detect Version of Omicron
Early Omicron Studies; Boosters Should Work: Virus Update
Omicron Threat May Be Countered With Extra Dose of Vaccine
Biden Vaccine Mandate for Federal Contractors Is Blocked Nationwide
Infection rate of omicron variant sparks concern as UK braces for 1 million cases
Holly Ellyatt THU, DEC 9TH 2021
Faye Flam
Researchers compiling the Global Health Security Index found insufficient capacity in every country, leaving the world vulnerable to future health emergencies, including some that might be more devastating than covid-19.By Lena H. Sun
By Carolyn Y. Johnson LIVE: CORONAVIRUSAccess to these updates is free
- 10:15 a.m.Boris Johnson’s staff denied there was a 2020 Christmas party, then they joked about it on camera
- 9:28 a.m.New ‘stealth’ form of omicron discovered in Australia
Pfizer and BioNTech said that a third dose of their Covid-19 vaccine neutralized the Omicron variant in lab tests but that the two-dose regimen was significantly less effective at blocking the virus.
Fewer people were tested for HIV, and fewer people were able to access care while most city services were shut down at the beginning of the pandemic last March.
Omicron better at dodging vaccine, South African study finds
Highly mutated variant much better at evading Cominarty mRNA vaccine than previous coronavirus strains, but boosters likely to help, findings indicate.
South Korea’s Covid-19 cases top 7,000 as restrictions eased
Hospital capacity is under strain as deaths and severe cases rise after Seoul began to ease curbs under its ‘living with Covid-19’ scheme.
A global pledge to ‘not disrupt international traffic’ in a pandemic lies broken
World Health Organization praises South Africa and Botswana for reporting the new Covid-19 variant, decries travel restrictions imposed against African nations.
8 Dec 2021 - 11:32AM
China says Covid-19 vaccines for Africa is ‘top priority’
A week after pledging an extra 1 billion doses for the continent, Beijing has started putting the supply logistics in place.
Three charts show South Africa’s Covid crisis as omicron takes hold
#Omicron #SouthAfrica #COVID19
How Omicron and rising infection rates are shaping life in South Africa | COVID-19 Special
Dec 7, 2021 DW News
South Africa was the first to isolate both beta and omicron coronavirus variants. But the nation complains it was punished - instead of applauded - for discovering the variant.
Next pandemic could be more lethal than Covid, says vaccine creator - BBC News
Dec 6, 2021 BBC News
Future pandemics could be more lethal than the current coronavirus crisis, one of the creators of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has warned. Prof Dame Sarah Gilbert said there needed to be more funding to prepare for future pandemics to prevent the advances made from being lost. She also warned vaccines could be less effective against the Omicron variant. Dame Sarah said: "This will not be the last time a virus threatens our lives and our livelihoods. The truth is, the next one could be worse. It could be more contagious, or more lethal, or both."
Pandemic dynamics: How to prevent the next lockdown | COVID-19 Special
Dec 6, 2021 DW News
Omicron suddenly changed everything. The coronavirus variant shifted the focus to boosters, restricted travel and more home testing. Few governments are eager to return to the blanket lockdowns that robbed so many people of their livelihoods. So what's the answer? Measures are becoming more targeted. In Germany, non-essential shops and recreational venues are off bounds for the unvaccinated. Pandemic dynamics mean whatever the measures, it's the timing that counts. It's a balancing act – the right measures to protect our lives and our livelihoods. Even the countries we thought were handling this pandemic so well are struggling to get the balance right.
Pandemic dynamics — how to prevent the next lockdown?
Pfizer Shot Provides Partial Omicron Shield in Early Study
Omicron Propels U.S. Booster Drive Where It’s Needed Least
Bill Gates Thinks ‘Acute Phase’ of Pandemic Will End in 2022 Despite Omicron
Pfizer Shot Offers Partial Omicron Shield in Study: Virus Update
GSK Antibody Treatment Works on Omicron Mutations, Study Shows
Omicron Leads to New Curbs From New York to China: Virus Update
Finnish Leader’s Night Out After Covid Exposure Causes Furor
Less Than One Covid Death a Day in Japan As New Cases Plummet
Emerging evidence suggests that vaccines offer significant protection against severe illness with Omicron, adding impetus to government efforts to broaden vaccination coverage and offer booster shots.
- Glaxo Says Its Antibody Drug Works Against New Variant
- Judge Blocks Biden Administration Vaccine Mandate for Federal Contractors
- What to Know About Covid-19 Treatments
GlaxoSmithKline and Vir said their Covid-19 antibody treatment retained effectiveness against the Omicron variant in laboratory studies, even as early data suggests that similar treatments work less well against the strain.4 min read
- New York City Sets Vaccine Mandate for Private-Sector Workers
- Post-Booster Breakthrough Cases Are Rare
- South Korea Tells Unvaccinated Teens to Get Shots or Face Restrictions
By Marc Siegel | Commentary
Covid-Shot Technology May Soon Treat Malaria, HIV or Even Cancer
- 5:06 a.m.Google and Uber delay office returns amid omicron uncertainty
- 4:11 a.m.Seven days: Following Trump’s coronavirus trail
- 4:03 a.m.As covid persists, nurses are leaving staff jobs — and tripling their salaries as travelers
Why hopes the Omicron variant will be less deadly may be premature
Early reports that appeared to support the common belief that viruses become less virulent over time may be hasty, scientists warn.
7 Dec 2021 - 9:12AM
Explainer | Omicron: a visual guide to the new Covid-19 variant
Scientists worldwide are racing to establish if current treatments and vaccines are effective against the new Omicron Covid-19 variant as governments try to slow its spread by tightening border controls.
7 Dec 2021 - 5:30AM
Omicron vs Delta: battle of coronavirus mutants is critical
Early data suggests the new variant could outcompete other strains to become the dominant one, though many critical questions remain unanswered.
Dozens in Denmark test positive for Omicron after Christmas lunch
Sixty-four people tested positive for the Omicron Covid-19 variant after a Christmas lunch attended by 150 people in Denmark, the latest in a string of spreading events.
Vir Biotechnology to Host a Call on Sotrovimab’s Retained Activity Against the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variant
12/07/21 at 3:55 AM EST PDF Version--Company to Host Conference Call on Tuesday, December 7, 2021, at 8:30 am ET--
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 07, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIR) announced that Management will host a conference call at 8:30 am ET, Tuesday, December 7, 2021, to discuss new data that demonstrates sotrovimab retains activity against the full combination of mutations in the spike protein of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant.
- GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK) and Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ:VIR) announce an update to preclinical data, demonstrating that sotrovimab, an investigational monoclonal antibody, retains in vitro activity against the full known Omicron spike protein, the new SARS-CoV-2 variant (B.1.1.529).
Sotrovimab
Injection, 500 mg, for intravenous use
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the Treatment of COVID-19
https://www.sotrovimab.com/
U.K. study finds mixing Pfizer, AstraZeneca's COVID-19 shots with Moderna gives better immune response - Reuters
Dec. 07, 2021 2:50 AM ET Pfizer Inc. (PFE), BNTX, MRNA, AZN NVAX
By: Mamta Mayani, SA News Editor
A British study has found that people had a better immune response when they received a first dose of AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) or Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) - BioNTech (NASDAQ:BNTX) COVID-19 shots followed by Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) nine weeks later, Reuters reports.
Vaccine hesitancy is a global crisis. Research suggests that declines in trust are to blame.
Dr. Scott Gottlieb: Southern states could be vulnerable to omicron by relying on delta immunity
Dec 6, 2021 CNBC Television
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former FDA commissioner and CNBC contributor, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the omicron coronavirus variant.
Omicron Covid cases detected in at least 17 U.S. states
Dec 6, 2021 CNBC Television
CNBC's Meg Tirrell joins 'Squawk Box' to provide an update on the omicron coronavirus variant in the U.S.
Germany mulls vaccine mandate as 4th COVID wave rages | DW News
Dec 6, 2021 DW News
With Germany struggling to contain a massive surge in COVID-19 infections, talk of a vaccine mandate is heating up. In the coming weeks, the new parliament will vote on whether to require all residents to get the jab. In the meantime, Germany's federal and state leaders have decreed that care home workers must get vaccinated. But there are concerns that the measure could lead to serious staffing shortages if care workers react by quitting their jobs.
NYC to Impose Vaccine Mandate on Businesses as Cases Rise
NYC Business Group Blasts Private-Sector Vaccine Mandate
South Africa Fuels Omicron Hope as Hospitalizations in Check
Opinion: Omicron Should Be a Wake-Up Call for the World
South Africa Fuels Omicron Hope by Dodging Hospitalization Surge
Omicron Isn’t Fueling Surge in Hospitalizations: Virus Update
Moderna’s Hoge Sees Risk Vaccines Will Struggle With Omicron
Johnson Waits for Clarity on Omicron Before Review of U.K. Rules
Omicron’s Spread Across Hotel Hall Highlights Transmission Worry
- 7:36 a.m.Snotty-nosed hippos test positive for coronavirus in Belgium, the first known cases in species
- 7:02 a.m.How scary is omicron? Scientists are racing to find answers.
Hospitals accuse the travel companies of price gouging. The companies say they are responding to the laws of supply and demand in an increasingly mobile work environment.By Lenny Bernstein
Promising drugs to treat Covid-19 from Pfizer and Merck could receive regulatory clearance in the U.S. as soon as this month, but generic versions for lower-income countries remain months away.
Cold shoulder from Western vaccine makers, but WHO in talks with China
‘Living with Covid-19’ not an option for China, government adviser says
Head of government’s panel of experts warns of ‘major epidemic, a major public health, social as well as political problem’ if China drops zero-Covid strategy.
Hong Kong set to require two-thirds of diners to have had Covid-19 jab
A source says the government plans to tighten restrictions on diners by requiring them to be vaccinated with at least one dose of a vaccine.
Early feedback on Omicron severity ‘encouraging’: Fauci
‘Thus far, it doesn’t look like there’s a great degree of severity to it,’ says Anthony Fauci, US President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser.
6 Dec 2021 - 1:18PM
India: Over 50% of adult population now vaccinated against Covid
1 in 15 Africans fully vaccinated: Discrimination risks leaving Africa behind
The new “first in the nation” vaccine requirement will go into effect Dec. 27, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
- Pfizer, Merck Pills Are Coming Soon to U.S.
- Post-Booster Breakthrough Cases Are Rare
- South Korea Tells Unvaccinated Teens to Get Shots or Face Restrictions
- Video: NYC Requires Private-Sector Shots
140 Research Studies Affirm Naturally Acquired Immunity to Covid-19: Documented, Linked, and Quoted
BY PAUL ELIAS ALEXANDER OCTOBER 17, 2021 PUBLIC HEALTH
December 4, 202110:06 PM EST Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals
Australia regulator approves Pfizer vaccine for children 5-11
By Lidia Kelly MELBOURNE, Dec 5 (Reuters)
- Australia's medicine regulator on Sunday provisionally approved the Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) - BioNTech's (NASDAQ:BNTX) coronavirus vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11, Reuters reports.
Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Booster, Administered Six Months After Two-Dose Regimen of BNT162b2, Shows Substantial Increase in Antibody and T-cell ResponsesPreliminary Phase 2 study and a sub-study demonstrate value of mix-and-match approach; Johnson & Johnson booster increased neutralizing and binding antibodies, similar to boosting with BNT162b2, and showed strong increase in T-cell responses
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., DECEMBER 5, 2021 – Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) (
https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/stocks/jnj/dividend-history
https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/JNJ
CHMP recommends EU approval of Actemra/RoActemra to treat patients with severe COVID-19
- Actemra/RoActemra reduced the risk of death in patients with severe COVID-19, as evidenced by a review of four phase III studies
- The European Commission is expected to make a final decision regarding approval in the near future
- https://www.actemra.com/
Basel, 06 December 2021 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY)
https://www.roche.com/media/releases/med-cor-2021-12-06b.htm
- The European Medicine Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has recommended extending the approval of Roche's (OTCQX:RHHBY +0.6%) RoActemra (tocilizumab) for COVID-19 patients on corticosteroids and supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation.
France battles surge in covid cases | Pandemic | Omicron | WION | English News | Europe | Top News
Dec 5, 2021 WION
The world was slowly beginning to learn and deal with the virus but once again it is Europe that has emerged as the epicenter of the pandemic. France has reported more than 50,000 cases of infections in just the last 24 hours.
UK introduces new travel rules to combat Omicron Covid variant - BBC News
Dec 5, 2021 BBC News
Travellers heading to the UK will now have to take a Covid test before their departure in an effort to limit spread of the virus, the government has said. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the tightened requirements would come into force from 04:00 GMT on Tuesday. Everyone aged 12 and over will be required to take a pre-departure test a maximum of 48 hours before leaving. Currently people only need to self-isolate until they test negative within two days of arriving.
Britain and Denmark report a rise in known Omicron cases.
U.S. says Omicron cases are likely to rise.
A new, highly contagious variant could have terrible consequences. But if it ends up causing milder symptoms than Delta, there’s a real upside.
To Deny the "Lab Leak" COVID Theory, the NYT and WPost Use Dubious and Conflicted Sources
A bizarre and abrupt reversal by scientists regarding COVID's origins, along with clear conflicts of interest, create serious doubts about their integrity. Yet major news outlets keep relying on them.
COVID-19: 'No evidence' boosters to whole population will provide greater protection from Omicron
WHO epidemiologists said the goal should be to protect those who have not received their primary course of vaccination.
Wednesday 1 December 2021 17:54, UK
novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) 病毒：新型冠状病毒 2019-nCoV
Omicron Covid variant spreads 'more than twice as fast' as Delta - BBC News
Dec 4, 2021 BBC News
Scientists in South Africa say the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus appears to spread more than twice as fast as Delta - which has so far been the most contagious. The analysis has not been peer-reviewed and the researchers say there's a lot of uncertainty. Cases are being reported all over the world, including among fully vaccinated people.
David Fickling
Q&A: Covid’s Evolution Isn’t Going to Stop With Omicron
U.K. to Require Pre-Arrival Covid Tests for All Travelers
Omicron spreads to more provinces in South Africa; Gauteng worst-hit
Scientists race to gauge omicron variant’s true threat
Is it more transmissible? Does it make people sicker? How well do vaccines fare against it? Scientists hope to have answers to some of their questions within weeks.
By Carolyn Y. Johnson and Joel Achenbach
As a virus evolves to become more transmissible, it generally “loses” traits that are likely to cause severe disease, researchers said. By Amy Cheng
Opinion by Jonathan S. Jones
By Aaron Blake
President Biden and many state and local leaders are urging Americans to wear masks and take other precautions against to the Omicron variant but are largely avoiding endorsing broad mask mandates and lockdowns.
Omicron Cases at Norway Christmas Party Provide Clues on New Variant’s Spread
With omicron pending, businesses and citizens weigh how to proceed
- The latest on omicron: What Florida needs to know about the new variant
- Florida reports 10,892 new COVID-19 cases; testing positivity remains low
DECEMBER 04, 2021 2:37 PM
How to weigh COVID-19 risks this holiday season
Physicians and experts from across the country have some advice to share.
Omicron variant likely picked up a piece of common cold virus: study
Researchers found the new strain got one of its mutations by picking up a snippet of genetic material from another virus – possibly one that causes the common cold.
4 Dec 2021 - 10:49AM
Sydney Omicron cluster grows; cases and deaths shoot up in South Korea
The number of Omicron cases in the Australian city climbed to 13 as some state governments moved to tighten their domestic border controls.
4 Dec 2021 - 6:26PM
WHO says no Omicron deaths yet as coronavirus variant spreads
The US and Australia became the latest countries to confirm locally transmitted cases of the variant, as Omicron infections pushed South Africa’s total cases past three million
4 Dec 2021 - 7:31AM
Omicron variant: Hong Kong adds Singapore and Iceland to list of high-risk nations
Both nations have confirmed their first cases of the variant, prompting Hong Kong to toughen quarantine rules for its residents returning from the countries.
3 Dec 2021 - 9:23PM
A vaccine’s value isn’t just in its peak performance.
Covid-19 test samples and wastewater are helping health officials figure out how widely the Omicron variant might be spreading in the U.S. Another factor that is making cases easier to find: a glitch in a commonly used test.
Is it more transmissible? Does it make people sicker? How well do vaccines fare against it? Scientists hope to have answers to some of their questions within weeks. By Carolyn Y. Johnson and Joel Achenbach
- What we know about the omicron variant so far
- Omicron possibly more infectious because it shares genetic code with common cold coronavirus, study says
Officials punished as China races to contain Inner Mongolia outbreak
Still no sign of Omicron but country should keep up zero-Covid strategy, health expert says.
‘Zero-Covid’ strategy won’t work, says top epidemiologist leaving Hong Kong
Returning to the US this month, Professor Keiji Fukuda says banning travellers from entering the city is no long-term strategy to fight virus, new variants.
The first anti-viral pill to treat Covid-19 could be available as early as Christmas as countries ramp up the fight against Omicron.
How a Vaccine Side-Effect Database Sowed Doubt in Vaccinations
Scientist Who First Sequenced Omicron Worried by Speed of Change
Initial Hospital Data in Omicron Epicenter Shows Milder Disease
Italy Reinforces Strict Covid Rules Targeting Vaccine Holdouts
#Omicron #Covid19 #SouthAfrica
Omicron variant fuels spike in South Africa COVID infections | DW News
Dec 5, 2021 DW News
The pandemic has taken a dramatic turn in South Africa barely a week after the country's scientists flagged the discovery of a new COVID variant, Omicron. The country is now seeing a sharp increase in infections due to the newly discovered variant. Scientists say symptoms appear to be mild but Omicron is fast overtaking Delta to become the dominant strain in the country
#Omicron #Covid19 #Coronavirus
Omicron COVID variant spreading twice as fast as Delta | DW News
Dec 4, 2021 DW News
The International Monetary Fund is warning that the new Omicron coronavirus variant is likely to delay the global economic recovery from the pandemic. The fund is expecting to downgrade its forecasts for world growth this year and next. That's even though the World Health Organization says it has no evidence yet of any deaths connected to Omicron. The new variant is spreading rapidly in many countries. South Africa in particular is seeing an alarming wave of infections. More young children are being hospitalized, and authorities are concerned that people who've already had COVID-19 are being reinfected. Healthcare workers in South Africa have their hands full since scientists there first detected the Omicron variant last week. And it's been found across South Africa. Just a quarter of the population has been fully vaccinated. But it is not clear yet how far the current vaccines protect against an infection with Omicron. South Africa's public health authorities warn that more children and young adults are being hospitalized with the coronavirus. Many countries have placed new restrictions on travelers from South Africa, and even shut borders. And the Scientists who alerted the world to the Omicron variant are facing a backlash at home. Face masks are mandatory, and there are limits on the number of people who can attend indoor and outdoor gatherings. But Omicron continues its invisible race across South Africa.
'Don't panic' about Omicron Covid variant, WHO says - BBC News
Dec 3, 2021 BBC News
The world should not panic about the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 but it should prepare, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said. Reports suggest Omicron has been found in close to 40 countries. It is still unclear if the highly mutated variant is more transmissible or better able to evade vaccines.
By Ellen Francis and Hannah Knowles
Germany tightens rules that target the unvaccinated and considers a vaccine mandate amid covid spike
The change came as Germany’s public health body said the country had confirmed four cases of the omicron variant.
One in 60 people in England estimated to be infected with COVID-19: UK ONS
Even some otherwise healthy COVID patients are suffering one of the disease’s most serious complications -- circulatory crises caused by clotting that strangles blood flow to the limbs.
Jason Laughlin and Aubrey Whelan
- Omicron variant is likely to come to Philly region. This Penn lab may be the first place that spots it.
- Yes, you can get COVID-19 more than once. What to know about reinfections.
Justine McDaniel and Erin McCarthy
The third case case involves a vaccinated person with no known recent travel history. None of the three people are hospitalized, state officials said.By Ovetta Wiggins
- Omicron variant three times more likely to cause reinfection than delta, study says
- Belgium enacts new covid safety measures
Lilly's bamlanivimab with etesevimab authorized as the first and only neutralizing antibody therapy for emergency use in COVID-19 patients under the age of 12
December 3, 2021
https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lillys-bamlanivimab-etesevimab-authorized-first-and-only
https://seekingalpha.com/news/3777059-eli-lilly-covid-19-antibody-cocktail-is-now-fda-authorized-for-use-in-newborns
https://www.covid19.lilly.com/bam-ete
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Merkel’s Plea; Record Deaths in Russia: Virus Update
We Have to Live With Covid. Here’s How We Get Our Lives Back
Contractor Shot Mandate Under Assault in Texas, Georgia Hearings
Omicron Scare Haunts 53,000 NYC Anime Convention Attendees
As a virus evolves to become more transmissible, it generally “loses” traits that are likely to cause severe disease, researchers said. By Amy Cheng
By Amy Cheng
The cases were early evidence of the Omicron variant’s presence across the country.5 min read
Vaccine seekers in some states face waits of days or weeks for doses as local health officials hustle to improve access to meet surging demand.
By Alex Baumhardt, Jack Douglas, Kayla Ruble and Lenny Bernstein
By Allysia Finley | Commentary
By Ellen Francis and Hannah Knowles
A $2.5 Billion Plan to Thwart Omicron-Like Variants Is Stalled Inside the Biden Administration
A draft proposal, which Vanity Fair has obtained, calls for the U.S. to aggressively ramp up vaccination readiness efforts around the world, to make sure donated vaccines actually get administered and the virus can’t mutate freely. So far, the Biden administration has not moved on it.
BY KATHERINE EBAN DECEMBER 3, 2021
What lessons can Italy teach us about dealing with the coronavirus pandemic? | COVID-19 Special
Dec 3, 2021 DW News
It was Europe's first coronavirus hotspot. Now, Italy already has one of the strictest anti-infection regimens in the world. And with case numbers rising again, the country is barring unvaccinated citizens from much of public life.
#IndianHealthMinistry #OmicronVariant #COVID19
Omicron variant detected in India, both cases from southern state Karnataka | Health Ministry | News
Dec 2, 2021 WION
Two COVID-19 cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in India, the Health Ministry said on Thursday. Both the cases have been reported in Karnataka with the patients being two men aged 66 and 46.
#Omicron #Coronavirus #SouthAfrica
World waits for more data on omicron variant as South Africa sees sharp rise in cases | DW News
Dec 3, 2021 DW News
A top South African scientist says there has been a sharp rise in new cases in COVID-19 as the new variant omicron spreads across the country. But Dr Michelle Groome says more data is needed before any conclusions can be drawn about how infection and dangerous the variant is. So far omicron has been detected in over two dozen countries. It was first identified in Botswana and South Africa: which has now been cut off from air travel by many nations. Here in Europe, the variant has been detected in at least thirteen countries, from Norway and Germany in the north, to Italy and Portugal in the south. Researchers say they will need 2 or 3 weeks to work out whether Omicron is more transmissible than the now-dominant Delta strain, resistant to vaccines, or causes more severe symptoms than previous coronavirus variants.
More U.S. States Detect Omicron; Germany’s Battle: Virus Update
Key Omicron Findings May Be Known in Days, WHO Scientist Says
N.Y. Hospitals Fill as State Sees Most Covid Cases Since January
Virus Spread Rate Gauge at Record in South Africa Epicenter
Lionel Laurent
A Goldilocks Model for Yearly Covid Vaccinations
FDA Aims for Speedy Review of Omicron Vaccines and Drugs
The agency and drugmakers are working to develop testing and manufacturing guidelines in case they are needed for a speedy fight against the new Covid-19 variant.
- Severity Will Take More Time to Assess, Doctors Say
- Asia-Pacific Nations Use Tougher Tactics
- Omicron Puts Companies on Notice
Relentless pressure to raise vaccination rates in Europe is beginning to bear fruit, but pockets of resistance to the shots mean some countries are leaning toward general vaccine mandates.
Prior infection may not protect against Omicron COVID variant: S. Africa microbiologist
Dec. 02, 2021 5:25 PM ET Novavax, Inc. (NVAX), JNJ,PFE,MRNA BNTX By: Jonathan M Block, SA News Editor36 Comments
While the Delta variant of COVID-19 provided a layer of protection against the risk of reinfection, that doesn't appear to be the case with the Omicron variant, according to a leading South African microbiologist.
Omicron variant: Hong Kong adds Singapore and Iceland to list of high-risk nations
- Both nations have confirmed their first cases of the variant, prompting Hong Kong to toughen quarantine rules for its residents returning from the countries
- Third of Cathay’s passenger flights scheduled to depart Hong Kong International Airport cancelled
Omicron has ‘substantial’ ability to evade immunity, researchers say
Early analysis on the new variant suggests it carries a higher risk of reinfection than other strains, but the scientists say urgent questions remain.
Explainer | Why it’s too early to panic about Omicron’s ability to evade vaccines
We won’t know whether Omicron evades Covid-19 vaccines for another few weeks as scientists around the world race to find answers.
3 Dec 2021 - 2:28PM
By Amy Cheng
LIVE: CORONAVIRUSAccess to these updates is free
- 9:26 a.m.California school district will let unvaccinated students have in-person learning, defying state mandate
- 9:22 a.m.Those new covid measures Biden announced? Europe’s been doing that and more for a while.
Preparing for a long haul with the virus may help ease the anxiety of covid’s ebbs and surges.
By Alex Baumhardt, Jack Douglas, Kayla Ruble and Lenny Bernstein
Public health experts are reminding Americans that the overwhelming majority of the nation’s coronavirus cases are caused by the highly transmissible delta variant.
By Fenit Nirappil and Brittany Shammas
Delta anxiety, meet Omicron anxiety. If you’re feeling spooked by the sudden rise of the latter, remember that our tools for combatting the coronavirus are much more advanced than they were in the pandemic’s dark early days.
ELIZA BROOKE 11:04 AM ET
KATHERINE J. WU DECEMBER 2, 2021
December 3, 202110:19 AM EST Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Dec 3 (Reuters)
WHO says no evidence yet to support tailoring COVID-19 vaccines to Omicron
Germany bans unvaccinated people from shops and bars – BBC News
Dec 2, 2021 BBC News
Germany has announced sweeping new restrictions for people who have not been vaccinated against Covid. Chancellor Angela Merkel said unvaccinated people would be barred from many public places, including non-essential shops and events, unless they had recently recovered from Covid. "Culture and leisure nationwide will be open only to those who have been vaccinated or recovered," Merkel said. "We have understood that the situation is very serious and that we want to take further measures in addition to those already taken," she added. The German Chancellor also said a nationwide vaccination mandate could be imposed from February 2022, after it's been debated in parliament.
Omicron poses global risk, exposes great divide | Coronavirus Latest News | Latest English News
Dec 2, 2021 WION
The coronavirus pandemic has been referred to as the great equaliser with its impact being felt by both rich and poor for the past two years. However, with the advent of vaccines to combat the spread of the virus, a great divide has been exposed, watch this report.
#Coronavirus #Pandemic #Germany
COVID surge in Germany: Is a lockdown inevitable? | DW News
Dec 2, 2021 DW News
As Germany faces record-breaking infection numbers and fears of the omicron variant abound, Angela Merkel's designated successor Olaf Scholz is calling for a general vaccine mandate. Talking to Germany's Bild television on Tuesday, the chancellor-in-waiting said he would like to see mandatory vaccinations "not too far away in the future, so I suggest beginning of February or March." At the same time, he said that the decision would be made in the parliament, and that it would be a "matter of conscience" for individual lawmakers. Germany's Federal Medical Association also called for a vaccine mandate to put a stop to the "endless loop of lockdowns." It urged the German government to make arrangements that would apply to "all adult citizens with no medical contra-indications against a vaccine." The question of mandatory vaccination is considered controversial in Germany, partly due to forced medical treatments during the Nazi-era. Separately, spokesman for the outgoing German government Steffen Seibert said a decision on the vaccine mandate would be made "soon." According to Reuters news agency, Scholz also supported the idea of introducing so-called 2G rules for customers in retail stores, meaning they must be either vaccinated ("geimpft") or have recovered ("genesen") from COVID-19. The rules would not apply in supermarkets or drugstores. Reuters said that Scholz had pledged to make changes to the Infection Protection Act to provide "states with high infection rates with a suitable set of instruments." Scholz also introduced Major General Carsten Breuer as the head of a planned COVID crisis team to be set up when the new coalition government commences work. The team is to primarily speed up Germany's vaccination program, including the administering of booster injections. States governed by premiers from Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) called for the the protection given by vaccination to be officially recognized only for six months, the daily Rheinische Post reported, citing the waning efficacy of the vaccines after that period. Also on Tuesday, the Federal Constitutional Court ruled that the "emergency brake" imposed by the federal government from April to June was compatible with the constitution. Under the measure, districts and regions were required to implement curfews, contact restrictions and other curbs when the infection rate rose above certain levels. Several state premiers have called for similar nationwide measures to be reintroduced as Germany struggles to contain a fourth wave of the pandemic that has recently been additionally complicated by the advent of the omicron variant.
Omicron Lands in U.S. With Hospitals Still Battered by Covid
NYC Convention Visitor From Minnesota Tests Positive for Omicron
Omicron Accelerates Push for Second-Generation Covid Shots
Germany Bans the Unvaccinated From Restaurants, Bars and Shops
Merkel to Enforce ‘Lockdown for Unvaccinated’ With Covid Surging
U.S. Plans to Tighten Travel Rules Over Omicron Threat
Top Israeli Covid Officials Spar Over Mandatory Vaccination
By Dan Diamond, Lena H. Sun and Tyler Pager
By Ellen FrancisLIVE: CORONAVIRUS Access to these updates is free
- 12:12 p.m.Minnesota becomes the second state to confirm omicron infection
- 12:11 p.m.White House says ‘nothing is off the table,' including vaccine requirement for domestic air travel
- 11:20 a.m.Germany tightens rules on unvaccinated amid coronavirus spike
Calif. school district will let unvaccinated students have in-person learning, defying state mandate
Singapore reports 2 imported cases of Omicron variant
Neither patient interacted with the community and no evidence of community transmission, health ministry says.
Omicron spreading faster than other Covid-19 variants at ‘epicentre’
China speeds up research on vaccines targeting Omicron variant
Head of vaccine development group tells state broadcaster that it is necessary to be prepared.
2 Dec 2021 - 11:03PM
Novavax Statement on Omicron Variant Response Dec 2, 2021
Novavax is rapidly responding to the emergence of the latest potential threat of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of concern (VoC). The company is executing a two-pronged variant strategy.
First, Novavax is evaluating its vaccine against the Omicron variant, as the company has done for previous variants including Alpha, Beta and Delta. Second, Novavax has initiated development of an Omicron-specific vaccine construct.
Novavax is conducting ongoing studies to evaluate multiple variants, and we are encouraged by our current and ongoing data, which shows efficacy and safety against variants of interest (VoIs) and VoCs (see clinical data below). Based on this, we will evaluate whether immune responses induced by NVX-CoV2373, the company’s recombinant nanoparticle protein-based COVID-19 vaccine, will offer similar cross-protection against Omicron as seen with other variants.
Omicron: Scientists race to work out how dangerous the variant is | COVID-19 Special
Dec 2, 2021 DW News
Omicron has now been found in two dozen countries and infectious disease experts are still gathering data on the mutation. It is still unclear what kind of risk Omicron poses and how effective vaccines will be against the new heavily mutated variant. We expect to have more information on transmission within days. The measures to contain the spread though are familiar. Many countries are sealing their borders. Despite the WHO claiming it'll help very little and Dutch scientists saying the variant was already in Europe before it was first detected in a traveller from South Africa. The US has recorded its first confirmed case of the omicron variant of the coronavirus, in a vaccinated traveller who returned to California after a trip to South Africa.
Why The HIV Vaccine Is Closer Than Ever
Dec 1, 2021 CNBC
Scientists are hopeful that the mRNA technology used in the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccines could be a turning point in HIV vaccine development. Watch the video above to learn why mRNA technology seems so promising, how this research is funded and who ultimately makes the money once a vaccine is ready to go to market.
Every Dec. 1, the world commemorates those who have died from an AIDS-related illness. Known as World AIDS Day, it serves as a reminder that there has been an ongoing pandemic for the past 40 years, pre-dating Covid. The Covid vaccines were sequenced, developed and approved in the U.S. in record time, but that would not have been possible without decades of work by HIV researchers. “Almost everybody working on Covid vaccines comes from the HIV world,” said Mitchell Warren, executive director of AVAC, a global advocacy group for HIV prevention. “Moderna had been working on mRNA-based HIV vaccine before SARS-CoV-2 was even known to exist.” An HIV vaccine has eluded scientists for decades. The traditional thinking around vaccines is to mimic the body’s natural immune response to a virus. The problem with HIV is the body’s natural immune response isn’t strong enough to fight the virus. This means a vaccine has to come at the problem in a different way. Scientists are hopeful that mRNA technology — the same technology used in the Covid vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech — could be a turning point. Government funding is a crucial component of all vaccine research and development. Within a few months, Operation Warp Speed allocated $10 billion to Covid vaccine research and development. By contrast, between 2000 and 2020, the U.S. government contributed $12 billion toward HIV vaccine research and development. This funding frequently goes to private companies. “Just about every vaccine that we get today was developed by some private company, even though the actual research and development may have been a shared enterprise,” said Dr. Jeffrey Harris, co-founder of the HIV Vaccine Trials Network. Public-private partnerships can have serious implications for who turns a profit and who ultimately gets access to the vaccine. Moderna and the National Institutes of Health are currently locked in a legal battle over a key patent for the Moderna Covid vaccine.
novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) 病毒：新型冠状病毒 2019-nCoV
Nations step up measures to fight Omicron Covid variant - BBC News
Dec 1, 2021 BBC News
Countries around the world have been increasing anti-coronavirus measures as they try to assess the new threat. Germany has brought forward the rollout of vaccines for children aged five to 11. Japan and Hong Kong have said they will expand travel curbs. The US is drawing up new travel guidelines that are likely to include a negative Covid test before arrival. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has been holding a special session in Geneva to start work on an international accord on tackling future pandemics.
First U.S. Case of Omicron Variant Confirmed in California
South African Scientists Sound Caution on Omicron Case Severity
Fauci Says Southern Africa Travel Ban on Omicron Is ‘Temporary’
South African Covid Daily Cases Double as Omicron Takes Hold
December 1, 20216:23 PM EST United Kingdom
UK agrees deals for 114 million more Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 doses
By Michael Holden LONDON, Dec 1 (Reuters)
Ramesh Ponnuru
Therese Raphael and Sam Fazeli
This virus has demonstrated it will not simply disappear, WHO chief on Omicron
Amid surge in COVID-19, South Korea detects Omicron cases in Nigeria flights
The CDC said the person infected with the new Covid-19 variant had returned to the U.S. from a trip to South Africa on Nov. 22. All their known contacts have tested negative for Omicron, the agency said.
There are signs the Omicron variant is more transmissible, as well as hints that vaccines help in subduing severe symptoms.
Omicron alert: India postpones resuming international flight operations
Indian experts studying scientific reports on need for Covid booster dose
Omicron threat: Here is 'countries-at-risk' list released by India
President Biden plans to tighten up Covid-19 testing timelines for travelers entering the U.S. and extend a mask mandate on airplanes and other public transportation as part of a broad administration effort to combat the Omicron variant.
The antibody treatment was effective against the variant in early laboratory studies, setting it apart from similar therapies that appear to work less well against the highly mutated strain.
President Biden is set to unveil a plan that includes at-home test kits for no cost, more access to booster shots, stricter testing of travelers coming to the United States.
By Dan Diamond, Lena H. Sun and Tyler Pager
LIVE: CORONAVIRUSAccess to these updates is free
- 7:37 a.m.Where the omicron variant has been detected around the world
- 7:12 a.m.9 questions about the omicron variant and travel, answered
On World AIDS Day, activists say the pandemic must not distract from the fight against HIV.
Preclinical Data Demonstrate Sotrovimab Retains Activity Against Key Omicron Mutations, New SARS-CoV-2 Variant
12/02/21 at 2:07 AM ESTPDF Version
– Preclinical data demonstrate sotrovimab, authorized in multiple countries around the world, retains activity against all tested variants of concern, including key mutations of Omicron –
GSK, Vir Bio's COVID-19 antibody sotrovimab retains activity against Omicron mutations
Dec. 02, 2021 3:07 AM ET GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK), VIR By: Mamta Mayani, SA News Editor1 Comment
- GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK) and Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ:VIR) announce an update to bioRxiv, with preclinical data demonstrating that sotrovimab retains activity against key mutations of the new Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant (B.1.1.529), including those found in the binding site of sotrovimab.
- https://seekingalpha.com/news/3776273-gsk-vir-bios-sotrovimab-retains-activity-against-omicron-mutations
- https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/GSK
- https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/VIR
- President Biden will announce insurance reimbursement for at-home coronavirus tests and better access to tests for those without insurance as Omicron spreads.
- His plan to combat the pandemic also includes stricter testing for U.S.-bound travelers and a mask mandate extension. Here’s the latest.
#Gravitas #OmicronVariant #SouthAfrica
Gravitas: What the world can learn from the Omicron surge
Dec 1, 2021 WION
Omicron was in Europe way before South Africa flagged it. Where did the new variant come from? Is banning flights from South Africa even helping? What should the World do? Palki Sharma tells you.
COVID: Incoming chancellor Scholz wants vaccine mandate in Germany | DW News
Nov 30, 2021 DW News
Germany could make coronavirus vaccines mandatory as early as February or March 2022, according to chancellor-in-waiting Olaf Scholz. But he insisted that the issue would be decided in parliament. Paula Piechotta (Greens), a member of the German Bundestag, told DW that many of her colleagues start to understand that Germany needs vaccination rates above 90 percent in order to prevent a fifth or a sixth COVID wave.
White House Plans to Tighten Travel Rules Over Omicron Threat
Merck’s Covid Pill Narrowly Gets Backing From FDA Advisers
BioNTech CEO Says Shots Likely Protect From Worst of Omicron
China Basks in Covid Vindication as Omicron Closes Borders
It Would Cost $50 Billion to Vaccinate the World, OECD Says
A vaccine’s value isn’t just in its peak performance; also essential to know is when, and how quickly, protection might start to decline.
Travel bans have been part of the pandemic response to new variants. The WHO is not in favor.
Researchers are evaluating the variant’s mutations and tracking infections to evaluate the threat it poses.6 min read
WHO calls decision to move forward with pandemic pact ‘cause for hope’
Member states agreed to set up intergovernmental body to negotiate and draft treaty or other pact during landmark meeting.
US to tighten virus testing measures for travellers amid Omicron
US to insist all air travellers be tested for coronavirus within one day of boarding flights, instead of current three days, regardless of vaccine status.
Just really upsetting’: Hongkongers shut out by tighter Omicron entry rules
Frenzy to extend hotel quarantine bookings, as countries get bumped up to high-risk category, follows city’s announcement of tougher measures in response to Omicron variant.
1 Dec 2021 - 11:29AM
Sydney braces for more Omicron cases; Korea sees surge in infections
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard ruled out lockdowns to contain the variant after at least two travellers visited several places in Sydney while likely infectious.
China’s zero-Covid stand vindicated as Omicron shuts borders
Omicron is ‘booster shot’ for zero-tolerance policy, observer says, as countries race to impose border and travel curbs to keep out new coronavirus variant.
Two fully vaccinated Israeli doctors get infected with Omicron variant
Opinion | Why shunning South Africa on Omicron fears is counterproductive
Phil C. W. Chan 1 Dec 2021 - 4:26AM
Should you be panicking? No, but you should be paying attention.
MONICA GANDHI NOVEMBER 29, 2021
November 30, 20218:29 PM EST Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals
Omicron variant could outcompete Delta, South African disease expert says
By Alexander Winning JOHANNESBURG, Nov 30 (Reuters)
Morgan Stanley's Matthew Harrison on Merck's Covid-19 treatment
Dec 1, 2021 CNBC Television
Matthew Harrison, a top-ranked Biotech Analyst at Morgan Stanley, joins Worldwide Exchange to discuss the spread of the omicron Covid variant and the recent treatments and vaccine news.
Global markets fall after Moderna Omicron warning - BBC News
Nov 30, 2021 BBC News
European stock markets have fallen after the boss of Moderna cast doubts on the effectiveness of vaccines against the new Omicron Covid variant. The Covid variant was first detected in South Africa, and the symptoms have been mild so far. But travel restrictions have been imposed as a precaution by places including the UK, the EU and the US. More than half of European destinations saw tourist arrivals decline. The European travel commission warned almost 9,000 travel industry jobs across the EU are at risk if restrictions return.
Moderna’s Concerns About Omicron Outlook Spark Market Slump
Regeneron CEO says Covid antibody cocktail may be less effective against omicron variant
The variant could lead to more infections among vaccinated people but they will most likely remain protected from a severe course of illness, according to the inventor of one of the first Covid-19 vaccines.
Oxford Sees No Evidence Omicron Defeats Vaccines So Far
Merck Says Covid Antiviral Likely to Be Active Against Omicron
How a Missing Gene Led South African Scientists to Find Omicron
MarketsJ&J Nears Deal for Aspen to Make Own-Brand Vaccine for Africa
A union-backed group is urging the U.S. government to investigate.
Omicron Variant Could Undo London’s Return to Office
Bali Was Slammed With Tourists Before Covid. Now It’s Slammed Without.
Travel destinations that strained under crowds of visitors before the pandemic now confront the possibility they won’t be back for years. “This is a lesson for us. We can’t stay so dependent on tourism.”
The report, based on once-secret pricing data and published in the journal Radiology, found that thousands of hospitals didn’t report their prices despite a new federal requirement.
U.S. stock indexes fell and investors sheltered in government bonds after drugmakers raised concerns that Covid-19 vaccines won’t work as well against the new Omicron strain.
The variant could lead to more infections among vaccinated people but they will most likely remain protected from a severe course of illness, according to the inventor of one of the first Covid-19 vaccines.31 min ago4 min read
- FDA Moving to Authorize Pfizer-BioNTech Booster for 16-, 17-Year-Olds
- FDA Advisers Reviewing Merck Covid Pill
- Antibody Drugs Challenged by Omicron
Why the Omicron Variant Is Concerning Scientists
- The variant was found in a test sample from Nov. 19 in the Netherlands, a week before the W.H.O. labeled it a “variant of concern.”
- Little is known yet about how transmissible Omicron is, but its discovery in southern Africa has created another uncertain moment in the pandemic. Here’s the latest.
Why Omicron is the most worrying Covid variant yet
Nov 30, 2021 Guardian News
The discovery of a new and potentially vaccine-resistant Covid variant has concerned governments and unnerved markets around the world. Omicron has prompted the return of border closures and mandatory testing and mask wearing as countries attempt to slow its spread.The number of mutations on its spike protein - the part of the virus vaccines use to prime the immune system - has concerned scientists, but it will take weeks to determine the extent of the threat Omicron poses. The Guardian's science correspondent Linda Geddes explains
Omicron variant in Europe earlier than thought - BBC News
Nov 30, 2021 BBC News
The new Covid variant Omicron was present in the Netherlands earlier than previously thought, officials have said. It was identified in two test samples taken in the country between 19 and 23 November, which is before the variant was first reported by South Africa. It is not clear whether those who took the tests had visited southern Africa. Oxford University has said there is no evidence vaccines would not prevent severe disease, but earlier Moderna jolted markets when it said Covid jabs were unlikely to be as effective against Omicron.
Regeneron: Antibody cocktail is less effective against omicron
Nov 30, 2021 CNBC Television
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals CEO Leonard Schleifer on Tuesday said the company’s Covid-19 treatment may be less effective against the heavily mutated omicron variant of the virus. Regeneron’s Covid treatment is a cocktail of two monoclonal antibodies administered in a hospital or clinic intravenously to treat patients at risk of developing a severe case of the disease. The Food and Drug Administration approved it for emergency use last year. “Our cocktail, certainly one of the antibodies, should take a hit, the other one, maybe less,” Schleifer told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Tuesday. “We started with very potent antibodies, so we have to look at how much the hit is, but more importantly, we have to get ready for the next one,” he said. Regeneron, in a statement earlier Tuesday, said the mutations present in the omicron variant “indicate that there may be reduced neutralization activity of both vaccine-induced and monoclonal antibody-conveyed immunity,” including the company’s antibody cocktail. The company pointed out, however, that there isn’t yet any data directly testing the impact of omicron on vaccines and monoclonal antibodies. Schleifer said the antibody cocktail remains very effective against delta, the predominant variant in the U.S. He said Regeneron has started a clinical trial on an antibody that looks promising. “Just like vaccines are going to have to adapt, we’re probably going to constantly have to adapt our monoclonals and we have a large repertoire of them, and then we’re going to have to keep cycling them,” Schleifer said. The omicron variant of the virus that causes Covid-19 has more than 30 mutations to the spike protein, which is the mechanism the virus uses to bind to human cells. Some of the mutations are associated with higher transmission and lower antibody protection, according to the World Health Organization. While omicron is believed to be more infectious than past variants, its exact impact on the strength of vaccines is unclear. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told CNBC on Monday that vaccines could be less effective against omicron, but more data is needed. The WHO and scientists have also said it could take weeks to understand whether omicron is likely to cause severe illness or escape protection against immunity induced by vaccines. Vaccine makers are already preparing for a situation where their current shots are less effective against the new variant, with several companies announcing Monday that they had begun work on vaccines tailored for omicron.
#OmicronVariant #COVID19 #SouthAfrica
Omicron, new COVID-19 variant sparks travel bans, worries scientists| COVID-19 Strain | South Africa
Nov 30, 2021 WION
The discovery of a new and potentially more transmissible coronavirus variant by South African health authorities has sparked a forceful reaction across the world. An epidemiologist from South Africa brings you an overview of the variant.
#Gravitas #OmicronVariant #OmicronAlert
Gravitas: New Wuhan Virus variant rings alarm bells worldwide
Nov 29, 2021 WION
The new Wuhan virus variant- Omicron is ringing alarm bells worldwide. Travel restrictions are back. New clusters have emerged outside Africa. There are doubts if existing vaccines will work. Palki Sharma bring you the 5 big developments.
novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) 病毒：新型冠状病毒 2019-nCoV
Countries reintroduce travel bans over omicron variant | Coronavirus Latest
Nov 30, 2021 DW News
As concern grows over the omicron variant, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday the panicked reactions by world leaders showed the urgent need for a global accord on pandemics. He said scientists around the world are "urgently" working to determine whether the omicron variant, first identified in South Africa, is more infectious or whether vaccines are effective against it. The UN health agency chief, however, emphasized that the 194-member World Health Assembly needs to ensure that the groundwork is laid for an accord that can prevent future pandemics. US President Joe Biden on Monday said that the new COVID-19 omicron variant is "a cause for concern, not a cause for panic" in a speech at the White House. Biden said that the US would "face the new threat just as we have faced those that have come before it." He urged everyone over the age of five to get their vaccines and acquire boosters six months after their second dose. The president also encouraged people to wear masks indoors so that the country could continue on its path to normality. The new variant B.1.1.529, which the World Health Organization officially named omicron, was first discovered on November 11, 2021, in Botswana. That's just north of South Africa. Since then, B.1.1.529 has also been found in South Africa. It's mainly been diagnosed in the province of Gauteng, which includes Johannesburg and Pretoria. Scientists estimate that up to 90% of all new coronavirus cases in Gauteng may be linked to B.1.1.529. They suggest that the new variant may have spread to eight other provinces in South Africa as well. As international travelers started to test positive for the new variant, countries began to shut the borders on certain routes or take other measures to restrict travel.
Moderna chief predicts existing vaccines will struggle with Omicron
Stéphane Bancel foresees ‘material drop’ in current jabs’ effectiveness, sending stocks and oil prices lower
Jamie Smyth in Cambridge, Massachusetts THE FINANCIAL TIMES LTD
https://www.ft.com/content/27def1b9-b9c8-47a5-8e06-72e432e0838f
Stéphane Bancel says it will take several months before pharma companies can manufacture variant-specific jabs at scale
Growth could suffer a modest blow, though the scale of the damage will hinge on the potency of the strain itself, economists say.
Regeneron said its antibody drug cocktail was found to lose effectiveness against the new variant, a sign that some therapies might need modifying.
‘Unknown enemy’: Singapore tightens testing at border over Omicron concerns
- Travellers must test negative for Covid-19 within two days of their departure, and will also have to take a PCR test on arrival in Singapore
- The government will also halt introducing new quarantine-free travel arrangements and relaxing social distancing measures, health minister Ong Ye Kung said
What happens to the dead bodies of Singapore’s Covid-19 victims? Topic | Coronavirus pandemic
Moderna CEO says vaccines likely no match for Omicron variant
Moderna predicted vaccines will struggle with Omicron, which is spreading around the world and prompting nations to close their borders once again.
Omicron likely on its way but expert certain zero Covid will save China
Xu Wenbo, head of the National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, says mainstream Covid-19 tests will detect variant.
Japan confirms first Omicron infection
Japan said the patient from Namibia is staying in a medical facility and the government is aware of his close contacts.
South Africa’s Covid-19 cases could triple as Omicron spreads: expert
An infectious disease expert said hospitals could be under pressure in the next few weeks, although vaccines were still likely to confer good protection.
30 Nov 2021 - 1:47AM
Limited data impede any firm conclusions about the threat posed by omicron and whether it can evade immunity.
By Yasmeen Abutaleb and Lesley Wroughton
LIVE: CORONAVIRUSAccess to these updates is free
- 7:54 a.m.Omicron detected in Netherlands days before flight from South Africa landed, say officials
- 7:32 a.m.Regeneron’s antibody cocktail could be less effective against omicron, says maker
- Little is known about the heavily mutated Omicron variant, but nations around the world were once again quick to react in a vacuum of evidence.
- Experts worry that the globe’s disjointed reaction could hobble the ongoing response against the virus, with approaches differing widely between nations.
President Biden turned to a travel ban to buy time as the world learns more about Omicron.
N95 masks are no longer rare. But low-quality counterfeits are still being sold everywhere.
Once again, Japan closed its borders to all travelers. But there are human and economic costs.
Covid omicron variant linked to vaccine inequality, experts say
World faces an anxious wait as Covid vaccine makers prepare for omicron variant
EU medical agency says vaccine revisions for omicron could be approved in 3-4 months
Germany's rising death toll: Are new restrictions ahead? | COVID-19 Special
Nov 29, 2021 DW News
The number of infections in Germany keeps rising, raising fears the worst may not be over. As the country faces a deadly fourth wave, new restrictions and lockdowns may be on their way to keep more lives from being lost. With infections rates higher than ever and a growing number of hospitals at breaking point, the German air force has been airlifting ICU patients to regions with free beds. Many others are grieving over the lives that the pandemic has already taken in Germany.
Why the Omicron Variant Is Concerning Scientists | WSJ
1Nov 29, 2021 Wall Street Journal
Travelers have been left stuck abroad, desperately trying to get home amid a slew of cancelations, while others are scratching plans to see loved ones in other countries.By Paulina Firozi and Brittany Shammas
By Marisa Iati, Angela Fritz, Derek Hawkins and Adela Suliman
By Lesley Wroughton
Toddlers Make Up 10% of Hospital Cases in Omicron Epicenter
Doctor Who Saw Omicron Early Says Symptoms Different to Delta
Biden Cautions Against ‘Panic’ Over Omicron, Urges Boosters
NYC Advises Indoor Mask Wearing as Omicron Variant Spreads Around World
The new coronavirus variant has created another threat to the U.S. pandemic response after new Covid-19 infections reached around 90,000 a day.
Variant Drives Rise in Hospitalizations in South Africa Hot Spot
Testing has just started, but drugmakers have expressed concern that Covid-19 vaccines won’t work as well against the new strain.
Biden: U.S. Working With Vaccine Makers on Contingency Plans
Omicron: How best to stop the spread of the new COVID variant | DW News
Nov 29, 2021 DW News
Countries around the world are closing their borders in an effort to stop the spread of the omicron coronavirus variant. That's despite World Health Organization advice to keep borders open and focus on testing and tracing. Japan is the latest country to bring in new restrictions - banning all foreign arrivals starting Tuesday. Morocco has stopped all inbound flights, and Israel has closed its borders for two weeks. Other countries, including the US, Brazil, Australia, Indonesia and the European Union have barred entry from southern African countries - or imposed strict quarantine measures and partial lockdowns. The Netherlands has recorded cases of the Omicron variant. All while the world is still battling the Delta variant. For example in Germany: With some hospitals at capacity, the German army is transferring COVID-19 patients around the country - to any hospital with a free bed. Now Germany also has confirmed cases of Omicron. To slow the variant, the world is going back to familiar measures like curfews, travel restrictions - testing and tracing. But one important tool has not been fully utilized: Vaccination. On the other side of the equator, a similar message: South Africa is calling on its people to get vaccinated. Omicron was first detected in the southern countries of Africa. Little to nothing is known about the new variant, how infectious or dangerous it is. But since its discovery, flights from that part of the world have been cancelled or delayed. Travel bans have been imposed on several southern African countries. And tourists are struggling to get home. Those bans are unjustified, say South African leaders. Manufacturers say they have plans in place to adapt their vaccines, if necessary, but first they need to learn more about the Omicron variant.
What do we know about the new coronavirus variant Omicron?
Nov 29, 2021 South China Morning Post
A new coronavirus variant Omicron first identified in South Africa on November 24, 2021, has been named “a coronavirus variant of concern” by the World Health Organization (WHO). Since its discovery, it has been spreading around the world, including to locations in Asia, Europe and Australia. The new strain, also known as B.1.1.529, is the most mutated form of the virus recorded so far and the fifth variant to be given a special designation. It is not yet clear whether Omicron is more transmissible than previously identified variants and the severity of related cases, including among vaccinated people, is also not yet fully understood. But the WHO has suggested that Omicron may be able to reinfect those who have recovered from Covid-19 infections, and many nations banned flights from countries in southern Africa.
Covid: JCVI scientists to announce decision on booster rollout @BBC News live 🔴 BBC
Nov 29, 2021 BBC
The UK's vaccine advisory body is expected to announce later whether it will approve an expansion of the Covid vaccine booster programme. A third case of the Omicron variant has been found in the UK, and Number 10 has already set out measures to contain it.
The speedy discovery, announcement and global response shows a new phase in fight against Covid-19, as health officials hunt for variants that could evade vaccines.
WHO Warns of Omicron Severity; Global Travel Curbs: Virus Update
Doctor Who Saw Omicron Early Says Symptoms Different to Delta
BioNTech, Moderna Explore Omicron Versions of Shots; Shares Jump
Moderna Surges After Saying Omicron Vaccine Ready Early 2022
Norway Tightens Restrictions to Hinder Spread of Omicron Strain
CORONAVIRUS Access to these updates is free
- 7:41 a.m.Coronavirus-positive Czech president swears in new prime minister from within transparent isolation box
- 7:07 a.m.WHO, South Africa say omicron travel bans counterproductive
- 7:01 a.m.Frustrated by vaccine inequity, a South African lab rushes to replicate Moderna’s shot
By Paulina Firozi and Brittany Shammas
By Yasmeen Abutaleb, Fenit Nirappil, Rachel Roubein and Rachel Pannett
- Some experts are pointing hopefully to early signs that the variant may cause only mild illness, but they are watching emerging data closely.
- The variant has been found in at least a dozen countries, and a growing list of nations have enacted new restrictions. Here’s the latest on the pandemic.
Tracking the coronavirus variants: Here’s how the pandemic has evolved over time.
As the Omicron variant circles the globe, some experts say travel bans may do more harm than good.
Update on Omicron
28 November 2021 Statement Reading time:
On 26 November 2021, WHO designated the variant B.1.1.529 a variant of concern, named Omicron, on the advice of WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution (TAG-VE). This decision was based on the evidence presented to the TAG-VE that Omicron has several mutations that may have an impact on how it behaves, for example, on how easily it spreads or the severity of illness it causes. Here is a summary of what is currently known.
https://www.who.int/news/item/28-11-2021-update-on-omicron
Omicron mutations double that of Delta, Italian lab image shows
Image created in Rome shows 43 spike protein mutations, compared to 18 for Delta. But how dangerous the new variant is remains to be seen.
29 Nov 2021 - 12:11AM
Why the WHO skipped ‘Nu’ and ‘Xi’ to name latest coronavirus variant
The health body says one is confusing and the other is a common last name.
Coronavirus: Malawi president blasts ‘Afrophobic’ virus travel bans
Travel bans now imposed on SADC countries by the UK, EU, US, Australia, and others are uncalled for. Covid measures must be based on science, not Afrophobia,’ Lazarus Chakwera said.
Coronavirus: more Omicron variant cases pop up around world
Many governments rushed to close their borders even as scientists cautioned that it is not clear if the new variant is more dangerous than other versions of the virus.
A historic WHO meeting, with only one thing on the agenda
European leaders have been pushing for a global agreement to help guard against future health crises but some countries balk at giving the UN body more power.
28 Nov 2021 - 9:25PM
China to ‘wait, see and keep up zero-Covid rules’ for Omicron
Close watch to be kept on new coronavirus variant but it’s too early to make conclusions, Zhong Nanshan says.
28 Nov 2021 - 8:00PM
The variant’s emergence in South Africa has driven a sharp increase in Covid-19 hospitalizations in Gauteng province over the past two weeks, although fewer patients are being treated for severe disease.
Some hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare providers are preparing to operate without up to a third of their staff at the start of next year, if those workers don’t comply with a federal mandate to get vaccinated.
#Switzerland #Covid19 #Referendum
Switerland votes on COVID-19 restrictions in national referendum | DW News
Nov 28, 2021 DW News
Swiss voters have turned out in near-record numbers for a referendum on the national COVID-19 restrictions. After an unusually tense and hostile campaign, early projections show a majority favor the current law. Under it, only people who have been vaccinated, recovered or tested negative are allowed to attend public events and gatherings. The law also provides billions of Swiss francs in aid for workers and businesses hit by the pandemic. Switzerland is the first European country to put its pandemic measures to a public vote. France's minister for overseas territories is on his way to Martinique and Guadeloupe, following days of violent protests on the Caribbean islands. The French government has vowed a firm response to the unrest. Local opposition to COVID-19 measures imposed by Paris, is adding to longstanding grievances over representation and living standards.
#Omicron #Covid19 #SouthAfrica
Omicron travel bans: Do we know it came from South Africa? | DW News
Nov 28, 2021 DW News
Authorities around the world are rushing to contain the new omicron coronavirus variant. There's evidence it's already spreading globally. Germany has detected two cases in Munich among passengers arriving on a flight from South Africa. Researchers say it could be the most contagious form of the virus so far, and it might even be resistant to current vaccinations. Dozens of countries have shut down air travel from South Africa and neighboring nations including Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It was bad news for at least 60 passengers who tested positive for COVID-19 after flying to Amsterdam from South Africa. Officials are carrying out further testing to find out if they are infected with the new omicron variant. The UK has confirmed its first cases and is reintroducing restrictions for travelers until more is known about the strain. The World Health Organization has called omicron a variant of concern - with scientists still unclear about its potential dangers. As travelers scramble to leave South Africa, officials there have criticized the world's reaction to the discovery of the new variant. The foreign ministry said it was being punished rather than applauded for detecting Omicron. Australia, Japan and Canada were among a number of other countries which announced travel restrictions - as the world faces another festive season plagued by pandemic woes.
Italy’s First Omicron Carrier Probably Arrived Two Weeks Ago
New York City May Be at Start of Winter Surge of Covid-19
Julian Lee
New Covid Variant Puts Pressure on OPEC Oil Producers
Omicron Cases Mild So Far; NYC Outbreak Worsens: Virus Update
Air passengers have new variant in Netherlands
Thirteen people who travelled from South Africa to the Netherlands have tested positive for Omicron.
- How worrying is the new Covid variant?
- Covid variants: Do we need new vaccines yet?
- South Africans fear impact of new variant measures
Scientists are closely watching a new variant circulating in South Africa - but there are few clear answers.
Erin Doherty Nov 27, 2021 -
Doctor who helped detect new COVID-19 variant calls its symptoms unusual but mild - The Telegraph
Nov. 27, 2021 9:09 PM ET Pfizer Inc. (PFE), BNTX, MRNA, JNJ AZN By: Dulan Lokuwithana, SA News Editor400 Comments
- The first South African physician to raise the alarm over the new COVID-19 variant in South Africa called its symptoms unusual but mild, according to The Telegraph.
- https://seekingalpha.com/news/3774704-doctor-who-helped-detect-new-covid-19-variant-calls-its-symptoms-unusual-but-mild-the-telegraph
Omicron: The latest from around the world on the new COVID variant | DW News
Nov 28, 2021 DW News
Scientists are racing to assess the threat from the new coronavirus variant Omicron. Cases have surfaced in several countries - including Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy and Australia. Dutch authorities have also confirmed 13 Omicron infections among airline passengers who arrived from South Africa – which first sounded the alarm. Governments around the world have imposed restrictions on travel from southern Africa. Scientists are still unclear how infectious Omicron might be, and whether current vaccines will remain effective. Once again, it feels like the world is racing to catch up with the pandemic. The UK banned flights from southern Africa and still found omicron in its midst. The list of countries affected is growing while the research has just begun. Germany was already facing its worst wave of infections. Now omicron has been found in travelers arriving from South Africa, threatening to put even more strain on the healthcare system. Israel has certainly heard that wake-up call. With one confirmed case of the variant and several more suspected, it is shutting its borders to all foreign travelers for two weeks and phone surveillance technology will be used to keep track of infected people. They're the most drastic measures announced by any nation so far in the wake of this new development.
Air passengers have new variant in Netherlands - BBC News
1Nov 28, 2021 BBC News
The new coronavirus variant Omicron has been detected in 13 people who arrived in the Dutch capital Amsterdam on two flights from South Africa. They are among 61 passengers who tested positive for coronavirus. It comes as tighter restrictions come into force in the Netherlands, amid record Covid cases and concerns over the new variant. This includes early closing times for hospitality and cultural venues, and limits on home gatherings.