The threat of Omicron is looming large over the world, promoting governments to roll out new restrictions and urge citizens to get vaccinated.
The UK meanwhile approved Pfizer’s jab for children aged five and up, while the World Health Organisation warned that getting booster shots did not mean tossing aside safety measures at end-of-year celebrations.
France on Wednesday opened vaccinations to children aged between five and 11, as it warned daily infections rates could hit 100,000 by year end up from a weekly average of 54,000 daily cases.“There is one certainty. Omicron is very contagious, it will spread, and no country will be spared,” said Health Minister Olivier Veran, emphasising that vaccines have an effect on the variant.
The government signed deals to acquire 4.25 million courses of Pfizer’s ritonavir and US rival Merck/MSD’s molnupiravir antiviral drugs, which have raised hope for an easy at-home treatment. From midnight on Thursday, residents must stay at home except to buy necessities once every two days or in emergencies. Travel to and from Xi’an is heavily monitored by health authorities and non-essential businesses will close.
Spain’s government said Wednesday it will re-impose the mandatory wearing of face masks outdoors at an unspecified future date. “No country can boost its way out of the pandemic,” he said Wednesday. “Blanket booster programs are likely to prolong the Covid-19 pandemic, rather than ending it, by diverting supply to countries that already have high levels of vaccination coverage, giving the virus more opportunity to spread and mutate.”
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