The British authorities do not exclude the possibility of tightening measures before Christmas. The government’s scientific advisers insist on it. According to the WHO, the “Omicron” variant has already been detected in 89 countries worldwide, and in most places the incidence of the virus is doubling every day and a half. US epidemiologists are concerned that there may not be enough space in intensive care units for new cases if Americans do not reconsider their Christmas plans. British authorities are considering the possibility of imposing additional restrictions, but no specific decisions have been made. This and other news about the spread of the coronavirus around the world is in our traditional roundup.
By all accounts, Rafael Nadal “brought” the virus from the Abu Dhabi tournament. Rafael Nadal has been diagnosed with coronavirus after returning from a tournament in Abu Dhabi. During the tournament, which also took place in Kuwait, all players were tested every two days and the Spaniard’s latest test, taken last Friday, came back negative. In his address to the fans, Nadal urged everyone to show social responsibility during this difficult time. European stock markets reacted with a decline on Monday as investors worried about the new restrictive measures being introduced around the world.
White House science advisor Anthony Fauci expects more decisive action from the Biden administration on the “Omicron” variant. The chief epidemiologist of the United States and scientific advisor to the American government, Anthony Fauci, warns that Christmas travel poses a new wave of spread of “Omicron”, even among fully vaccinated Americans. We explain quickly, simply, and clearly what happened, why it matters, and what happens next. The number of offers should remain: Episodes End of story: Podcast Advertising In the United States, the Christmas and New Year period accounts for a significant portion of annual air travel. Fauci notes that the “Omicron” strain is characterized by increased contagiousness and cautions authorities about the restrictive measures being taken in Europe. Yesterday, he announced that the country’s healthcare system is once again under threat. According to him, intensive care units in many American hospitals are already filled with patients suffering from other serious illnesses. The influx of coronavirus patients threatens to repeat the recent situation of a total shortage of space and personnel. Currently, approximately 3% of all coronavirus infections in the United States are attributed to the omicron variant, the majority of which have been detected in New York State. The revaccination campaign in the country is not progressing as quickly as officials had expected. Approximately 73% of the U.S. adult population has received at least one dose of the vaccine. In the United Kingdom, 70% of the population has received two doses and 35% has received three doses. The United States is the country hardest hit by the pandemic, with more than 50 million cases and 806.4 thousand deaths. The UK government has released new data on coronavirus incidence and mortality. In the last day, the number of newly registered cases is 91743; 44 people have died after a positive test conducted no earlier than 28 days ago. This is higher than the number announced on Sunday (about 83,000 infected), but lower than the number announced on Friday (93,000).
Christmas in the UK is once again being celebrated against the backdrop of a sharp rise in illness. Officially, families are not prohibited from gathering with extended members, but many may once again choose to forgo such an opportunity out of concern for the health of elderly family members. Similar daily indicators have been holding steady for several days in a row. Measures such as mandatory masks in shops and public transport and social distance have been reintroduced in the country, but epidemiologists say this is not enough and urge the government to take more decisive action. On Monday, a rumor circulated on British social media that the government might introduce additional restrictive measures as of December 28. It is not a complete lockdown with all establishments closed, but primarily a restriction on the operation of restaurants and bars. The government met for two hours on Monday afternoon to discuss whether to step up its response to the outbreak. After the meeting, however, Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not announce any new measures, saying only that the government was monitoring the situation closely. Downing Street advisers say the main challenge is to prevent the number of daily hospital admissions from rising. According to their calculations, if the number reaches 3,000 per day, the British National Health Service (NHS) will no longer be able to cope. The government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) has estimated that, given the current situation, the minimum daily death toll in England will be 600 and the maximum could reach up to 6,000 people. At an emergency meeting on Monday, the Premier League’s board of directors discussed the possibility of suspending the season until next year due to an increase in cases of infection among players and staff. Last weekend, six of the league’s ten matches were canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak. As a result of the meeting, it was decided not to cancel the games after all. According to official statistics, more than one million shots were administered in the United Kingdom in one day. 940,000 of these were boosters. Meanwhile, some European countries are isolating themselves from the UK. A few days ago, France introduced a travel ban on Britons without a valid reason. Ski resort owners say that another season without British tourists could result in significant economic losses and some businesses may not survive. It is estimated that British tourists make up about 40% of all visitors to French ski resorts.
In the German city of Düsseldorf, protests against new restrictive measures and mandatory vaccinations took place over the weekend. Yesterday, Germany went even further and banned all British nationals from entering the country. German citizens can return home from the UK, but only if they have a negative PCR test result and are subject to a mandatory two-week quarantine, even for fully vaccinated individuals. German authorities have made a firm decision not to impose a new lockdown and have stated that the fifth wave of infections cannot be stopped.
Switzerland on Monday announced the cancellation of the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, traditionally held at the end of January. Recent restrictions imposed by the Swiss government include mandatory work from home for services and businesses that allow such a format. Access to bars, restaurants, gyms, and other public places is strictly controlled. “Austria is also preparing to restrict entry into the country during the holiday period.”
The day before the closure, the Dutch rushed to the stores to make last-minute purchases. On Sunday, a strict lockdown began in the Netherlands, caused by the rapid spread of “Omicron”. It will last at least until January 14, but the authorities do not exclude the possibility of extending it. All shops selling non-essential goods, bars, gyms, hair and beauty salons are closed. It is not allowed to have more than two guests in the house at the same time, and no more than four during holidays. During the holidays, theaters, cinemas and other public places that do not provide essential services are closed in Denmark. Irish authorities announced that the “Omicron” variant has become dominant in the country. This is indicated by research into new cases of the disease. At this stage, the Irish government has decided to limit the opening hours of bars and restaurants to 8:00 pm. France on Monday recommended vaccinations for children aged 5 to 11. For children in this age group, only the vaccine produced by Pfizer-Biontech companies is certified.