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 Governments made urgent pleas for citizens to vaccinate as Omicron
emerges as the dominant variant, upending reopening plans that many
had hoped would herald the start of a post-pandemic era and
unnerving financial markets.
Germany, Scotland, Ireland, the Netherlands and South Korea have
reimposed partial or full lockdowns or other social distancing
measures in recent days.
Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic and Spain were among European
countries due to consider new curbs on Wednesday.
Omicron was first detected last month in southern Africa and Hong
Kong. Studies indicate the variant is more resistant to vaccines
developed before it emerged.
However, the new South African study suggested reduced risk of
hospitalisation in people infected with Omicron compared with Delta,
although the authors said some of the reduction was likely due to
high population immunity.
The study by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD)
and major universities, which has not been peer-reviewed, compared
data about Omicron in October and November with data about Delta
between April and November, all in South Africa.
The authors found that the risk of hospital admission was roughly
80% lower for those infected with Omicron compared with Delta, and
that for those in hospital the risk of severe disease was roughly
30% lower.
They also included several caveats and cautioned against jumping to
conclusions. Results of a study by Imperial College London released
last week showed there was no sign that Omicron was milder than
Delta.
Many scientists around the world believe that booster shots are key
to limiting the severity of infection.
"We are seeing a waning of protection against Omicron infection.
This wave is growing in surprisingly high numbers... More than 80%
of the panel supported this measure," Arnon Shahar, a doctor on an
Israeli Health Ministry expert panel, told Israel's Army Radio of
the second booster shot campaign.
To go into effect, the recommendations must be approved by the
ministry's director-general, Nachman Ash. The ministry did not say
when that might happen.
France said it could soon have around 100,000 new COVID-19 cases a
day, up from around 70,000 currently as the country battles a fifth
wave of the epidemic.
More than 275.18 million people have been reported to be infected by
the coronavirus globally and nearly 5.7 million have died, according
to a Reuters tally.
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 'LIFE AND DEATH'
Infections have been reported in more than 210
countries and territories since the first cases
were identified in central China in December
2019.
U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday promised
half a billion free rapid COVID-19 tests and
warned the quarter of American adults who are
unvaccinated that their choices could spell the
"difference between life and death".
Singapore will freeze all new ticket sales for
flights and buses under its programme for
quarantine-free travel into the city-state from
Thursday to Jan. 20.
Japan reported its first suspected case of
community transmission of Omicron on Wednesday
while India has urged its states to prepare for
surges and allowed them to impose restrictions
on crowds and gatherings.
 Countries are also looking to shorten the time
between second vaccination shots and boosters.
However, wary of public lockdown fatigue, there
is reluctance to return to last year's strict
curbs.
Australia on Wednesday reported more than 5,000
daily infections for the first time during the
pandemic. Despite the surge, Prime Minister
Scott Morrison on Wednesday repeated strict
lockdowns would not be brought back.
There was also resistance to new lockdowns in
South Korea, where authorities announced
restrictions on gatherings and operating times
for restaurants, cafes and bars.
Small business and restaurant associations
issued statements protesting the decision and
calling for compensation, with one of the groups
vowing to stage a demonstration on Wednesday.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he
would not introduce new COVID-19 curbs in
England before Christmas, but warned the
government might need to act afterwards.
Governments have stepped up vaccination and
treatment efforts with the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration set to authorise COVID-19
treatment pills from Pfizer Inc and Merck,
Bloomberg News reported.
Policymakers are scrambling to address the
economic hit that might come from new outbreaks
with Britain announcing 1 billion pounds ($1.3
billion) of support for businesses hit hardest.
European stock indexes edged slightly higher on
Wednesday, on track for a second day of gains
even as Omicron infections surged.
Interactive graphic tracking global spread of
coronavirus: open https://tmsnrt.rs/2FThSv7
(Reporting by Reuters bureaux around the world;
Writing by Sam Holmes and Nick Macfie; Editing
by Michael Perry)
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