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 Omicron infections are multiplying across Europe, the United States
and Asia, including in Japan, where a single cluster cases at a
military base has grown to at least 180.
"If you're not fully vaccinated, you have good reason to be
concerned," Biden said at the White House, where he unveiled plans
to buy 500 million rapid COVID-19 tests to be distributed for free
to Americans who request them starting in January.
Striking a dire tone about the risks to the one in four American
adults still unvaccinated, he said: "Your choice can be the
difference between life and death."
Biden also activated some 1,000 military medical personnel to
support hospitals already being overwhelmed.
Omicron now accounts for 73% of all new cases in the United States,
up from less than 1% at the beginning of the month.
Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization's European head, told a
news conference in Vienna that within weeks Omicron would dominate
in more countries of the region, "pushing already stretched health
systems further to the brink."
"We can see another storm coming," Kluge said.
Germany, Scotland, Ireland, the Netherlands and South Korea are
among countries to have reimposed partial or full lockdowns or other
social distancing measures in recent days.
Portugal ordered nightclubs and bars to close and told people to
work from home for at least two weeks from Saturday.
Nicola Sturgeon, first minister of Scotland - part of the United
Kingdom but with devolved responsibilities for health - set out
plans for further restrictions on big public events, including
sports fixtures, for three weeks after Christmas.
"It will also mean unfortunately that large scale Hogmanay
celebrations, including that planned here in our capital city
(Edinburgh), will not proceed," she said, referring to traditional
Scottish New Year parties.
New Zealand COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said his
country, which imposed some of the world's toughest COVID-19
measures, was delaying the start of a staggered reopening of its
border until the end of February.
"All of the evidence so far points to Omicron being the most
transmissible COVID-19 variant yet," he said.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Germany will introduce new steps
including limiting private gatherings for vaccinated people to a
maximum of 10 before New Year's Eve. Scholz agreed with the premiers
of the 16 federal states that big events, including football
matches, would be without spectators.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would not introduce new
COVID-19 curbs in England before Christmas, but the situation
remained extremely difficult and the government might need to act
afterwards.
[to top of second column] |
 Finance minister Rishi Sunak announced 1 billion
pounds ($1.3 billion) of extra support for
businesses hit hardest by Omicron, which is
hammering the hospitality sector and other
businesses.
'I UNDERSTAND THAT MANY ARE TIRED'
Omicron's rapid spread means many Britons are
changing Christmas plans last-minute, despite a
lack of formal curbs.
Twenty-four-year-old medical student Rebecca
Gilmore, who lost her younger brother to suicide
earlier in the year, said being apart from her
family was especially hard this year but
self-isolating with her partner was the right
thing to do.
"It means I'm protecting the most vulnerable
people," she said.
Sweden will urge all employees to work from home
if possible and impose tighter rules for social
distancing.
"I understand that many are tired of this - so
am I - but we now have a new virus variant,
which means we are in a new situation," said
Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson.
Omicron has hit financial markets hard in recent
days over fears for the global economic
recovery, but world shares gained on Tuesday,
with the dollar softening as appetite for
riskier assets made a cautious return.
Wall Street's main indexes ended sharply higher,
rebounding from a coronavirus-fueled rout on
Monday.
As of Tuesday, the variant has been confirmed in
106 countries, according to the WHO, after it
was first detected last month in southern Africa
and Hong Kong.
The severity of illness it causes remains
unclear, but the WHO warned it is spreading
faster than the Delta variant and is causing
infections in people already vaccinated or who
have recovered from the COVID-19 disease.
Israel recorded its first known death from the
Omicron variant, according to Israeli news media
which reported that an elderly man died in
Beersheba on Monday.
More than 274 million people have been reported
to be infected by the coronavirus globally since
the pandemic began nearly two years ago. More
than 5.65 million people have died.
Interactive graphic: Tracking global spread of
coronavirus:
https://graphics.reuters.com/
world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/
Eikon users can click
https://apac1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.
com/
cms/?navid=1063154666 for a case tracker.
(Reporting by Steve Holland in Washington and
Reuters bureaux; Writing by Nick Macfie and
William Maclean in London, Jane Wardell and
Sonya Hepinstall; Editing by Angus MacSwan and
Howard Goller)
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