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 Sydney Omicron outbreak could peak by late Jan, modelling shows
The Omicron outbreak in Australia's most-populous state could peak
by the end of January, official modelling showed on Friday, as
authorities reinstated some restrictions in a bid to slow the record
spike in infections. New South Wales state has clocked more than
100,000 cases over the past three days.
State Premier Dominic Perrottet postponed non-urgent surgeries and
reinstated a ban on singing and dancing in clubs and pubs including
in Sydney, the state capital and home to more than 5 million people.
Japan set to declare curbs in 3 regions hosting U.S. bases
Japan is set to declare quasi-emergency measures in three regions on
Friday to stem a COVID-19 surge that some officials have linked to
U.S. military bases in the country. Governors of the prefectures had
requested the quasi-emergency steps, which include limited opening
hours for bars and restaurants, after seeing a surge in cases,
driven by the Omicron variant.
The southern island chain of Okinawa, host to 70% of U.S. military
facilities in Japan, has been the hardest hit so far, in what
appears to be the nation's sixth wave of the pandemic.
Omicron may be less severe in young and old, but not 'mild' - WHO
The more infectious Omicron variant of COVID-19 appears to produce
less severe disease than the globally dominant Delta strain, but
should not be categorised as "mild", World Health Organization (WHO)
officials said. There appears also to be a reduced risk of severity
in both younger and older people, Janet Diaz, WHO lead on clinical
management, told a media briefing from WHO headquarters in Geneva.
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 WHO director general Tedros
Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned against complacency,
though. "Just like previous variants, Omicron is
hospitalising people and it is killing people."
Chicago public schools cancel classes again in
teacher walkout
Chicago Public Schools, the third-largest U.S. education district,
cancelled classes for a second day amid a walkout by teachers
demanding tougher COVID-19 protection measures, although city
officials insisted schools are safe.
The stalemate, idling some 340,000 students, came after the
teachers' union voted to reinstate virtual instruction and pushed
for more rigorous safety protocols, including wider testing, citing
the rapid spread of the highly infectious Omicron variant in recent
weeks.
Austria shortens quarantine, presses ahead with mandatory jabs
Austria will impose new COVID-19 measures from Saturday and the
government is still working on a draft law to make vaccinations
compulsory from Feb. 1 as the highly contagious Omicron variant
spreads, Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on Thursday.
The new measures include shortening quarantine times to five days,
requiring people to wear masks outdoors when in crowds, and limiting
to six months the validity of vaccine certificates, officials said.
The government will also step up inspections to ensure shops are
granting access only to people who are fully vaccinated or have
recovered from COVID-19.
(Compiled by Karishma Singh; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
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