Koronawirus

Omikron is already the dominant variant of the coronavirus in London, and will become one in another three regions of England within three to four days, according to data published yesterday by the British Health Safety Agency (UKHSA).more

Furlough could return if tougher Covid restrictions are needed to tackle the Omicron variant, a Treasury source has said. more

As a reminder: from December 15, every person who comes to Poland from outside the Schengen area will have to test for Covid-19 - regardless of whether they have been vaccinated or not.more

Concerns have been raised about the rising number of coronavirus cases in the lead up to the festive period as the new Omicron variant spreads.more

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) today published recommendations that a booster dose of Johnson & Johnson's single-dose Covid-19 vaccine may be considered at least 2 months after the first dose in people aged 18 years and older.more

Thousands of people were unable to order Covid home testing kits on Monday despite new daily testing rules coming into force on Tuesday.more

At a press conference yesterday, Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced that the restrictions in place since last month, introduced due to high rates of coronavirus, would be extended until 14 January.more

The House of Commons last night approved the covid 'Plan B' for England in full - despite a record number of Conservative MPs voting against their own government in the covid certification vote.more

As many as 59,610 coronavirus infections have been detected over the past 24 hours in the UK, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reported yesterday. This is the highest daily tally since 9 January this year and the fifth highest since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.more

Pfizer today announced that laboratory tests of the company's Paxlovid drug developed for Covid-19 suggest that it is also effective against the Omicron variant of coronavirus. Clinical trials have shown the drug to be 89 per cent effective in preventing hospitalisation.more

People in Scotland should limit social contact before and after Christmas to three households due to the spread of a variant of the Omikron coronavirus, Scottish Chief Executive Nicola Sturgeon announced yesterday.more

The British government is considering closing all pubs in England and banning New Years parties amid record numbers of infections with the new coronavirus variant. At the same time, British business owners accused the government of "quietly implementing a lockdown".more

UK residents who want to keep a valid covid passport will have to have not only the first two doses of the vaccine, but also a booster dose, said Health Minister Sajid Javid.more

Clinical trials for a new needle-free coronavirus vaccine begin in the UK. According to the researchers, due to a different action, it could provide "a great deal of protection against current and future variants"more

Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store announced yesterday, among other things, a ban on the sale of alcohol in drinking establishments, and also directed the military to help with the vaccination against Covid-19. The fjord country has the fastest growing number of infections with the coronavirus in Europe.more

Thousands of new London cases as variant spreads at breakneck speed.more

The Omicron variant now accounts for more than 20 per cent of all coronavirus infections in England, and in London it is already 44 per cent and will become the dominant variant there in the next 48 hours, UK health minister Sajid Javid announced yesterday.more

A second study confirmed on Monday that two doses of AstraZeneca or Pfizer offers little protection against getting infected with Omicron – and in some cases none at all.more

New Zealand's health ministry is investigating the case of a man who took 10 doses of Covid-19 vaccine in one day by impersonating other people, national public radio RNZ reported. The man was most likely receiving money from the people on whose behalf he was vaccinating.more

Boris Johnson has said he "certainly broke no rules" as questions continue to plague the government over parties during lockdown last Christmas. A picture published in the Sunday Mirror showed the PM at a virtual quiz in Downing Street, appearing on screen alongside two colleagues.more

The NHS will have to postpone some planned appointments to meet the target of giving every adult in England a booster jab by the end of the year. more

There is again a "race between the virus and the vaccine" as the Omikron variant spreads in the UK, Health Minister Sajid Javid warned today. He reported that around 10 people are in hospitals because of the new variant.more

People in England began working from home again on Monday as efforts to stop the spread of Omicron ramped up. more

During the weekend, demonstrations against pandemic restrictions and vaccination obligations were held in several German cities. During Saturday's protest in Greiz (Thuringia), 14 policemen were injured, the daily "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" informed yesterday.more

All UK adults are expected to have a booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine by the end of this year, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced in a speech to the nation yesterday evening.more