Omicron gallops. Passed between tampons and renunciations of Christmas dinners and lunches, Europe tries to contain the wave also for New Year’s Eve but looks above all to the weeks, to the return to work and to school after the holidays. But the cases are increasing not only in EU countries. Record of infections in the last 21 months also in China.
China
Shops closed and a ban on leaving homes for hundreds of thousands of people in Yan’an, about 300 kilometers from Xi’an, the city with 13 million inhabitants in lockdown for the week to contain coronavirus infections. The Guardian reports new provisions during the situation worries the Asian giant just over a month before the start of the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing. The latest bulletin of the National Health Commission, reported by the Xinhua agency, reports 182 new cases of local transmission of Covid – 180 of which in the northern province of Shaanxi where Xi’an and Yan’an are found – 27 ‘imported’ cases and 21 related to asymptomatic patients.
Yesterday, writes the Global Times, in Xi ‘an there were 175 confirmed cases, including a newborn just 38 days old. For the authorities it is the most worrying figure since 9 December. The Guardian underlines how the data on infections in China, cases of local transmission plus “imported” ones (209), is the highest since March last year.
The fifth round of mass testing has started in Xi’an, reports the Cnn, while the Global Times points out that the city has reported 810 confirmed cases of coronavirus since the beginning of the month. The measures taken by the authorities, CNN points out, have been seen since the first outbreak reported in Wuhan. Since yesterday, restrictions have been further tightened in Xi’an.
Infectious Australia and the “human” error of a laboratory that sends wrong test results
Australia has recorded a record of over 10 thousand cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours: it is the first time since the beginning of the pandemic: the report Guardian, which quotes the Australian Associated Press. The high number of infections in the states of New South Wales (6,324), Victoria (1,999) and South Australia (842) contributed to the new record. Meanwhile, the St Vincent pathology laboratory in Sydney is again in the media spotlight for sending nearly 1,000 people wrong Covid test results: a total of 995 people received negative tests, but in reality the results of the tampons has yet to be determined. Already yesterday the laboratory had communicated negative results to 400 people when, in reality, they were all positive.
Use reduce the isolation of asymptomatic positives to 5 days
The US authorities have decided to reduce the isolation for asymptomatic Covid positives from 10 to 5 days. No quarantine is foreseen for vaccinated with dose in case of positive contacts. The measure will reduce the absences of those who carry out essential jobs, there is no lack of criticism from those who believe that with the omicron variant that is rampant and in the absence of tests, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has yielded to the conditions of the economy.
Apple closes stores in New York as the pandemic escalates
Apple stores in New York will be temporarily closed to the public, due to the increase in Covid-19 cases. Only the services for the delivery of products purchased online remain active. The provision concerns all the offices in the five areas of the metropolis.
France and the United Kingdom ready for new restrictions
France and the United Kingdom fear other records of infections and are ready for new restrictions. France – which on Christmas Eve exceeded 100,000 infections for the first time – has decided to introduce new “vaccine pass” (the equivalent of the Italian Super Green Pass) for restaurants from January 15, with the consent of parliament. , cinemas and gyms and all indoor activities. There are 30,383 new Coronavirus infections ascertained in the last 24 hours in France. This was communicated by the health authorities of the country specifying that 256 people died of Covid -19 in the same period of time.
The squeeze of Prime Minister Castex
Prime Minister Jean Castex, at a press conference after the council of ministries on video conference (in the last few hours, the Minister for Ecological Transition Barbara Pompili was also found), insisted on the intention to strengthen the shield against the virus. From today it will be possible to book the third dose of vaccine, or booster, just 3 months after the second, as decided also by Israel which has meanwhile started the administration of the fourth. Castex has also announced tougher penalties for peddling fake Green Passes.
Furthermore, from 3 January, it will no longer be possible to consume in the standing rooms but only at the table, large events will be limited to 2,000 people indoors, 5,000 outdoors, and it will return to mandatory smart working for at least 3 days a week. As happens in Italy then, Paris also reflects on the need to reduce the days of isolation of the contacts of a positive in order not to find themselves in January with a paralyzed country. For the New Year, however, the “recommendations” of Christmas were reiterated, namely to avoid large parties and gatherings, to use masks and undergo preventive tests.
United Kingdom
Britain reports 98,515 new coronavirus cases and 143 deaths. However, this is a partial one and concerns only England, as the other nations of the United Kingdom – Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – did not provide official data during the holiday period. The British government of Boris Johnson does not intend to impose any new anti-Covid restrictions between now and the end of the year, because – explained Health Minister Sajid Javid – the trend of the pandemic in the United Kingdom (almost 100,000 cases even today, but without the data from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) did not change over the Christmas period. However, Javid urged people to be open to “be cautious” ahead of the New Year celebrations, suggesting that they undergo a quick test as a precaution and celebrate where possible.
Germany, the contagion curve goes down again
In Germany, on the other hand, the curve of new infections continues to fall: 13,908 and 69 deaths in the last 24 hours according to Robert Koch Institute, which considers the data unreliable due to the delays accumulated on holidays and the fewer number of tampons. Experts and the Minister of Health have already warned that the numbers will rise again due to the Omicron variant.