This variant, already detected in dozens of countries, seems to be more infectious, but initial indicators suggest that it does not cause more severe cases.
The United States announced Tuesday that dwill distribute millions of free trials of covid before the advance of the omicron variant, which has forced several governments around the world to reimpose restrictions for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Washington also assured that it will donate to international organizations more than $ 500 million to fight the pandemic in numerous countries, while Israel announced new travel restrictions to the United States.
Amidst the fears that vaccines will not be as effective against this variant Due to its multiple mutations, the European Union’s drug watchdog said it is too early to know whether drug companies will need to develop an omicron-specific injection.
Its rapid spread throughout the world has made lGovernments reimpose restrictions before the Christmas and New Year holidays, burying hopes that the worst of the pandemic had been left behind.
The president of the United States, Joe Biden, will speak to the country this Tuesday after the White House announced that the government will distribute 500 million free tests of covid-19 and will mobilize military medical personnel if necessary.
“We have the tools to overcome this wave”, a White House official noted, noting that no new restrictions are planned.
United States too will deliver 580 million of dollars to international organizations, mainly the WHO, to fight the covid in the framework of the omicron advance, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The announcement was made after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the United States said that 73.2% of new cases registered in the country last week they corresponded to the omicron variant. Denmark said on Tuesday that this variant is also the dominant one in the country.
Biden took to Twitter Monday night to encourage people to get vaccinated and adopt security measures such as the use of masks, warning that the cases of omicron are on the rise.
Better to “celebrate late”
Faced with the spread of omicron, Israel again imposed tough restrictions.
A parliamentary committee prohibited Tuesday to citizens and residents travel to the United States, by placing it on a blacklist of more than 50 countries that also includes Belgium, Canada, Germany, Hungary, Morocco, Portugal, Switzerland and Turkey.
For his part, the director of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, asked the countries redouble your efforts to see the end of the pandemic and urged the end of the year events to be canceled.
Better “Celebrate late than celebrate now and regret later”, he said Monday.
The Spanish region of Catalonia is also considering restrictions, as Morocco announced a total ban on celebrations New year.
Holland already imposed a Christmas lockdown, and European officials have warned that omicron could be the dominant variant in Europe by mid-January.
Meanwhile, in Ecuador, the government ruled out confinement on Tuesday during the December holidays.
Scientists are rushing to learn more about omicron, first detected last month in South Africa and which has infected people with the full vaccination schedule around the world.
The head of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said that it is too early to know if a specific vaccine is necessary for omicron, it is necessary to have more information.
Anthony Fauci predicts gloomy months with the omicron variant “wreaking havoc on the world”
“There is still no answer on whether we will need an adapted vaccine with a different composition to face this (omicron) or any other variantEmer Cooke said.
His comments came as the WHO approved another vaccine on Tuesday, the signature American Novavax.
The vaccine was authorized by the European Union on Monday, the fifth accepted in the bloc after those of Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca y Johnson & Johnson.
Officials hope that the Novavax vaccine, made with more conventional technology than others, help to persuade those who have doubts about vaccination. (I)
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