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Covid-19 pandemic: Omicron prompts nixed events, tightened curbs

The number of Omicron cases is doubling in 1.5 to 3 days in areas with community transmission, the WHO said

Bs_logoCovid-19, Christmas, Netherlands, Omicron, Europe, Pandemic
People on the last Saturday before Christmas in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Dutch urban centres were largely deserted on Sunday as the country began a snap lockdown that left people’s Christmas plans in disarray (Photo: Reuters)
Reuters London
3 min read Last Updated : Dec 20 2021 | 12:16 AM IST
The Netherlands went into lockdown on Sunday and the possibility of more Covid-19 restrictions over the Christmas and New Year period loomed over several European countries as the Omicron coronavirus variant spreads quickly.

UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid declined on Sunday to rule out the chance of further Covid-19 restrictions before Christmas. When asked whether he could guarantee a so-called circuit-breaker lockdown wouldn’t be imposed within days, he replied: “There are no guarantees in this pandemic. At this point, we just have to keep everything under review.” Javid said the government was taking the “sobering” advice of its scientists seriously, was watching the data on an “almost hourly basis” and would balance that against the broader impact of restrictions on areas such as businesses and education.

Some Broadway shows had to be cancelled and NBC variety programme Saturday Night Live had to send most of its cast home and shoot without studio audience, reminiscent of the last year, because of a Covid scare among its cast.

In Italy, the government is considering new measures to avoid a surge in infections during the holiday period, local newspapers reported on Sunday. After holding a meeting with ministers on December 23, Prime Minister Mario Draghi could mandate that people who have been vaccinated also show a negative test to access crowded places, including discos and stadiums, daily Corriere della Sera reported.

Israel’s cabinet weighed banning travel with the US, Canada and eight other countries to try to mitigate the local spread of the omicron variant of Covid-19. If approved, the new restrictions will go into effect at midnight Tuesday, the Health Ministry said in a statement. 

Dutch urban centres were largely deserted  as the country began a snap lockdown that left people’s Christmas plans in disarray.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced the shutdown on Saturday evening, ordering the closure of all but essential stores, as well as restaurants, hairdressers, gyms, museums and other public places from Sunday until at least January 14.

Omicron, a very contagious variant first detected last month in southern Africa and Hong Kong, has raced around the globe and been reported in 89 countries, the World Health Organization said on  Saturday.

The number of Omicron cases is doubling in 1.5 to 3 days in areas with community transmission, the WHO said, noting that much is still not known about the variant.

While the Netherlands took the plunge and shut down much of public life to prevent its healthcare system from being overwhelmed by an expected surge in cases, several other European governments are considering more curbs — at a time when people are normally spending money on shopping, entertainment and travel.

Javid said Johnson was not too politically weak to bring in further curbs if necessary.

Topics :CoronavirusCoronavirus VaccineCoronavirus Tests

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