US pandemic advisor sees bleak winter as Omicron rages – latest updates

Covid-19 has infected more than 275M people and killed over 5.3M worldwide. Here are some of the latest coronavirus-related developments:

Some 50 million Americans who are eligible for vaccines are still unvaccinated. (Reuters)

Monday, December 20, 2021

US advisor says Omicron might cause a bleak winter

Top US pandemic advisor Anthony Fauci has warned of a bleak winter ahead as the Covid-19 Omicron variant spurs a new wave of infections globally, sparking restrictions and concerns over hospital capacity.

"One thing that's very clear... is (Omicron's) extraordinary capability of spreading," Fauci told NBC News. "It is just... raging through to the world."

Since it was first reported in South Africa in November, Omicron has been identified in dozens of countries, prompting many to reimpose travel restrictions and other measures.

Fauci also cautioned against too much optimism over Omicron's severity, noting that in South Africa, while the hospitalisation-to-case ratio is lower than with Delta, this could be due to underlying immunity from widespread previous infections.

While a little over 70 percent of the US population has had at least one shot, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, another 50 million eligible people remain unprotected, Fauci said.

"It's never too late to get vaccinated, and if you're vaccinated, go get boosted," Fauci told US broadcaster CNN, adding that continuing to wear masks and get regular testing – another area the Biden administration is investing in – are also key to avoiding infection.

"With Omicron... it is going to be a tough few weeks to months as we get deeper into the winter."

Israel set to ban travel to the US

Israel's Health Ministry has recommended banning Israelis from travelling to the United States, and added several European countries to its Covid "red list", aimed at containing the Omicron variant's spread. 

Barring US travel for Israeli citizens and residents would mark a significant step for Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's government, given the hundreds of thousands of dual nationals and close ties between the countries.

He said Israel had gained "precious time" by curbing travel immediately after the Omicron variant was detected in South Africa last month.

US Senators Warren, Booker test positive 

US Senators Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker have tested positive for Covid-19 and were experiencing mild symptoms amid a nationwide surge in coronavirus cases.

Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, 72, said on Twitter she is vaccinated and boosted and regularly tested for Covid-19, and "while I tested negative earlier this week, today I tested positive with a breakthrough case."

Booker, 52, a New Jersey Democrat, said on Twitter he had learned Sunday of his positive test "after first feeling symptoms on Saturday."

Other senators who previously tested positive and recovered include Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.

NHL puts Beijing Olympics participation in doubt

The National Hockey League has suspended all games involving cross border travel between Canada and the United States, putting in doubt the players ability to participate in the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

The league was scheduled to take a three-week break in February so the NHL could take part in the Winter Games for the first time since 2014 in Sochi, but with close to 40 games postponed due to Covid-19 outbreaks, the league might now have to use that time to get the regular season schedule back on track.

The league said it is expected to make a decision on the Olympics in the coming days.

Asia's stock and oil prices suffer as Omicron spreads

Asian share markets fell and oil prices slid as surging Omicron cases triggered tighter restrictions in Europe and threatened to drag on the global economy into the new year.

A seasonal lack of liquidity made for a bumpy start and S&P 500 futures led the way with a 0.7 percent drop, while Nasdaq futures shed 0.6 percent.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan slipped 0.4 percent and Japan's Nikkei 0.7 percent.

Source: TRTWorld and agencies

 

 

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