December 1 Omicron coronavirus variant news

Europe is in a race against the clock to step up its vaccination and booster programs amid concerns over the Omicron variant hitting its shores, European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said during a news briefing Wednesday.

Von der Leyen urged members states to "do everything possible to make the best out of the time we have until we have certainty about the characteristics of transmissibility and severity of Omicron."

"What is the bottom line? Hope for the best, prepare for the worst," she added.

The EU Commission put forward a coordinated EU approach on Wednesday to address the challenges from the resurgence of Covid-19 in many member states this fall.

Among the measures suggested, member states "should continue to implement a joint strategy to limit the entry of the Omicron variant into the EU, with regular, daily reviews of essential travel restrictions," the Commission said in a statement.

Doctors in South Africa have so far observed that patients with the Omicron coronavirus variant are younger and have milder cases, and those who are hospitalized are largely unvaccinated.

Mzukwa said that very few people are being admitted to the hospital and the South African health care system is not under pressure.

Asked about hospitalizations across the country, which have been seen as trending up over the last month, Mzukwa said that even in the province where the Omicron variant is concentrated, “we have not seen that much of hospitalization, all we see is that those patients that do get admitted are patients who are not vaccinated.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) has agreed to start negotiations that would pave the way for a global convention to "strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response," it said in a statement Wednesday.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the decision by the World Health Assembly was historic in nature, vital in its mission, and represented a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen the global health architecture to protect and promote the wellbeing of all people.

An intergovernmental negotiating body (INB) will draft and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement, or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, the statement added.

The INB will hold its first meeting by March next year. It will submit its outcome for consideration by the 77th World Health Assembly in 2024.

The number of unvaccinated people in Germany is still so large it risks overwhelming the country's heath system, warned Health Minister Jens Spahn on Wednesday.

Even though the number of vaccinations is on the rise, 12 million adults out of a total of 69 million in the country are still not immunized against the coronavirus, Spahn wrote on Twitter.

Spahn, who only has a few days left in the job before the incoming government is sworn in, said that so far more than 10 million booster shots have been given out. Germany aimed to double that number by Christmas, he added.

Meanwhile, people queuing for booster shots in the capital Berlin on Wednesday endured long lines with wait times of up to three hours, CNN reported. In some instances, frustrated people left the lines before receiving their shot.

Germany is battling a fourth Covid-19 wave. It also has one of the lowest vaccination rates in western Europe, with a total 68.6% of eligible adults fully vaccinated, according to the country's Health Ministry.

Welsh rugby team Cardiff Rugby plan to leave Cape Town on Thursday, after being stranded in South Africa since last week. The club has secured a charter flight and quarantine accommodation in England, it said in a statement Tuesday.

The team’s traveling contingent could not return home after South Africa was placed on the United Kingdom’s red list for travel last Friday, amid concerns over the Omicron variant.

On Sunday, the team confirmed that two players had tested positive for Covid-19, one of which is suspected to be the new coronavirus variant.

Cardiff said that both players remain in isolation from the team hotel and are in good health.

South Korea will change its United Nations Peacekeeping Ministerial Conference from an in-person event to an online one amid concerns over the new Omicron variant, the country's foreign ministry said in a statement Wednesday.

The conference was due to be held in Seoul on December 7 and 8, with more than 700 people from 155 countries participating.

The ministry said the decision was made in light of the recently discovered Omicron variant and its possible impact on South Koreans' health and safety.

All of Scotland's nine cases of the Omicron variant are linked to the same event, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Tuesday, adding that none appeared to be linked to travel with South Africa.

Scotland's outbreak makes up a large chunk of the United Kingdom's 22 Omicron cases. That includes 13 cases in England, the UK Health Security Agency told CNN Tuesday.

The outbreak comes weeks after the climate conference COP26 was held in the Scottish city of Glasgow in early November.

Thousands of delegates from across the world attended the event, though Sturgeon told a press conference Monday that it's unlikely to be linked to the Omicron cases.

Britons can continue with their Christmas party plans over the festive season, but might want to take a Covid-19 test before joining any gathering, the UK's Health Secretary Sajid Javid told local broadcasters Wednesday.

Likewise, Javid told Sky News: “I think people should continue to behave in the way they were planning to behave over Christmas, I don’t think there is any need to change those plans.”

Asked if people should take a Covid-19 test before attending Christmas parties, Javid said: “I would.”

The comments come as the UK government ramps up its booster rollout, amid concerns over the new Omicron variant. The government is aiming to offer booster shots to all eligible adults in England by the end of January.

Two of Israel’s top health officials have urged caution in the rush to report the impact of coronavirus vaccines on the Omicron variant. 

Nachman Ash, the director general of the health ministry, told listeners to Galatz radio Wednesday morning, that it was simply too early to reach conclusions.  

“There is no data at the moment that can support this or that assessment [of vaccine efficacy] and we have no choice but to wait a few days and see the data," Ash said.

Elsewhere, listeners to 103FM were hearing a similar message from Salman Zarka, the head of the government’s coronavirus advisory group.  

“The data is really at an initial stage. The information we have from South Africa is that among those hospitalized with the new variant, there are relatively more young people and fewer older people, so we cannot say anything regarding the risk to older adults,” he said. 

Zarka also reminded listeners of the fact there are several vaccines on the market, with varying performances against the virus. In South Africa, many people have been given the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, whereas in Israel the overwhelming majority have had the Pfizer/BioNTech product. 

“Of those hospitalized [in South Africa] with the new variant, some have been vaccinated and some have not. Most of those who are vaccinated probably received Johnson & Johnson, which has a lower efficacy performance than Pfizer, which is what we have in Israel,” he said. 

“There is probably initial data [from South Africa] that suggests it may be the case that the vaccine is less efficient against the new variant than it is against Delta, but even less efficient could still mean 85% or 80%. This is initial data and I don’t want to mislead the public.”  

While officials are warning against jumping to conclusions about the relationship between the vaccine and the new variant, Ash said one characteristic of the Omicron variant was already becoming clear. 

The director general of Israel's health ministry added that there are conflicting reports regarding the severity of the disease, and whether or not there are more hospitalizations. "As for the vaccine, as I said, we really don’t know," he emphasized.