(Bloomberg) — The World Health Organization said it’s best to give people two doses of the same Covid-19 vaccine, but added that mixing and matching is a good solution for countries facing supply constraints.
A study showed the omicron variant is 4.2 times more transmissible than the delta variant in its early stages, based on data from South Africa’s Gauteng province. In the province, children under the age of five accounted for 8% of hospital admissions in the week ended Dec. 4, down from 14% two weeks earlier.
The World Economic Forum scheduled for next month in Davos is set to go ahead, even as Switzerland and other parts of Europe grapple with a fresh wave of coronavirus infections.
Key Developments:
- Virus Tracker: Cases top 267 million; deaths pass 5.2 million
- Pfizer to know shot’s efficacy against omicron before year-end
- Omicron propels U.S. booster drive where it’s needed least
- What we know about omicron: QuickTake
- BI’s Sam Fazeli on the effectiveness of vaccine boosters against omicron
Germany Advises Vaccines for 5-11 Year Olds (9:14 a.m. NY)
Germany’s vaccine authority advises children aged five to 11 years old who have a pre-existing condition, or are in regular contact with people who are at a higher risk, get vaccinated against Covid-19. Children in this age group not at risk can receive a vaccine if parents choose to do so.
World Economic Forum to Go Ahead (9:00 a.m. NY)
The World Economic Forum scheduled for next month in Davos is set to go ahead, even as European countries grapple with a fresh wave of coronavirus infections.
The event “will provide a key platform for global health leaders to meet with government and business at the highest level to move forward,” a WEF spokesman said in an emailed statement. “Switzerland is open to international travel and events, conducted under sensible and strict public health measures.”
EU to Agree Travel Pass Validity (8:30 a.m. NY)
European Union member states are expected to agree on a nine-month validity for travel certificates, Reuters reports, citing an unidentified EU official and EU diplomat.
AIDS Therapy Can Reduce Mutations (8:30 a.m. NY)
South Africa should boost the provision of antiretroviral drugs for millions of people infected with HIV to potentially reduce the chance of new Covid-19 variants to emerge, scientists said.
A study showed that HIV, advanced cancer and some other diseases which suppress immune systems allow other infections to take hold. Antiretroviral therapy restores the body’s ability to fight off infections.
EU Ready to Quickly Review Vaccines (8:29 a.m. NY)
The European Union’s drugs regulator is ready to “take rapid action” to review and approve Covid-19 vaccines if they need to be tweaked to address the new omicron variant. But the head of the bloc’s vaccine strategy, Marco Cavaleri, notes it’s still too early to know whether the composition of shots will need to change.
Children Hospital Admissions in Gauteng (8:07 a.m. NY)
Children under the age of five accounted for 8% of hospital admissions for Covid-19 in Gauteng, the epicenter of South Africa’s omicron variant outbreak, in the week ended Dec. 4, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases said in a report on Thursday.
That compared with 14% two weeks earlier, the NICD said.
WHO Recommendation on Vaccine Mixing (6:36 p.m. HK)
A World Health Organization panel said it’s best to give people two doses of the same Covid-19 vaccine, but mixing and matching is a good solution for countries facing supply constraints.
Vaccine combinations, already used by some governments, could help low- and middle-income countries manage stockpiles and deal with vaccine shortages as the new omicron variant spreads. European Union regulators endorsed mixing two different shots for initial vaccine schedules and boosters on Tuesday.
U.K. Restaurants Take a Hit (6:30 p.m. HK)
The U.K. Office for National Statistics’ weekly real time indicators show a drop in the number of restaurant visits to its lowest level in six months and a decline in sandwich sales, the only signs that consumers were changing their behavior in response to omicron. Economic activity was barely affected.
The figures were published one day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson told people to work from home where they can, introduced Covid passports for big events and made masks compulsory in indoor public spaces. Hospitality companies in urban centers have warned they will struggle and have called for more support.
France Has Enough Vaccines (5:44 p.m. HK)
The reluctance of some people in France to receive Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine won’t lead to a shortage of shots, Industry Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said in an interview with Cnews television. France has more than 20 million vaccine doses and is receiving more every week, said the minister, who oversees vaccine procurement.
More African Countries to Manufacture Vaccines (5:24 p.m. HK)
Senegal and Nigeria, in addition to South Africa, are readying facilities for vaccine manufacturing, John Nkengasong, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a webinar.
South Korea Record Shows Urgency of Boosters (1:55 p.m. HK)
South Korea is in the midst of a surge, despite being one of the most vaccinated places in Asia. The country saw a record number of new infections this week, with 857 people seriously ill Thursday, also a fresh high.
While more than 80% of Korea’s population are fully inoculated, new virus cases are climbing, topping 7,000 for a second day. Government officials put the increase at least partially down to waning immunity, with the first round of vaccines doled out in February.
Pakistan Finds First Omicron Case (1:36 p.m. HK)
Pakistan reported its first infection related to the omicron variant in an unvaccinated woman in its southern business hub of Karachi, said a local government spokeswoman. The woman has no travel history.
New infections have slowed to a trickle in the South Asian nation. The country added 350 new infections in the last 24 hours, taking its total tally to 1.29 million cases. Only about 26% of the population is fully vaccinated, Bloomberg’s vaccine tracker shows.
Sinovac Testing Vaccine for Omicron (12:50 p.m. HK)
Sinovac Biotech Ltd said it’s testing its inactivated shot against omicron in a number of laboratory studies but that any results would take time.
Beijing-based Sinovac is currently undertaking the same sort of study that Pfizer did, which uses a pseudovirus — a genetically modified stand-in for the real pathogen, acompany representative said on Thursday. That will provide the first and quickest insight into how much potency its shot still retains for omicron.
Omicron 4.2x More Transmissible Than Delta (11:22 a.m. HK)
The omicron variant is 4.2 times more transmissible in its early stage than delta, according to a study by a Japanese scientist who advises the country’s health ministry, a finding likely to confirm fears about the new strain’s contagiousness.
Hiroshi Nishiura, a professor of health and environmental sciences at Kyoto University who specializes in mathematical modeling of infectious diseases, analyzed genome data available through Nov. 26 in South Africa’s Gauteng province.
Hong Kong to Consider Vaccine Passports (10:08 a.m. HK)
Hong Kong is studying the possibility of rolling out vaccine passports, which require residents to be vaccinated before entering premises including restaurants, Hong Kong Economic Times said in a column, citing people familiar with the matter. The expected timing would be after the Lunar New Year holiday.
China Sees New Cluster in Zhejiang (9:57 a.m. HK)
China reported 73 domestic infections on Thursday, including 13 asymptomatic, as a new cluster is on the rise in eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang. The emergence of new clusters have prompted local health authorities to ask companies and organizations to avoid holding annual gatherings and parties.
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