(Bloomberg) —
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. told its London staff to work from home if they can, and Fidelity Investments paused its voluntary return-to-office pilot program in New England.
One person has died from the omicron variant in the U.K., Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed, as demand for booster shots and rapid at-home Covid-19 tests surged in the face of the fast-spreading mutation.
A paper by University of Oxford researchers found that two doses of Pfizer Inc. and AstraZeneca Plc’s vaccines induced lower levels of antibodies against omicron.
China reported its first case of omicron, while Australia recorded its first hospitalization linked to the strain. New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, will ease Covid restrictions at the end of the month, reflecting a declining trend in case numbers and rising vaccination levels.
Key Developments:
- Virus Tracker: Cases pass 270.4 million; deaths top 5.3 million
- Vaccine Tracker: More than 8.48 billion shots given
- U.S. states in Northeast deploy soliders and home tests
- Drugmakers race to create omicron booster in 100 days
- Two weeks into the omicron outbreak: where to from here?
- Billionaire’s bet on Pfizer vaccine for China fails to pay off
Italy to Extend State of Emergency (2:27 p.m. NY)
Italy is set to extend the government’s emergency powers until March 31 as the country faces a rise in Covid cases, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The decision to extend the previous deadline, which was Dec. 31, may come as soon as Tuesday, the person said. The government has used emergency powers, which streamline decision making, since the start of the pandemic.
In the week ending Dec. 12 Italy reported 15,186 new Covid cases and 115 more deaths than the week before. According to government data, 88.2% of Italians over 12 have received at least one dose of a vaccine against the disease.
Fidelity Halts Return to Office in New England (12:45 p.m. NY)
Fidelity Investments paused its voluntary return-to-office pilot program in New England amid rising Covid-19 risks.
The firm stopped non-essential workers from coming into offices in Boston; Smithfield, Rhode Island; and Merrimack, New Hampshire, spokesman Stephen Austin said Monday in an emailed statement. Voluntary return-to-office programs for thousands of employees in other locations around the U.S. remain in effect.
Denmark Expects Omicron to Dominate (11:10 a.m. NY)
Denmark expects omicron to become the dominant variant of the virus this week and that daily infections will reach 10,000, SSI, the country’s institute for infectious diseases, said in a statement on Monday. The total number of confirmed cases has now reached 2,471 or double the number from Friday.
“We expect that the second and especially the third shot will protect against serious illness from the omicron variant,” Henrik Ullum, the head of SSI, said in the statement.
The Nordic country, which has a population of 5.8 million, plans to deliver 650,000 vaccinations this week as it is now inviting people to take the third booster shot as early as four and a half months after the second jab.
Goldman Asks London Staff to Work From Home (9:39 a.m. NY)
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. has told its London staff to work from home if they can, as the City of London’s biggest firms adjust to the latest government guidance.
“Those of you who are able to work from home effectively should do so from Monday,” the lender said last week in an internal memo. The bank’s offices will remain open for those who still need to come in. Safety protocols including an on-site testing program and the wearing of masks away from desks remain in place.
South Africa Admissions Rise, Stay Below Peak (9:34 a.m. NY)
South African hospitals have 6,198 Covid-19 patients, of which 6.8% are in intensive-care units, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases said in a report on Monday.
Of the 420 people in ICU, 167 are on ventilators, the institute said. Of the admissions 2,685 are in Gauteng, the province that includes Johannesburg and Pretoria.
The numbers compare with the 5,563 who were in the hospital a day earlier, with 7.3% of those in ICU. Covid-19 hospitalizations reached nearly 20,000 in January and July, the peaks of the country’s second and third waves, respectively.
U.K. to Scrap Hotel Quarantine (9:19 a.m. NY)
The U.K. is poised to announce as soon as Tuesday the removal of all 11 countries from its Covid-19 red list, ending mandatory hotel quarantine for travelers arriving from the riskiest countries.
Ministers believe the move is logical now that omicron cases in the U.K. are doubling every two to three days, a person familiar with the matter said. Johnson said omicron would account for the majority of cases in London by Tuesday.
Norway Warns of Omicron Dangers (8:18 a.m. NY)
Norway’s health system will come under strain if tighter measures aren’t implemented soon to counter omicron, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health warned.
In one scenario, there could be as many as 90,000 to 300,000 cases a day, with 50 to 200 hospital admissions in three weeks, if the contagion isn’t slowed significantly, officials said.
There are now 958 proven cases of the more infectious type of the virus to date in the country, up from 33 cases on Dec. 7. Almost 90% of Norwegian adults have received two shots of vaccine.
China Reports 1st Omicron Case: Global Times (8:06 a.m. NY)
The city of Tianjin reported the first case of omicron in mainland China Monday, the Global Times reported, citing the city.
The infection came from an overseas arrival and the patient is receiving treatment at a designated hospital, the Chinese news outlet reported.
Johnson Won’t Rule Out Christmas Curbs (7:23 a.m. NY)
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson repeatedly declined to rule out imposing further coronavirus restrictions before Christmas to tackle the spread of omicron, as he confirmed the first U.K. death linked to the new strain. Johnson also said omicron would account for the majority of cases in London by Tuesday.
The U.K. is aiming to counter omicron by accelerating its vaccine booster program, offering an extra shot to every adult before the end of December.
A plan to replace self-isolation for contacts of positive Covid-19 cases was hampered when the government website ran out of free at-home rapid lateral flow tests
.
Iran Cases Fall to 18-Month Low (6:58 p.m. HK)
Some countries are not yet experiencing a Covid surge fueled by either the omicron or delta variants. Iran reported just 42 new cases overnight, the lowest daily number since May 2020, according to the health ministry.
However, just 57% of Iran’s population has received two vaccine doses. The country has reported over 6.1 million total virus cases so far.
Hong Kong to Quarantine U.K. Arrivals (6:07 p.m. HK)
Hong Kong residents returning from the U.K. will be required to spend their first week at a government quarantine facility due to concern about the omicron variant, the South China Morning Post reported.
The U.K. would be moved to Hong Kong’s enhanced-measures category, the SCMP reported, citing an unidentified person. An announcement is expected later Monday, the newspaper said.
On Sunday, Israel added the U.K. to its travel “red list,” banning Israelis from traveling to Britain and announcing mandatory quarantine for those who do return.
Italy to Increase Vaccine Mandates (5:34 p.m. HK)
Italy will make vaccination mandatory for all teachers, headmasters and school staff across the country as of Dec 15, according to new government measures approved last November. In order to access schools, workers will need to present a so-called super green pass, which proves vaccination or recovery from Covid infection.
Italy will also start vaccinating children from the ages of 5 to 11 years starting on Dec. 16, with priority given to the most vulnerable.
Nigeria Infections Jump With Omicron (5:10 p.m. HK)
Nigeria’s daily Covid infections have jumped more than fivefold over the past week following the discovery of the omicron variant in the country of 200 million people.
The average number of Nigerians who tested positive for the pathogen rose to 451 a day for the week ending Dec. 12, compared with 76 in the preceding week, according to data from the National Center for Disease Control.
U.K. Refuses to Rule Out School Closures (4:08 p.m. HK)
U.K. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said there’s no guarantee that he’ll be able to keep schools in England open as the government battles to contain the spread of the omicron variant.
“When it comes to our fight against the pandemic there are no guarantees,” Javid said in an interview on LBC radio.
Talks on Reopening Thai-Malaysia Border (3:40 p.m. HK)
Thailand and Malaysia are preparing to enter formal discussions over the reopening of land borders to allow travelers from Malaysia to enter Thailand without quarantine requirements.
The opening of land border crossings in Thai provinces of Songkhla, Yala, Narathiwat and Satun is expected from mid-January, Government Spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek says in a Twitter post Monday.
Western Australia to Reopen (2:50 p.m. HK)
One of the world’s final Covid-Zero strongholds is set to reopen — almost two years after slamming its borders shut. Western Australia announced it will welcome fully vaccinated international and domestic travelers from Feb. 5. Overseas arrivals without protection will still have to quarantine.
While other Australian states have gradually reopened as vaccination rates have risen, Western Australia held strong, and the state’s residents were able to live almost restriction-free lives within its borders. Western Australia only had 12 days of lockdown in total during the pandemic and recorded one death due to community transmission, according to Premier Mark McGowan.
Auckland Curbs to Ease at Year-End (12:45 p.m. HK)
Auckland will ease some coronavirus restrictions in time for New Year’s Eve. From 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 30 capacity limits on hospitality venues will be lifted and more close-contact activities such as dancing will be allowed. People still require vaccine passes to enter most venues and events and must wear masks in most public facilities and shops.
Auckland was plunged into a strict lockdown in mid-August to combat an outbreak of the delta variant. The 107-day lockdown ended Dec. 3, and a border around the city is due to lift on Dec. 15, allowing residents to visit other parts of the country as the summer vacation period approaches.
China Cases Tick Up (9:30 a.m. HK)
China reported 80 locally transmitted cases Monday as the latest outbreak continues to grow in the eastern coastal region. Zhejiang province, the new epicenter of the current wave, found 74 infections, according to the National Health Commission, with 55 detected in the city of Shaoxing.
More than 1.16 billion people in China, or 82.5% of the total population, have been fully vaccinated, a health commission spokesperson said at a press conference on Saturday.
Australia’s First Omicron Hospitalization (9:30 a.m. HK)
Australia recorded its first hospitalization from the omicron variant, according to New South Wales state health officials.
The state has found at least 64 cases of the variant stemming from outbreaks in western Sydney, nightclubs and a party cruise on Sydney Harbor. Overall case numbers are also rising.
Nevertheless, Australia will reopen its borders to skilled migrant workers and foreign students from Wednesday, after initially delaying the move for two weeks as omicron started to spread.
U.K Airlines Ask for Help (8:50 a.m. HK)
The U.K.’s biggest airlines have asked the government for economic support as new travel restrictions threaten to upend the peak Christmas season for a second year.
The government’s latest moves, which include reintroducing expensive hotel quarantines and travel bans for passengers arriving from southern Africa, are putting more pressure on airlines that were counting on Christmas travel to start to offset huge losses accumulated during the pandemic.
“As leaders of U.K. airlines, we are deeply concerned about the haphazard and disproportionate approach by government to travel restrictions following the emergence of the omicron variant,” the chief executives of carriers including British Airways and Ryanair Holdings Plc wrote in a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
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