(Bloomberg) — Sinovac Biotech Ltd.’s coronavirus vaccine, one of the most widely used in the world, does not provide sufficient antibodies to neutralize the omicron variant, according to a Hong Kong study of 25 individuals. The World Health Organization is concerned omicron is being dismissed as mild, even as it spreads faster than any previous Covid-19 strain.
Germany’s health minister said he’s working to reverse an imminent vaccine shortage. Pharma giants Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline Plc said their experimental vaccine works as a booster, but suffered yet another delay with the main clinical trial results.
In Asia, the Philippines detected its first omicron cases and South Korea tightened social-distancing measures. Australia’s most populous state warned that daily cases could soar to 25,000 next month as restrictions ease in the former Covid-Zero haven.
Key Developments:
- Virus Tracker: Cases pass 271.4 million; deaths top 5.3 million
- Vaccine Tracker: More than 8.53 billion shots given
- Unvaccinated patients push hospitals past the brink
- Will omicron oust delta is a question facing virus scientists
- Omicron divides Europe over plan to simplify travel rules
- What we know about omicron, the new virus variant: QuickTake
Germany Reveals Vaccine Shortage (2:47 p.m. HK)
Germany’s new health minister, Karl Lauterbach, said he’s in direct contact with manufacturers of Covid-19 vaccines to increase deliveries after an inventory revealed a shortage in supplies.
“We have a shortage of vaccine for the first quarter and I have already been working for several days to correct it,” Lauterbach, who took office last week, said late Tuesday in an interview with ARD television.
Sanofi, Glaxo Say Covid Shot Works (2:43 p.m. HK)
Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline Plc, the pharma giants that stumbled in the race to develop a Covid-19 shot, said their experimental vaccine works as a booster but suffered yet another delay with the main clinical trial results.
The candidate raised the antibody levels of people who’d already received other Covid shots such as Pfizer Inc.’s and AstraZeneca Plc’s, the drugmakers said in a statement Wednesday. Yet crucial study results for the underlying vaccine were delayed to the first quarter.
Philippines Finds First Omicron Cases (1:40 p.m. HK)
The Philippines detected its first cases of the omicron variant, though the country is retaining its lenient restrictions on movement during the Christmas holidays.
The Department of Health detected omicron in a returning Filipino from Japan and a Nigerian national. They are isolating and their close contacts are being tracked. The entire nation including the capital Manila will be placed under Alert Level 2 from Dec. 16 to Dec. 31, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said in a televised briefing.
BofA’s Quarantine Compensation (11:25 a.m. HK)
Bank of America Corp. followed U.S. rivals by rolling out compensation plans for Hong Kong staff burdened by mandatory hotel quarantine costs, becoming the latest financial firm to help its employees navigate the city’s strict zero-Covid policy.
The U.S. bank joins others including JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Morgan Stanley in rolling out compensation plans for Hong Kong staff. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. is reimbursing employees across Asia-Pacific. A stay at Hong Kong’s designated quarantine hotel can cost between HK$500 ($64) to HK$3,630 a night for a non-suite room.
Google’s Reported Vaccine Threat (10:49 a.m. HK)
Google has threatened to reduce pay or even fire staff who fail to comply with internal policies on Covid-19 vaccinations, CNBC reported, citing internal documents.
The Alphabet Inc. unit warned employees they had till Dec. 3 to declare and prove their vaccination status, or apply for exemptions. Those who hadn’t complied by Jan. 18 will be placed on “paid administrative leave” for 30 days, CNBC said. They could then be put on unpaid leave for up to six months, before finally getting dismissed, it added.
China Cases Grow (9:45 a.m. HK)
China reported 50 local infections Wednesday as the outbreak swells in the eastern coastal region. Zhejiang, one of China’s biggest manufacturing hubs, detected 45 cases, with total infections standing at over 200.
More than 576,000 people are in some degree of isolation, among whom more than 58,000 have been put under centralized quarantine. With China sticking to its Covid-Zero strategy, Zhejiang province has carried out more than 10 million Covid tests among its 58 million population.
Sinovac Shot Gives No Omicron Shield (9:34 a.m. HK)
The vaccine made by Sinovac Biotech Ltd. does not provide sufficient antibodies to neutralize the omicron variant, said Hong Kong researchers in initial lab findings that may have sweeping consequences for the millions of people relying on the Chinese shot to protect them against Covid-19.
Among a group of 25 people fully vaccinated with Sinovac’s shot, which is called Coronavac, none showed sufficient antibodies in their blood serum to neutralize the omicron variant, said a statement from a team of researchers at the University of Hong Kong.
Australian State’s Infection Warning (9:33 a.m. HK)
Cases in Australia’s most-populous state, New South Wales, could reach 25,000 a day by the end of January, based on the virus’ current reproduction rate of more than 1.5, said the state’s health minister, Brad Hazzard. The state recorded 1,360 cases on Wednesday and case numbers are doubling every two to three days, Hazzard told reporters.
In New South Wales there are 166 cases in hospital, with 24 people in intensive care. Seven are ventilated. There are 110 confirmed omicron cases in the state. In Victoria, where daily cases reached 1,405, officials extended a requirement for masks in shopping centers and shops. “Omicron has changed the landscape,” Victoria State Health Minister Martin Foley said.
Former Covid-Zero Haven Eases (8:24 a.m. HK)
Australia’s New South Wales state is eliminating a raft of restrictions as its vaccination rate climbs beyond 90%, in one of the starkest reversals from the Covid-Zero strategy yet.
From Dec. 15, only unvaccinated people need to enter hotel quarantine after arriving from overseas, the government said. Fully vaccinated travelers must self-isolate for 72 hours. Proof of vaccination is not required at many venues, check-ins are only needed at certain high-contact premises, and face masks aren’t mandatory at many indoor areas.
Korea to Tighten Virus Measures (7:48 a.m. HK)
South Korea will tighten social-distancing measures in the wake of the country’s worst infection resurgence, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum announced during a Covid meeting Wednesday.
Details will be announced later, but Kim said the government will likely restrict restaurant and cafe operating hours and limit private gatherings. Despite a fully vaccinated rate of more than 80%, new cases surged to records after government eased restrictions in November. The daily virus tally is expected to hit fresh highs Wednesday, surpassing the prior record of nearly 7,200 cases.
Omicron Now 3% of Sequenced U.S. Cases (11:20 a.m. NY)
The omicron variant now makes up 3% of all sequenced Covid-19 cases in the U.S., rising from less than 0.1% in early December, health officials said, a sign of the rapid spread of the new coronavirus version.
The highly mutated variant has now been detected in 33 U.S. states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in an email. While the delta variant remains the dominant strain in the country, accounting for 96% of sequenced cases, omicron’s proportion is expected to increase, agency spokesperson Jasmine Reed said.
N.Y. Hospital Use Surges 70% (11:15 a.m. NY)
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said that Covid-19 hospitalizations across the state have surged by 70% since Thanksgiving, prompting her to institute a statewide indoor mask mandate for businesses without vaccine requirements.
“If I sound a little frustrated, perhaps I am,” Hochul said at a virus briefing on Tuesday in New York City. “Despite our desires to have this behind us, we aren’t quite there yet.” She said cases per 100,000 people has gone up 58% during that time, while vaccinations have increased by only 2%.
Pfizer Covid Pill Stops Hospitalizations (6:45 a.m. NY)
New study data showed Pfizer Inc.’s experimental Covid-19 pill was highly effective at keeping patients out of the hospital, but less adept at erasing milder symptoms often associated with breakthrough infections.
In one study, its treatment, Paxlovid, failed to meet the primary goal of reducing self-reported symptoms in 673 adults at standard risk of developing Covid-19 complications. The drug showed a trend toward reducing hospitalizations in the group by 70%, however.
In a second study, the treatment remained 89% effective in preventing hospitalizations in high-risk unvaccinated people when used within 3 days of the appearance of symptoms.
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