(Bloomberg) — Japan will maintain its strict border controls for the time being, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said, citing the lack of clarity around the infectiousness and severity of the omicron variant. The government will reconsider the moves, which bar new entry by foreigners and require returning residents to quarantine in government facilities, early in the new year.
England will reduce the time those who test positive for Covid will have to self-isolate to seven days, amid staff shortages due to the omicron surge. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson also ruled out introducing stricter Covid rules before Christmas, but urged caution and said officials may announce further curbs after Dec. 25.
In the U.S., the Biden administration is also considering changing isolation recommendations for vaccinated people. The FDA is poised to authorize a pair of pills to treat Covid-19 as soon as this week.
Key Developments:
- Virus Tracker: Cases pass 276 million; deaths near 5.37 million
- Vaccine Tracker: More than 8.79 billion shots given
- U.S. hospitals pushed to financial ruin as nurses quit
- Data failures keep the U.S. from seeing the whole picture
- All you need to know about rapid test kits
- What we know about omicron, the new virus variant: QuickTake
England Cuts Isolation Time; U.S. Also Mulling (8 a.m. HK)
People in England who test positive for Covid-19 will have to self-isolate for only seven days starting Wednesday as the U.K. government seeks to reduce rising staff shortages amid a surge in omicron infections.
U.S. health officials are weighing whether to change isolation recommendations for some vaccinated people, Anthony Fauci, the president’s chief medical adviser, told CNN on Tuesday.
Japan to Keep Strict Border Controls (7:45 a.m. HK)
Japan will maintain its border controls, the strictest among G-7 countries, for the time being, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said at a press conference Tuesday. He cited the lack of clarity around the infectiousness of the variant and the risk of severe illness.
The country will also request all close contacts of a confirmed omicron case to quarantine for 14 days at a dedicated facility, with Kishida also pledging to bring forward booster shots for the elderly.
Oxford, Astra Start on Omicron-Focused Shot (7:30 a.m. HK)
Oxford university and AstraZeneca have taken initial steps to produce an Omicron-targeted version of their Covid-19 vaccine, the Financial Times reported.
NHL to Skip Beijing Olympics Amid Covid Surge (7:25 a.m. HK)
National Hockey League players won’t participate in the 2022 Beijing Olympics, reversing plans announced in September amid the surge in Covid cases, according to ESPN.
The virus has already caused the NHL to postpone games and pause the regular season. Dozens of games have been rescheduled so far this year, with several teams deciding to shut down through the holiday break.
Hong Kong Adds 8 Imported Omicron Cases (5:30 p.m. NY)
Genome sequencing analysis conducted by Hong Kong’s Department of Health confirmed eight additional coronavirus cases carrying omicron, according to a government statement Tuesday evening.
The patients had travel history or transfers in Spain, Qatar, U.K., India, UAE, Kenya, Poland, Germany, U.S. and have received at least two doses of Covid vaccine, according to government notices
Israel Approves Fourth Shot for People Over 60 (5:05 p.m. NY)
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said people over age 60 and medical teams will be eligible for a fourth Covid vaccination, following the recommendation of an expert panel, Agence France-Presse reported.
“I gave an order to prepare immediately for a fourth vaccination,” Bennett said on Twitter, with a spokesperson saying Israel would be the world’s first country to administer the fourth shot, AFP reported.
Biden May Lift Southern Africa Travel Ban (3:19 p.m. NY)
President Joe Biden said he’s considering lifting travel restrictions on southern African countries where the omicron variant of coronavirus was first identified, after it became the dominant strain in the U.S.
“I’m considering reversing, I’m going to talk with my team in the next couple days,” Biden told reporters at the White House on Tuesday. He said his health advisers had suggested he reconsider the ban.
U.S. Weighs Shorter Isolation Period (2:30 p.m. NY)
U.S. health officials are weighing whether to change isolation recommendations for some vaccinated people so that they could return to work sooner after a breakthrough case of Covid-19.
The omicron variant of coronavirus carries mutations that are believed to enable it to more easily evade human antibodies. That may mean more breakthrough infections among the vaccinated.
Portugal Moves Up Bar Closings by Week (2:10 p.m. NY)
Nightclubs and bars in Portugal will be shut from Saturday, a week earlier than previously planned, as the government tries to counter the latest surge in coronavirus infections, Prime Minister Antonio Costa said.
Remote working will also become mandatory from Dec. 25, Costa said at a press conference in Lisbon on Tuesday following a cabinet meeting. The measures had been announced on Nov. 25 and were initially due to take effect on Jan. 2 and to be in place through Jan. 9.
France to Curb New Year’s Eve Revelry (1:12 p.m. NY)
French officials will curb outdoor revelry on New Year’s Eve in a bid to limit Covid-19 infections that risk overwhelming hospitals, Prime Minister Jean Castex said.
“I’m appealing to everyone’s responsibility to find other ways to celebrate than large gatherings, and avoiding moments of conviviality,” Castex said in a televised speech on Friday, as many people in France began their winter vacations. Regional prefects will ban spontaneous parties and ask cities to hold off on fireworks and other celebrations, he said.
Novavax Expects Omicron Data Soon (12:40 p.m. NY)
Novavax Inc.’s top executive said the company expects to have data on its Covid-19 vaccine’s efficacy against the omicron variant within days.
Chief Executive Officer Stanley Erck said on Tuesday in an interview with Bloomberg Television that Novavax is working to determine how well their shot, which is based on older technology than messenger RNA vaccines, works against the fast-spreading new strain of the coronavirus.
U.K. Sees No New Limits Before Christmas (12:13 p.m. NY)
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson ruled out stricter Covid-19 rules before Christmas, responding to speculation that Britons might have to quash festivities for a second year.
He urged caution, however, saying that “the situation remains finely balanced” and that ministers may announce further curbs after Dec. 25.
U.S. Cases Highest Since September (11:07 a.m. NY)
Daily coronavirus infections in the U.S. jumped to the highest level since September, a sign the omicron variant is spreading rapidly. Almost 254,000 cases were reported Monday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg. That’s up from 73,208 on Sunday, when numbers typically dip because of the weekend. The seven-day average of cases has climbed 17% in the past week to about 140,000.
FDA Set to Clear Merck, Pfizer Pills (10:45 a.m. NY)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is poised to authorize a pair of pills from Pfizer Inc. and Merck & Co. to treat Covid-19 as soon as this week, according to people familiar with the matter — a milestone in the fight against the pandemic that will soon expand therapies for the ill.
An announcement may come as early as Wednesday, according to three of the people. They asked not to be identified ahead of the authorization and cautioned that the plan could change.
Pfizer’s pill, Paxlovid, and Merck’s molnupiravir are intended for higher-risk people who test positive for Covid. The treatments, in which patients take a series of pills at home over several days, could ease the burden on stretched hospitals with infections poised to soar through the winter in the U.S.
NYC Offers $100 to Get Boosted (10:40 a.m. NY)
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city will provide $100 payments to those who receive Covid-19 vaccination booster shots at city-run sites through Dec. 31.
The mayor announced the incentive Tuesday as an effort to slow the surge in infections over the holiday season. He said 1.7 million residents have already received their booster shots.
Edinburgh Scraps New Year Celebrations (10 a.m. NY)
Edinburgh’s famous Hogmanay street celebrations at New Year were canceled again after a surge in cases of the omicron variant in Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said.
The government will also limit the number of fans at soccer matches to 500 from Dec. 26 for three weeks. More money will also be made available to support businesses after an increase in funding from the U.K. Treasury, albeit falling short of what Scotland would like to spend, she said.
Plasma Treatment Shows Promise (9:23 a.m. NY)
Newly infected patients saw a 54% decrease in the need for hospitalization after being given plasma from people who had recovered from the virus, according to a study by Johns Hopkins researchers that may offer hope for a new treatment option as variants threaten to reduce the effectiveness of other drugs.
The plasma needed to be given early and contain a high number of antibodies, the study’s authors cautioned.
EU Considers Larger Moderna Dose (8:44 a.m. NY)
Europe’s drugs regulator is considering whether a higher booster dose of Moderna Inc.’s vaccine should be authorized for use, after the company published data showing higher levels of antibodies created against omicron.
Marco Cavaleri, head of the European Medicines Agency’s vaccines strategy, said talks with the company will take place over the coming weeks to assess whether “a full dose might be a better choice than the half dose that is currently approved.”
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2021 Bloomberg L.P.
