ITALY reintroduced mandatory masks outdoors and Ecuador made vaccines compulsory for nearly all on Thursday in an effort to combat coronavirus infections fired globally by the Omicron variant ahead of Christmas.
More stringent than most, China shut down a city of 13 million people to extinguish a tiny Delta variant outbreak, pursuing its zero COVID-19 goal, while Spain will require masks in some outdoor settings.
British experts said the risk of hospitalisation was as much as 70 percent lower among people infected with Omicron compared to the previously dominant Delta strain.
Scientists have welcomed the similar conclusions of two British studies, but warned that Omicron is highly contagious and could still lead to more overall severe cases.
As families across a swathes of the world prepared for Christmas, a raft of new measures curtailed planned festivities.
Italy reimposed the mandatory wearing of face masks in outdoor spaces, with a higher grade version required for cinemas, theatres or on public transport.
"It's a difficult phase," said Health Minister Roberto Speranza, whose country has banned all celebrations and closed nightclubs until the end of January.
To the north, France and the United Kingdom on Thursday announced all-time records of Covid-19 daily infections.
Ecuador became the first country to make coronavirus vaccines obligatory for children as young as five, following the arrival of the Omicron variant in the South American country.
Vaccination is mandatory in Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Indonesia, Micronesia and New Caledonia, for adults.
- 'Staggering' surge -
In the United States, New York's Mayor Bill de Blasio said famous New Year's Eve celebrations in Times Square would be drastically scaled back due to what the city called a "staggering" surge in cases.
In past years, some 58,000 New Yorkers gathered to watch a giant ball drop marking the arrival of a new year, but next week the capacity will be reduced to 15,000, and all revellers will have to wear a mask and be vaccinated.
Greece said people must wear face masks both indoors and outside during Christmas and New Year's gatherings.
Spain's Catalonia was to reimpose a night-time curfew for a fortnight from Christmas Eve, while Scotland announced it would close nightclubs from next week, including on New Year's Eve.
Nationwide, Spain will reintroduce obligatory masks outdoors starting Friday, except for sporting activities, or when alone or with household members in mountainous or seaside settings.
China locked down the northern city of Xi'an -- home to the world-famous Terracotta Warriors -- to stamp out a cluster of several hundred cases.
"I think it is necessary to have the lockdown," said a Xi'an resident, who wanted to be identified only as Yuan.
Omicron has not been reported in Xi'an, with only dozens of cases of the less infectious Delta variant detected in the city of 13 million people in recent days.
But the Chinese government, in pursuit of its zero-case strategy ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics, has ordered all Xi'an residents to stay indoors.
Only one person per household can go outside every two days to buy necessities, while non-essential businesses are closed.
February's Olympics are set to be the most restrictive mass sporting event since the pandemic began, with international spectators banned and all participants required to stay inside a closed-loop system.
- COVID pills -
In business, German national carrier Lufthansa said Omicron forced it to axe 33,000 flights following a drop in bookings.
Denmark discovered an illegal mink farm that had been operating despite a ban, after the country last year culled millions of the animals over fears they could carry coronavirus and jeopardise vaccine effectiveness.
But in some positive news, the US Food and Drug Administration authorised Merck's Covid pill for high-risk adults, a day after giving the green light to a similar Pfizer product.
The pill developed by Merck is taken within five days of symptom onset.
It has been shown to reduce Covid hospitalisations and deaths by 30 percent among at-risk people, whereas Pfizer's pill reduced the same outcomes by almost 90 percent.
Pills that are available at pharmacies are likely to be much easier to access than synthetic antibody treatments, which require infusions at hospitals or specialised centres.
The United States has spent $5.3 billion (4.68 billion euros) procuring 10 million courses of the Pfizer treatment, according to the White House.
But health authorities maintain that vaccines are still the best protection against any variant, and are encouraging booster shots.
AstraZeneca said Thursday that a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine "significantly" lifted antibody levels against the Omicron strain in a laboratory study.
ETX Studio
Fri Dec 24 2021
![Ecuador mandates jabs, Italy to enforce masks outdoors as Omicron rages Ecuador mandates jabs, Italy to enforce masks outdoors as Omicron rages](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-12/51640340983_vaccine.jpg)
Ecuador became the first country to make coronavirus vaccines obligatory for children as young as five. - AFP/RODRIGO BUENDIA photo
10 Berita Pilihan - (15 Ogos 2024)
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Pasukan PBB lawat Bangladesh, siasat pembunuhan protes pelajar
Pasukan penyiasat Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) akan melawat Bangladesh minggu depan untuk menyiasat ratusan kematian semasa protes yang diketuai pelajar baru-baru ini, menurut pegawai badan dunia itu pada Khamis.
Gempa bumi bermagnitud 5.7 gegar timur laut Taiwan
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Angka kematian di Gaza cecah 40,000 individu
Pasukan tentera Israel melakukan tiga pembunuhan beramai-ramai terhadap keluarga-keluarga di Semenanjung Gaza dalam tempoh 24 jam lepas, mengakibatkan sekurang-kurangnya 40 rakyat Palestin terbunuh dan 107 lagi cedera, menurut sumber perubatan.
Jepun tamatkan amaran gempa bumi mega
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Rakyat UK terancam dengan imigran rampas peluang pekerjaan
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Angka kematian di seluruh Semenanjung Gaza meningkat kepada 40,005, lebih 92,401 cedera
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DNA mangsa kebakaran di Pagoh diperoleh, jenazah dijangka dikebumikan esok
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WHO isytihar mpox sebagai kecemasan kesihatan awam global
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WHO sambut baik pemindahan perubatan pertama sejak penutupan Rafah
Lebih 10,000 orang perlu dipindahkan dan menerima rawatan perubatan di luar Gaza.
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Negara anggota WHO lanjutkan perbincangan perjanjian pandemik setahun lagi
INB akan meneruskan mandatnya untuk menyampaikan perjanjian itu menjelang Perhimpunan Kesihatan Sedunia pada 2025, atau lebih awal.
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Menteri Palestin mahu AS desak Israel buka lintasan Rafah
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Sistem kesihatan Gaza lumpuh, Israel dikecam teruk dalam mesyuarat tahunan WHO
Beberapa negara anggota turut menyalahkan Israel atas risiko kebuluran yang semakin meningkat di Gaza.
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GPW14 instrumen penting bentuk masa depan ekosistem kesihatan sejagat
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WHO gesa Israel tarik balik sekatan bantuan ke Gaza
Saluran utama untuk bantuan perubatan ke enklaf dari Mesir telah terputus.
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Tiada bekalan perubatan diterima di Gaza selama 10 hari - WHO
Penutupan lintasan Rafah ke Gaza oleh Israel telah menyebabkan "situasi yang sukar."