To protect against the new Omikron corona variant, Japan is closing its borders. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that foreigners would be banned from entering the country from Tuesday at midnight. Japanese returning from certain countries would have to be quarantined in separate facilities, he added. Japan is following the example of Israel that on Saturday was the first country to seal itself off with border closings in the fight against the spread of the new virus variant, which was first discovered in South Africa. It was only on Friday that the Tokyo government tightened entry controls for people from six African countries. No Omicron cases have been identified in Japan to date. (29.11.2021)
Dutch border police arrest quarantined refugees
The Dutch border police arrested a couple after escaping from a quarantine hotel. The two were caught in a plane that was supposed to take off in the direction of Spain, as reported by Deutschlandfunk, citing the Dutch authority. The couple had previously fled a hotel in which travelers from South Africa who tested positive for Corona are staying, some of whom were also found to have the new Omicron variant. The police handed them over to the health authorities. The couple was then re-quarantined. The authorities launched a public safety lawsuit. (29.11.2021)
WHO – Omicron variant poses a very high global risk
The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies the global risk from the new Omikron variant as “very high” overall. The likelihood of further global expansion is high. The number of Covid 19 cases can be expected to rise. WHO calls on its 194 member states to ensure that containment plans are in place to keep the health system up and running. (29.11.2021)
Britain convenes G-7 health ministers’ meeting
In light of the spreading omicron variant of the coronavirus, the UK has called an unscheduled meeting of G7 health ministers. The ministers of the leading western economies will discuss the current developments on Monday, as the British government announced on Sunday evening. Great Britain will hold the chairmanship of the G-7 countries until the end of the year. In addition to Germany and France, Italy, the USA, Canada and Japan also belong to the alliance.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the variant, which was first discovered in southern Africa, as “worrying”. The EU health authority ECDC speaks of serious concerns that Omikron could significantly reduce the effectiveness of corona vaccines and increase the risk of reinfection. The exact effects of the mutant have not yet been determined.
Cases of the variant have now appeared in a number of countries – including Germany and Great Britain. Several countries have already reintroduced stricter travel restrictions. (11/28/2021)
13 cases of the Omikron variant in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, infections with the new Omikron coronavirus variant have been found in 13 travelers from South Africa. Health Minister Hugo de Jonge announced on Sunday. The people came to Amsterdam on Friday with the Dutch airline KLM.
In total, the health authority at Schiphol Airport tested more than 600 passengers from two KLM flights, 61 tests were positive. All those affected are isolated in a quarantine hotel.
Health Minister de Jonge again appealed to all people who have come to the Netherlands from southern Africa since last Monday to be tested immediately. In the meantime, the rules for access to KLM aircraft in South Africa have been tightened. Even people who have been vaccinated twice are only allowed on board with a negative PCR test, and a quick test must also be negative shortly beforehand. So far, vaccinated people did not have to show a test. (11/28/2021)
Swiss opponents of corona measures fail in the vote on the 3-G certificate
In a referendum on the Swiss Covid certificate, opponents of corona measures suffered a significant defeat. After counting all cantons, 62 percent of voters supported the 3-G certificate on Sunday, which must be shown in restaurants, at events and in leisure facilities.
The right-wing conservative SVP, together with several other groups, supported the referendum against the Covid Pass. They think it is inappropriate to ask for a certificate as an entry ticket. This divides the country and leads to an indirect compulsory vaccination. The government, on the other hand, had argued that without such proof of vaccination, recovery or negative corona test, major events would have to be banned and nationwide corona-related closings could occur again.
Specifically, a change in the law from March 2020 was voted on, which not only created the basis for the certificate, but also enabled better contact tracking of infected people and expanded economic aid for companies affected by pandemics. A “no” to the amendment would also have overturned these measures. The approval rate of 62 percent roughly corresponded to the proportion of the Swiss population who were fully vaccinated. The SVP wants to continue fighting against even stricter corona measures. (11/28/2021)
Moderna has been working on the Omicron vaccine since Thursday
The vaccine manufacturer Moderna started work on a vaccine against the Omicron variant on the last Thanksgiving holiday. Hundreds of his employees started working on a corresponding adaptation of the corona vaccine after the first publications about the mutant, the medical director of the pharmaceutical company, Paul Burton, said in a BBC interview. Thanksgiving fell on November 25th this year – last Thursday.
It will take a few more weeks to have reliable knowledge about how much the new Corona variant eludes the effect of the current vaccines and whether a new vaccine has to be produced. If so, he reckons that this could be manufactured on a large scale in early 2022. Like the Biontech product, the Moderna vaccine is one of the mRNA vaccines whose adaptation to new variants is considered to be relatively feasible. “It’s a seemingly dangerous virus,” said Burton. “But I think we now have a lot of tools in our arsenal to fight it, so I’m optimistic.” (11/28/2021)