The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in India crossed 130 crore on Wednesday, the Union Health Ministry said. Over 72 lakh vaccine doses were administered on Wednesday till 7 pm, it said
The World Health Organization says early evidence suggests the omicron variant may be spreading faster than the highly transmissible delta variant but brings with it less severe coronavirus disease -– though it’s too early to make firm conclusions.
Read | Omicron blunts immune response more, say reports
Editorial | A measured response: On the Omicron threat
Opinion | The need for a robust civil registration system
You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.
Here are the latest developments:
U.S. FDA authorizes AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 antibody drug
The U.S. drugs regulator said on Wednesday it had authorized AstraZeneca’s antibody cocktail to prevent COVID-19 infections in individuals who have weak immune systems or a history of severe side effects from coronavirus vaccines.
While vaccines rely on an intact immune system to develop targeted antibodies and infection-fighting cells, AstraZeneca’s therapy Evusheld contains lab-made antibodies designed to linger in the body for months to contain the virus in case of an infection.
"Vaccines have proven to be the best defense available against COVID-19," said Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. -Reuters
South African regulator approves Pfizer booster vaccine after surge in Covid cases
South Africa has approved the use of Pfizer’s coronavirus booster vaccine for people aged over 18 years, amid mounting concern following a record of almost 20,000 infections overnight, largely ascribed to the new and highly-mutating Omicron variant.
The South African Health Products Authority (SAHPRA) on December 8 approved the use of Pfizer’s Comirnaty® COVID-19 vaccine after BioNTech and Pfizer announced that two doses of their vaccine may not be enough to protect against the Omicron variant.
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Pfizer says COVID-19 booster offers protection against Omicron
Pfizer said Wednesday that a booster of its COVID-19 vaccine may offer important protection against the new omicron variant even though the initial two doses appear significantly less effective.
Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said that while two doses may not be strong enough to prevent infection, lab tests showed a booster increased by 25-fold people’s levels of antibodies capable of fighting off omicron. For people who haven’t yet had a booster, the companies said two doses still should prevent severe disease or death. -AP
U.K. PM announces home-working, vaccine passports in England
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday announced the tightening of virus restrictions in England as Omicron variant cases surge, including guidance to work from home and mandatory vaccine passports.
Johnson said at a briefing that as the rate of Omicron cases was doubling every two to three days, it was "the proportionate and the responsible thing to move to Plan B in England".
As part of a raft of measure, the government is reintroducing advice to work at home in England from Monday, the prime minister said.
He added that the government in a week’s time will make it compulsory to show Covid vaccine passports in England for the first time, while the devolved administrations of Scotland and Wales have already brought in similar measures.-AFP
Confusion over discharge protocols of Omicron patients
Although three contacts of the 46-year-old Omicron-infected government anaesthetist tested negative for COVID-19, twice in a span of 48 hours, their discharge from the State-run Bowring and Lady Curzon Medical College and Research Institute, the designated Omicron treatment facility, has become a bone of contention between the treating doctors and Health officials.
While the three doctors, an anaesthetist, a cardiothoracic surgeon and a vascular surgeon, had been initially discharged on Tuesday and had left the premises of the hospital, they were asked to come back by the hospital authorities late in the night as their genome sequencing reports have still not arrived. And, accordingly the doctors returned to the hospital.
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China approves Brii COVID-19 treatment in adults, teenagers
China’s medical products regulator said on Wednesday it had approved the use of Brii Biosciences’ neutralising antibody cocktail for COVID-19, the first treatment of its type against the virus given the go-ahead in the country.
The combination of BRII-196/BRII-198 showed a 78% reduction of hospitalization and death in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients at high risk of developing severe disease in a Phase III clinical trial, Brii said in October.
The medicine from a Brii subsidiary was approved to treat mild COVID-19 and the disease of "normal type" with high risk of progressing to hospitalization or death in adults and minors aged 12-17, the National Medical Products Administration said. -Reuters
Denmark reintroduces some COVID-19 restrictions
Denmark will again impose restrictions aimed at curbing the rapid spread of COVID-19 including the new Omicron variant, the country’s prime minister said on Wednesday.
The new restrictions include closing primary schools from December 15 and restaurants and bars from midnight on Friday. They also encourage Danes to work from home and cancel social gatherings such as Christmas parties.
"It is still our assessment that it is possible to keep large parts of Danish society open, thanks to the large support for the vaccines," Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told a news conference. -Reuters
Omicron threat keeps officials on toes in Chittoor
At a time whe the medical and health officials of Chittoor district were heaving a sigh of relief with a “negligible number of daily count” of COVID cases, the threat of Omicron variant has once again kept them on their toes. Unlike other districts, the floating population of pilgrims visiting Tirumala and Srikalahasti has made the task of authorities tough.
Senior officials on COVID task force duties observed that except for screening the cases arriving at Tirupati airport, tracing the arrival of home-bound passengers through trains and road transport after alighting in Mumbai or New Delhi was proving a Herulean task.
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Rapid PCR test fee slashed at airport
The Chennai airport has slashed the prices of Rapid PCR and RT-PCR tests “by foregoing its revenue share”. The new rates were effective from Tuesday. A senior official of the airport said Hindlabs, which was charging ₹3,400 for a Rapid PCR test will now collect ₹2,900. Similarly, the rate for RT-PCR test has been slashed by ₹100 to ₹600 per test.
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U.S. OKs new COVID-19 antibody drug for high-risk patients
Federal health officials on Wednesday authorised a new COVID-19 antibody drug for people with serious health problems or allergies who can’t get adequate protection from vaccination.
Antibody drugs have been a standard treatment for treating COVID-19 infections for over a year. But the AstraZeneca antibody drug cleared Wednesday by the Food and Drug Administration is different. It’s the first authorised for long-term prevention against COVID-19 infection, rather than a short-term treatment. –PTI
Maharashtra’s first Omicron case patient discharged from hospital after testing negative
Maharashtra’s first patient of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, who resides in Thane district, was on Wednesday discharged from a hospital after testing negative for the infection, a civic official said.
The patient, a 33-year-old marine engineer from Kalyan Dombivli municipal area, had arrived at the Delhi airport from South Africa via Dubai in the last week of November.
He had boarded the flight from South Africa on November 24. On his arrival at the New Delhi airport his RT-PCR test was conducted. By the time he landed in Mumbai, he was informed by the Delhi airport authorities that he has tested positive for COVID-19. –PTI
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