A few hours after reporting the highest number of daily infections, Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, has now recorded its first Omicron-related death.

<o:p>Australia, on Monday morning, reported more than 10,000 Covid cases for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began. Out of these,&nbsp;6,324 cases were from New South Wales, with 55 in intensive care among 520 people in hospital.</o:p>

The first Omicron death was of a local man in his 80s and was fully vaccinated. He, reportedly,&nbsp;had underlying health conditions. "This was the first known death in New South Wales (state) linked to the Omicron variant of concern," said NSW Health epidemiologist Christine Selvey in a video released by the government.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/omicron-update-australias-most-populous-state-reports-record-cases-440124">Omicron update: Australia’s most populous state reports record cases</a>

Australia has been following strict Covid regulations for the past two years, since the coronavirus pandemic took over the world. After almost two years, the country was now inching towards relaxing some restrictions. However, authorities had to soon reimpose all Covid curbs as the new variant started spreading in the country.<o:p></o:p>

Omicron variant, which has been dubbed as the most transmissible variant of coronavirus, has been rapidly spreading through the island country. It is also believed that the increase in cases happened as domestic travel restrictions were lifted and more people were able to return to the state. This, many believe, led to an increase in the number of Covid cases in New South Wales.<o:p></o:p>

The man who became the first victim to be consumed by the Omicron variant was among the six Covid deaths reported in the country on the previous day. Out of these six, this man was the only one who was suffering from Omicron variant of the deadly coronavirus.

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/poll-reveals-62-of-unvaccinated-americans-intend-to-not-receive-covid-19-vaccine-440252">WATCH |</a></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/60-per-cent-of-young-unvaccinated-americans-have-no-plans-of-getting-the-jab-states-poll-440225/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

However, authorities are not reimposing stricter Covid regulations yet as experts have observed that even with an increase in number of cases, hospitalisation rate has not seen a huge increase. "Although we are seeing increased case numbers... we are not seeing the impacts on our hospital system," said Annastacia Palaszczuk, premier of Queensland which reported 784 new cases with four people in hospital.<o:p></o:p>

Meanwhile, wearing face mask when stepping outdoors has been made compulsory in New South Wales. In addition to this, from Monday, people can get entry into any public venue only after showing the QR code.

(With inputs from agencies)

A few hours after reporting the highest number of daily infections, Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, has now recorded its first Omicron-related death.

A few hours after reporting the highest number of daily infections, Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, has now recorded its first Omicron-related death. Australia, on Monday morning, reported more than 10,000 Covid cases for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began. Out of these, 6,324 cases were from New South Wales, with 55 in intensive care among 520 people in hospital. The first Omicron death was of a local man in his 80s and was fully vaccinated. He, reportedly, had underlying health conditions. "This was the first known death in New South Wales (state) linked to the Omicron variant of concern," said NSW Health epidemiologist Christine Selvey in a video released by the government. Also read | Omicron update: Australia’s most populous state reports record cases Australia has been following strict Covid regulations for the past two years, since the coronavirus pandemic took over the world. After almost two years, the country was now inching towards relaxing some restrictions. However, authorities had to soon reimpose all Covid curbs as the new variant started spreading in the country. Omicron variant, which has been dubbed as the most transmissible variant of coronavirus, has been rapidly spreading through the island country. It is also believed that the increase in cases happened as domestic travel restrictions were lifted and more people were able to return to the state. This, many believe, led to an increase in the number of Covid cases in New South Wales. The man who became the first victim to be consumed by the Omicron variant was among the six Covid deaths reported in the country on the previous day. Out of these six, this man was the only one who was suffering from Omicron variant of the deadly coronavirus. WATCH | However, authorities are not reimposing stricter Covid regulations yet as experts have observed that even with an increase in number of cases, hospitalisation rate has not seen a huge increase. "Although we are seeing increased case numbers... we are not seeing the impacts on our hospital system," said Annastacia Palaszczuk, premier of Queensland which reported 784 new cases with four people in hospital. Meanwhile, wearing face mask when stepping outdoors has been made compulsory in New South Wales. In addition to this, from Monday, people can get entry into any public venue only after showing the QR code. (With inputs from agencies)

NSW reports first Omicron death as Australia sees 10,000 Covid cases for first time

The national capital on Monday reported 331 new cases of COVID-19, which is the highest single-day spike since the last six months.On June 6, the capital city reported 331 COVID-19 cases. Moreover, the positivity rate in the city moved up to 0.68 per cent which is the highest since the last six months.&nbsp;

On June 2, the positivity rate was 0.78 per cent. The total cases in Delhi increased to 14,43,683 with a cumulative positivity rate of 4.45 per cent. Active cases are 1,289 in the city. The total discharges from this virus stood at 14,17,288 including 144 fresh discharges.&nbsp;

However, the city reported one new fatality from this virus thereby increasing the death toll to 25106. Moreover, the case fatality rate is at 1.74 per cent. Further, 32,116 beneficiaries were vaccinated in the last 24 hours. With this, the cumulative COVID-19 vaccinations administered in the city are 2,55,89,731.&nbsp;

Moreover, to prevent the spread of the virus, there are as many as 310 total Containment Zones as on date.As Delhi continues to witness a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, a night curfew has been imposed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led government in the national capital from Monday.The curfew will be imposed from 11 pm to 5 am

The national capital on Monday reported 331 new cases of COVID-19, which is the highest single-day spike since the last six months.On June 6, the capital city reported 331 COVID-19 cases.

The national capital on Monday reported 331 new cases of COVID-19, which is the highest single-day spike since the last six months.On June 6, the capital city reported 331 COVID-19 cases. Moreover, the positivity rate in the city moved up to 0.68 per cent which is the highest since the last six months. On June 2, the positivity rate was 0.78 per cent. The total cases in Delhi increased to 14,43,683 with a cumulative positivity rate of 4.45 per cent. Active cases are 1,289 in the city. The total discharges from this virus stood at 14,17,288 including 144 fresh discharges. However, the city reported one new fatality from this virus thereby increasing the death toll to 25106. Moreover, the case fatality rate is at 1.74 per cent. Further, 32,116 beneficiaries were vaccinated in the last 24 hours. With this, the cumulative COVID-19 vaccinations administered in the city are 2,55,89,731. Moreover, to prevent the spread of the virus, there are as many as 310 total Containment Zones as on date.As Delhi continues to witness a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, a night curfew has been imposed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led government in the national capital from Monday.The curfew will be imposed from 11 pm to 5 am

Delhi reports 331 new COVID-19 cases, highest single day spike in last 6 months

In India, Covid-19 numbers are rising sharply especially in several states in the north and the west. The country has reported a total rise of 6,531 cases in a day; 315 deaths have also been reported in the country in the last 24 hours. India has also logged its highest single-day rise of Omicron cases with 156 new omicron infections reported in the last 24 hours, the total tally of such cases stands at 578.

India logs highest single-day Omicron case with 156 fresh cases | Covid-19 news

Hundreds of people staged a protest against Covid curbs in Brussels on Sunday. The protest was mainly aimed at closure of cultural places such as movie and theatre halls due to the pandemic.

In Brussels, protesters gathered at Mont Des Arts square. The protesters raised slogans while some played musical instruments. Belgium has introduced new Covid restrictions. Coronavirus cases caused by infection due to Omicron variant doubled over the past week.

As part of new set of restrictions, indoor venues such as cinemas, theatres concert halls and conferences will have to be closed. In addition to this, public access to stadiums, sporting events and outdoor venues under tents will be banned.

Restrictions have also been placed on outdoor Christmas markets but they have been allowed to stay open. The total capacity of such markets has been restricted. Amusement parks will have to remain closed under Covid restrictions.

The country has so far reported over 2 million cases with at least 28,149 deaths.&nbsp;

It was still recovering from fourth wave when it is having to brace for a fifth due to Omicron threat. AFP quoted hospital staff as saying that they are already at the breaking point

Doctors and nurses are in a state of "extreme exhaustion," said Martial Moonen, head of the infectious diseases service at the public hospital in Liege.

(With inputs from agencies)

Hundreds of people staged a protest against Covid curbs in Brussels on Sunday. The protest was mainly aimed at closure of cultural places such as movie and theatre halls due to the pandemic.

Hundreds of people staged a protest against Covid curbs in Brussels on Sunday. The protest was mainly aimed at closure of cultural places such as movie and theatre halls due to the pandemic. In Brussels, protesters gathered at Mont Des Arts square. The protesters raised slogans while some played musical instruments. Belgium has introduced new Covid restrictions. Coronavirus cases caused by infection due to Omicron variant doubled over the past week. As part of new set of restrictions, indoor venues such as cinemas, theatres concert halls and conferences will have to be closed. In addition to this, public access to stadiums, sporting events and outdoor venues under tents will be banned. Restrictions have also been placed on outdoor Christmas markets but they have been allowed to stay open. The total capacity of such markets has been restricted. Amusement parks will have to remain closed under Covid restrictions. The country has so far reported over 2 million cases with at least 28,149 deaths. It was still recovering from fourth wave when it is having to brace for a fifth due to Omicron threat. AFP quoted hospital staff as saying that they are already at the breaking point Doctors and nurses are in a state of "extreme exhaustion," said Martial Moonen, head of the infectious diseases service at the public hospital in Liege. (With inputs from agencies)

Belgians protest closure of indoor events as per new Covid curbs

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (December 25) announced that the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination for children aged 15-18 years will start from January 3. From the threat of the Omicron variant to the vaccination process, the Prime Minister touched upon a range of issues.&nbsp;

Amid speculations over another wave of COVID-19 which is fuelled by the emergence of a new variant Omicron, PM Modi urged the citizens to not panic. He also asked everyone to follow Covid measures, such as wearing face masks and washing hands occasionally, etc.&nbsp;

During his address to the nation, PM Modi also said that from the point of view of precaution, the Indian government has decided that the 'precaution dose' of vaccine will also be started for the healthcare and frontline workers. PM Modi further informed that the process will start on January 10, 2022.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-capital-registers-249-new-covid-cases-witnesses-biggest-single-day-spike-since-june-13-439956">Indian capital registers 249 new Covid cases, witnesses biggest single-day spike since June 13</a>

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My address to the nation. <a href="https://t.co/dBQKvHXPtv">https://t.co/dBQKvHXPtv</a>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1474775804336697345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Talking about the vaccination programme in India, PM Modi said that India started giving the vaccine to its citizens on January 16 this year.&nbsp;

He added that it is the collective effort and collective will of all the citizens of the country that India has crossed the unprecedented and very difficult target of 141 crore vaccine doses.&nbsp;

The Prime Minister informed that today, more than 61 per cent of India's adult population has received both doses of the vaccine. And about 90 per cent of the adult population has received a single dose of the vaccine.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/iit-kanpur-study-tells-when-third-covid-19-wave-in-india-may-peak-439713">IIT-Kanpur study tells when third COVID-19 wave in India may peak</a>

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इसलिए Precaution की दृष्टि से सरकार ने निर्णय लिया है कि हेल्थकेयर और फ्रंटलाइन वर्कर्स को वैक्सीन की Precaution Dose भी प्रारंभ की जाएगी। 
 
इसकी शुरुआत 2022 में, 10 जनवरी, सोमवार के दिन से की जाएगी: PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a>
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PM Modi said that the fight against the Covid pandemic shows that following all the guidelines at the individual level is a great weapon apart from taking the vaccines.&nbsp;&nbsp;

PM Modi also said that citizens above 60 years of age with co-morbidities will also have the option of a precautionary dose of the vaccine on the advice of their doctor, which will also be available from January 10.&nbsp;

Watch PM Modi's address:

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As per the Union Health Ministry, India has reported 7,189 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the nationwide case tally of the Omicron variant of coronavirus has reached 415.

Amid the Omicron scare and surge in cases in various parts of the country, the Union Health Ministry on Saturday said that multi-disciplinary Central teams would be deployed in ten identified states.

"A decision has been taken to deploy multi-disciplinary Central teams to 10 identified States some of which are either reporting an increasing number of Omicron and COVID-19 cases or slow vaccination pace," says Union Health Ministry in an official statement.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (December 25) announced that the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination for children aged 15-18 years will start from January 3.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (December 25) announced that the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination for children aged 15-18 years will start from January 3. From the threat of the Omicron variant to the vaccination process, the Prime Minister touched upon a range of issues. Amid speculations over another wave of COVID-19 which is fuelled by the emergence of a new variant Omicron, PM Modi urged the citizens to not panic. He also asked everyone to follow Covid measures, such as wearing face masks and washing hands occasionally, etc. During his address to the nation, PM Modi also said that from the point of view of precaution, the Indian government has decided that the 'precaution dose' of vaccine will also be started for the healthcare and frontline workers. PM Modi further informed that the process will start on January 10, 2022. ALSO READ | Indian capital registers 249 new Covid cases, witnesses biggest single-day spike since June 13 My address to the nation. https://t.co/dBQKvHXPtv — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 25, 2021 × Talking about the vaccination programme in India, PM Modi said that India started giving the vaccine to its citizens on January 16 this year. He added that it is the collective effort and collective will of all the citizens of the country that India has crossed the unprecedented and very difficult target of 141 crore vaccine doses. The Prime Minister informed that today, more than 61 per cent of India's adult population has received both doses of the vaccine. And about 90 per cent of the adult population has received a single dose of the vaccine. ALSO READ | IIT-Kanpur study tells when third COVID-19 wave in India may peak इसलिए Precaution की दृष्टि से सरकार ने निर्णय लिया है कि हेल्थकेयर और फ्रंटलाइन वर्कर्स को वैक्सीन की Precaution Dose भी प्रारंभ की जाएगी। इसकी शुरुआत 2022 में, 10 जनवरी, सोमवार के दिन से की जाएगी: PM @narendramodi — PMO India (@PMOIndia) December 25, 2021 × PM Modi said that the fight against the Covid pandemic shows that following all the guidelines at the individual level is a great weapon apart from taking the vaccines. PM Modi also said that citizens above 60 years of age with co-morbidities will also have the option of a precautionary dose of the vaccine on the advice of their doctor, which will also be available from January 10. Watch PM Modi's address: × As per the Union Health Ministry, India has reported 7,189 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, the nationwide case tally of the Omicron variant of coronavirus has reached 415. Amid the Omicron scare and surge in cases in various parts of the country, the Union Health Ministry on Saturday said that multi-disciplinary Central teams would be deployed in ten identified states. "A decision has been taken to deploy multi-disciplinary Central teams to 10 identified States some of which are either reporting an increasing number of Omicron and COVID-19 cases or slow vaccination pace," says Union Health Ministry in an official statement. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19: PM Narendra Modi announces jabs for 15-18 years age group, precautionary dose for frontline workers

Virologist Tulio de Oliveira, who warned the world about the Omicron variant, has now said that China's "zero-Covid" policy will not work against the new variant. First detected in late November, the Omicron is spreading at a very fast pace. As a result, the Chinese authorities have ordered a strict lockdown as millions were asked to stay home after Xi'an city reported 52 new Covid cases.

Taking to his Twitter, Oliveira wrote, "China will have great difficulty with Omicron and zero covid policy. They may need to join the rest of the world with mitigation strategies."

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China will have great difficulty with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/omicron?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#omicron</a> and zero covid policy. They may need@ to join the rest of the world with mitigation strategies. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/China?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#China</a> should not punish its public health officials or citizens or foreigns because a more transmissible variant…
— Tulio de Oliveira (@Tuliodna) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tuliodna/status/1474751613374013441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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He further wrote that China should not punish its public health officials or citizens or foreigns because of a more transmissible variant.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xian-lockdown-chinese-city-reports-community-transmission-hemorrhagic-fever-439629">Also read |&nbsp;Xi'an lockdown: Chinese city reports community transmission, hemorrhagic fever</a>

This comes after China's disciplinary body said that dozens of officials were punished in Xi'an over a virus outbreak. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said that 26 Communist Party officials had been punished for "insufficient rigour in preventing and controlling the outbreak". Chinese officials who are believed to have failed in controlling the outbreak are regularly sacked or reprimanded.&nbsp;

As per the statement, the outbreak in Xi'an can be attributed to the negligent attitude of the officials.&nbsp;

In October, a party secretary in Inner Mongolia was sacked after his area was hit by multiple cases. Also, the head of Zhengzhou city's health commission was sacked in August after several cases were recorded.

China, this year, has reported one death due to the virus amid tough measures as the Xi regime continues to follow the "zero-Covid" strategy ahead of the Winter Olympics.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Virologist Tulio de Oliveira, who warned the world about the Omicron variant, has now said that China's "zero-Covid" policy will not work against the new variant.

Virologist Tulio de Oliveira, who warned the world about the Omicron variant, has now said that China's "zero-Covid" policy will not work against the new variant. First detected in late November, the Omicron is spreading at a very fast pace. As a result, the Chinese authorities have ordered a strict lockdown as millions were asked to stay home after Xi'an city reported 52 new Covid cases. Taking to his Twitter, Oliveira wrote, "China will have great difficulty with Omicron and zero covid policy. They may need to join the rest of the world with mitigation strategies." China will have great difficulty with #omicron and zero covid policy. They may need@ to join the rest of the world with mitigation strategies. #China should not punish its public health officials or citizens or foreigns because a more transmissible variant… — Tulio de Oliveira (@Tuliodna) December 25, 2021 × He further wrote that China should not punish its public health officials or citizens or foreigns because of a more transmissible variant. Also read | Xi'an lockdown: Chinese city reports community transmission, hemorrhagic fever This comes after China's disciplinary body said that dozens of officials were punished in Xi'an over a virus outbreak. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said that 26 Communist Party officials had been punished for "insufficient rigour in preventing and controlling the outbreak". Chinese officials who are believed to have failed in controlling the outbreak are regularly sacked or reprimanded. As per the statement, the outbreak in Xi'an can be attributed to the negligent attitude of the officials. In October, a party secretary in Inner Mongolia was sacked after his area was hit by multiple cases. Also, the head of Zhengzhou city's health commission was sacked in August after several cases were recorded. China, this year, has reported one death due to the virus amid tough measures as the Xi regime continues to follow the "zero-Covid" strategy ahead of the Winter Olympics. (With inputs from agencies)

China's zero-Covid policy will not work, says scientist who warned of Omicron

For the second consecutive year, Christmas celebrations around the world were dampened due to the COVID-19 surge. Now there's been a sharp rise in the number of infections, especially driven by the omicron variant.

Christmas celebrations around the world were dampened due to the COVID-19 surge driven by Omicron

This week the global COVID cases shot up by almost about 500 per cent and what this means is that the average number of cases has increased pretty much on a day-to-day basis.

Omicron spreads across the world, with the UK becoming the worst-hit nation in Europe

In a record high, France for the first time recorded 104,611 Covid infections for the first time since the pandemic began. As per the authorities, cases in intensive care went up from 28 to 3,282. This comes in as the Omicron variant is spreading at a very fast speed, worrying the authorities.&nbsp;

To curb the spread of the virus, the authorities are considering bringing in the concept of vaccine pass. So far, 76.5 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated.

The vaccine pass will be valid only for those who have received a booster jab. The pass will be mandatory for access to cafes, restaurants and public spaces. It will also be required for international travel.

As of now, France has recorded 122,546 fatalities due to the deadly virus.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-digest-france-records-over-100000-covid-19-infections-for-first-time/a-60255339">Also read |&nbsp;Indian capital registers 249 new Covid cases, witnesses biggest single-day spike since June 13</a>

Meanwhile, the French Prime Minister had earlier warned that the new variant can become the dominant one in France from the start of 2022.

Jean Castex has warned people that if the people do not follow the basic Covid regulations, the Omicron variant may soon take over the whole nation.&nbsp;

However, he also added even though a lot is still unknown about this new variant, "it does not seem to be more dangerous than the Delta variant and the data available to us indicate that complete vaccination coverage with the booster dose protects well against severe forms of the disease".

He further added that the government will be taking extra measures to ensure that the problem of vaccine hesitancy is done away with.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In a record high, France for the first time recorded 104,611 Covid infections for the first time since the pandemic began. As per the authorities, cases in intensive care went up from 28 to 3,282.

In a record high, France for the first time recorded 104,611 Covid infections for the first time since the pandemic began. As per the authorities, cases in intensive care went up from 28 to 3,282. This comes in as the Omicron variant is spreading at a very fast speed, worrying the authorities. To curb the spread of the virus, the authorities are considering bringing in the concept of vaccine pass. So far, 76.5 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated. The vaccine pass will be valid only for those who have received a booster jab. The pass will be mandatory for access to cafes, restaurants and public spaces. It will also be required for international travel. As of now, France has recorded 122,546 fatalities due to the deadly virus. Also read | Indian capital registers 249 new Covid cases, witnesses biggest single-day spike since June 13 Meanwhile, the French Prime Minister had earlier warned that the new variant can become the dominant one in France from the start of 2022. Jean Castex has warned people that if the people do not follow the basic Covid regulations, the Omicron variant may soon take over the whole nation. However, he also added even though a lot is still unknown about this new variant, "it does not seem to be more dangerous than the Delta variant and the data available to us indicate that complete vaccination coverage with the booster dose protects well against severe forms of the disease". He further added that the government will be taking extra measures to ensure that the problem of vaccine hesitancy is done away with. (With inputs from agencies)

As Omicron spreads rapidly, France records over 100,000 cases in 24 hours

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 has affected Christmas weekend travel plans globally, with nearly 6,000 flights being cancelled.

Nearly 6,000 flights cancelled globally, as Omicron hits Christmas weekend travel

Yearender 2021: Vaccine drive, virus resurgence, Omicron & lockdown 2.0

China is witnessing a sharp rise in the number of COVID-19 infections. According to reports, at least 155 new cases have been reported in the last 24 hours.

China records highest spike in daily Coronavirus cases in 21 months

Australia’s most populous state New South Wales has reported a record number of COVID-19 cases as the Omicron explosion turns holidays into chaos.

The state, home to Sydney and a third of Australia's 25 million population, reported 6,394 new infections, up from 6,288 a day earlier.

Amid a rush for shots spurred by concern over the Omicron variant, doctors and pharmacists in New South Wales have said they are running short of vaccine doses.

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“We would expect that pretty well everybody in New South Wales at some point will get omicron,” said state Health Minister Brad Hazzard.

“If we’re all going to get Omicron, the best way to face it is when we have full vaccinations including our booster,” he added.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/helping-the-neighbour-australian-man-takes-the-bin-out-on-friends-request-literally-439786">Also read |&nbsp;Helping the neighbour: Australian man 'takes the bin out' on friend's request, literally</a>

Meanwhile, a major laboratory in the state called SydPath send false results to approximately 400 people saying they had tested negative for COVID-19 had in fact tested positive.

“An emergency response team is now investigating the cause of this mistake, which is believed to be due to human error. We sincerely apologize,” said SydPath medical director Anthony Dodds.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt had said that from January 4, the country would offer booster shots to every person aged over 18 who had their second shot four months earlier and the interval would be again reduced to three months by the end of the month.

"These dates have been set out of an abundance of caution to give Australians early continued protection," Hunt told reporters in Canberra.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-protests-people-march-against-vaccine-mandate-demand-removal-of-victorian-premier-daniel-andrews-432299">Also read |&nbsp;Australia protests: People march against vaccine mandate; demand removal of Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews</a>

Australia has been looking to ramp up the rollout of boosters after becoming one of the world's most-vaccinated countries against COVID-19, with more than 90% of people over the age of 16 having received two doses.

Despite record cases, the Australians hope the hospitals will not come under extreme pressure from the new strain, which they say appears to be less severe than other variants.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has vowed never to return to lockdowns, saying Australians must now take personal responsibility for managing their health.

The number of people admitted in hospitals is rising steadily, but remains far lower than during the Delta outbreaks.

Airlines in Australia have cancelled or postponed flights due to frontline staff being forced to isolate due to possible exposures to the virus.

(With inputs from agencies)

Australia’s most populous state New South Wales has reported a record number of COVID-19 cases as the Omicron explosion turns holidays into chaos. The state, home to Sydney and a third of Australia's 25 million population, reported 6,394 new infections, up from 6,288 a day earlier.

Australia’s most populous state New South Wales has reported a record number of COVID-19 cases as the Omicron explosion turns holidays into chaos. The state, home to Sydney and a third of Australia's 25 million population, reported 6,394 new infections, up from 6,288 a day earlier. Amid a rush for shots spurred by concern over the Omicron variant, doctors and pharmacists in New South Wales have said they are running short of vaccine doses. “We would expect that pretty well everybody in New South Wales at some point will get omicron,” said state Health Minister Brad Hazzard. “If we’re all going to get Omicron, the best way to face it is when we have full vaccinations including our booster,” he added. Also read | Helping the neighbour: Australian man 'takes the bin out' on friend's request, literally Meanwhile, a major laboratory in the state called SydPath send false results to approximately 400 people saying they had tested negative for COVID-19 had in fact tested positive. “An emergency response team is now investigating the cause of this mistake, which is believed to be due to human error. We sincerely apologize,” said SydPath medical director Anthony Dodds. Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt had said that from January 4, the country would offer booster shots to every person aged over 18 who had their second shot four months earlier and the interval would be again reduced to three months by the end of the month. "These dates have been set out of an abundance of caution to give Australians early continued protection," Hunt told reporters in Canberra. Also read | Australia protests: People march against vaccine mandate; demand removal of Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews Australia has been looking to ramp up the rollout of boosters after becoming one of the world's most-vaccinated countries against COVID-19, with more than 90% of people over the age of 16 having received two doses. Despite record cases, the Australians hope the hospitals will not come under extreme pressure from the new strain, which they say appears to be less severe than other variants. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has vowed never to return to lockdowns, saying Australians must now take personal responsibility for managing their health. The number of people admitted in hospitals is rising steadily, but remains far lower than during the Delta outbreaks. Airlines in Australia have cancelled or postponed flights due to frontline staff being forced to isolate due to possible exposures to the virus. (With inputs from agencies)

Omicron update: Australia’s most populous state reports record cases

Almost 6,000 flights cancelled after Coronavirus cases surged worldwide

Omicron is a new variant of coronavirus (COVID-19) with a large number of mutations. Globally, the scientists weighed in on the new variant and after the initial examination,&nbsp;they indicated that Omicron is the most worrying Covid variant since delta because of its high rate of transmissibility.&nbsp;

After it was first detected last month, Omicron is rapidly spreading across the world with the United Kingdom emerging as one of the hardest-hit countries along with the United States, South Africa, Belgium.&nbsp;

The UK on Friday (December 24) announced a new record number of virus cases fulled by the Omicron variant. The government reported 122,186 new cases in the last 24 hours, more than 2,000 higher than Thursday's figure.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/iit-kanpur-study-tells-when-third-covid-19-wave-in-india-may-peak-439713">IIT-Kanpur study tells when third COVID-19 wave in India may peak</a>

In Europe, France also set a new daily coronavirus infections record on Friday (Dec 24), as it registered 94,124 cases over 24 hours, the highest figure since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

As per an AFP report on December 24, the number of Covid cases increased by almost a fifth across the world this week. The recent trends and a sharp rise in the number of cases are mostly fueled by the Omicron which is a 'variant of concern'.

Amid a rise in the cases, a new term 'Delmicron' has gone viral, with people trying to find out the details. Hence, here's a report on whatever we know.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/from-oxygen-supply-to-omicron-threat-10-key-highlights-of-pm-narendra-modis-covid-review-meeting-439451">From oxygen supply to Omicron threat: 10 key highlights of PM Narendra Modi's Covid review meeting</a>

What is 'Delmicron'? 
'Delmicron' has been used by some in the medical fraternity to denote a combination of the Delta and Omicron variants. "Delmicron, the twin spikes of Delta and Omicron, in Europe and US has led to a mini tsunami of cases," Dr Shashank Joshi was quoted as saying by India's popular newspaper, The Times Of India.&nbsp;

Is 'Delmicron' a new variant? 
No, 'Delmicron' is not a new variant or mutation. As quoted by TOI, the doctor said that 'Delmicron' is a combination of the protein spikes&nbsp;of both Delta and Omicron.&nbsp;

Can Delta and Omicron combine? 
Early data on the Omicron variant suggests it can be more resistant to vaccines and is more transmissible than the Delta variant. Countries worldwide have begun advising against foreign travel.&nbsp;

Recently, Moderna chief medical officer Paul Burton said it was "certainly" possible Omicron and Delta could team up and create a more dangerous strain. His remark came when he was speaking to the UK Parliament's science and technology committee this week.&nbsp;

An expert said that there is possible that Delta and Omicron could swap genes and trigger a variant, which is even more lethal. These events are scientifically called 'recombination events'.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Europe reintroduces outdoor mask mandate amid Omicron surge

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Omicron is a new variant of coronavirus (COVID-19) with a large number of mutations. Globally, the scientists weighed in on the new variant and after the initial examination, they indicated that Omicron is the most worrying Covid variant since delta because of its high rate of transmissibility.

Omicron is a new variant of coronavirus (COVID-19) with a large number of mutations. Globally, the scientists weighed in on the new variant and after the initial examination, they indicated that Omicron is the most worrying Covid variant since delta because of its high rate of transmissibility. After it was first detected last month, Omicron is rapidly spreading across the world with the United Kingdom emerging as one of the hardest-hit countries along with the United States, South Africa, Belgium. The UK on Friday (December 24) announced a new record number of virus cases fulled by the Omicron variant. The government reported 122,186 new cases in the last 24 hours, more than 2,000 higher than Thursday's figure. ALSO READ | IIT-Kanpur study tells when third COVID-19 wave in India may peak In Europe, France also set a new daily coronavirus infections record on Friday (Dec 24), as it registered 94,124 cases over 24 hours, the highest figure since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. As per an AFP report on December 24, the number of Covid cases increased by almost a fifth across the world this week. The recent trends and a sharp rise in the number of cases are mostly fueled by the Omicron which is a 'variant of concern'. Amid a rise in the cases, a new term 'Delmicron' has gone viral, with people trying to find out the details. Hence, here's a report on whatever we know. ALSO READ | From oxygen supply to Omicron threat: 10 key highlights of PM Narendra Modi's Covid review meeting What is 'Delmicron'? 'Delmicron' has been used by some in the medical fraternity to denote a combination of the Delta and Omicron variants. "Delmicron, the twin spikes of Delta and Omicron, in Europe and US has led to a mini tsunami of cases," Dr Shashank Joshi was quoted as saying by India's popular newspaper, The Times Of India. Is 'Delmicron' a new variant? No, 'Delmicron' is not a new variant or mutation. As quoted by TOI, the doctor said that 'Delmicron' is a combination of the protein spikes of both Delta and Omicron. Can Delta and Omicron combine? Early data on the Omicron variant suggests it can be more resistant to vaccines and is more transmissible than the Delta variant. Countries worldwide have begun advising against foreign travel. Recently, Moderna chief medical officer Paul Burton said it was "certainly" possible Omicron and Delta could team up and create a more dangerous strain. His remark came when he was speaking to the UK Parliament's science and technology committee this week. An expert said that there is possible that Delta and Omicron could swap genes and trigger a variant, which is even more lethal. These events are scientifically called 'recombination events'. Watch: Europe reintroduces outdoor mask mandate amid Omicron surge ×

What is 'Delmicron'? Is it a new variant or a mutant? All you need to know

Pictures: Amid Omicron fear, Indian streets were seen packed with crowd on Christmas

Amid the global spread of Omicron variant of the COVID-19, France witnessed a record surge of infections with 100,000 daily cases.

France hits record 100,000 daily COVID infection cases amid Omicron spread

China records highest daily spike of COVID-19 infections in 21 months amid Omicron scare

After tormenting numerous countries around the world, Omicron seems to be making its presence felt in India. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Till now, 422 cases of the new variant of coronavirus have been registered in India. These cases have come in 17 states and union territories so far. Around 130 of these patients have already recovered, as per union health ministry data, which was updated on Sunday. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-omicron-spreads-rapidly-france-records-over-100000-cases-in-24-hours-439995" hreflang="en">As Omicron spreads rapidly, France records over 100,000 cases in 24 hours</a>

This comes as several countries have been witnessing a massive rise in the number of coronavirus cases after the emergence of the new variant. Many countries have already taken numerous measures to contain the spread of this variant. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

The highest number of Omicron cases have come in Maharashtra, which are 108. Delhi has registered 79 cases, Gujarat 43, Telangana 41, Kerala 38, Tamil Nadu 34 and Karnataka 31. &nbsp;

Around 6,987 new Covid cases have come in a day. The total caseload of India has risen to 3,47,86,802, as per the data updated at 8 am. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-zero-covid-policy-will-not-work-says-scientist-who-warned-of-omicron-440021">China's zero-Covid policy will not work, says scientist who warned of Omicron</a>

With 162 new deaths, the toll has climbed to 4,79,682. For the last 59 days, the daily hike in coronavirus cases has stayed below 15,000. &nbsp;

The active Covid cases count has reached 76,766, the ministry said. In a short span of 24 hours, a reduction of 266 cases has been recorded in the active caseload. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

After tormenting numerous countries around the world, Omicron seems to be making its presence felt in India. Till now, 422 cases of the new variant of coronavirus have been registered in India.

After tormenting numerous countries around the world, Omicron seems to be making its presence felt in India. Till now, 422 cases of the new variant of coronavirus have been registered in India. These cases have come in 17 states and union territories so far. Around 130 of these patients have already recovered, as per union health ministry data, which was updated on Sunday. Also Read: As Omicron spreads rapidly, France records over 100,000 cases in 24 hours This comes as several countries have been witnessing a massive rise in the number of coronavirus cases after the emergence of the new variant. Many countries have already taken numerous measures to contain the spread of this variant. The highest number of Omicron cases have come in Maharashtra, which are 108. Delhi has registered 79 cases, Gujarat 43, Telangana 41, Kerala 38, Tamil Nadu 34 and Karnataka 31. Around 6,987 new Covid cases have come in a day. The total caseload of India has risen to 3,47,86,802, as per the data updated at 8 am. Also Read: China's zero-Covid policy will not work, says scientist who warned of Omicron With 162 new deaths, the toll has climbed to 4,79,682. For the last 59 days, the daily hike in coronavirus cases has stayed below 15,000. The active Covid cases count has reached 76,766, the ministry said. In a short span of 24 hours, a reduction of 266 cases has been recorded in the active caseload. (With inputs from agencies)

Omicron variant of coronavirus: 422 cases registered in India till now

As a fast-spreading new strain of the coronavirus swarms across the country, hospitals in Ohio running low on beds and staff recently took out a full-page newspaper advertisement pleading with unvaccinated Americans to finally get the shot. It read, simply, “Help.”

But in a suburban Ohio cafe, Jackie Rogers, 58, an accountant, offered an equally succinct response on behalf of unvaccinated America: “Never.”

In the year since the first shots began going into arms, opposition to vaccines has hardened from skepticism and wariness into something approaching an article of faith for the approximately 39 million American adults who have yet to get a single dose.

Now health experts say the roughly 15% of the adult population that remains stubbornly unvaccinated is at the greatest risk of severe illness and death from the omicron variant and could overwhelm hospitals that are already brimming with COVID patients. In Cleveland, where omicron cases are soaring, a hospital unit at the Cleveland Clinic that provides life support to the sickest patients is already completely full.

Compounding the problem, the pace of first-time vaccinations appears to be plateauing this month even as omicron takes hold, and the numbers of children getting vaccinated and eligible adults getting booster shots are lower than some health experts hoped. Around 20% of children 5-11 years old have gotten a dose of vaccine. And only around 1 in 3 fully vaccinated Americans has gotten a booster.

It is still too early to know whether spiking numbers of omicron infections in New York, the rest of the Northeast and the Midwest will be followed by a surge in hospitalizations and deaths. Early studies suggest the new variant may cause less severe illness than previous variants did.

But so far, the threat of omicron is doing little to change people’s minds. Nearly 90% of unvaccinated adults said the variant would not spur them to get shots, according to a recent survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

And some of the unvaccinated said that omicron’s wily ability to infect vaccinated people only reaffirmed their decision to not get the shot. Others say the virus’ changing nature has stiffened their resolve not to get it.

“It’s just another variant,” said Dianne Putnam, an unvaccinated resident of Dalton, Georgia, and president of her county’s Republican Party, who spent six days in the hospital this summer after contracting COVID-19. “Next year there’ll be another one. I mean, there’s going to always be different variants.”

Public health campaigns and employee vaccine mandates have made progress since the summer at reducing the ranks of unvaccinated fence-sitters, people without easy access to health care and those who were hesitant but persuadable.

The remaining ranks of unvaccinated Americans steadfastly opposed to getting a shot tend to be younger, whiter and more Republican than those who have received the vaccine or are still considering one, surveys have shown.

At least 6 million first doses have been given in December since omicron was first detected in the United States. But those numbers come with a caveat: Boosters can sometimes be misclassified as first doses, potentially leading to an overcount of how many Americans are getting their first shots, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned.

Booster shots, now the preoccupation of many state and federal health officials, have made up a greater portion of the roughly 1.5 million doses administered each day around the country in recent weeks. The rate of first doses given was similarly sluggish in the late summer, when roughly 300,000 were given each day, dropping even more before regulators authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech shot for young children in October, when the rate of first doses began climbing again.

The number of adults vaccinated has steadily grown since six months ago, when roughly 170 million had received a first shot, compared with around 220 million Saturday, an increase driven in part by mandates.

Low vaccination rates are still heavily concentrated in rural areas and the South, with Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Arkansas and Alabama near the bottom. Those states have recorded around half of their population as fully vaccinated, well below the national rate of about 62%.

In interviews across the country, unvaccinated people said they had grown inured to public health messages from exhausted doctors and nurses and even pleas from their own families, as vaccinations have become entangled in the country’s politics. Even though mandates have been shown to significantly improve vaccination rates in places and at companies that enact them, they said they were dead-set against President Joe Biden’s efforts and had tuned out his appeals for Americans to get vaccinated as a patriotic duty.

“The nail in the coffin was when they said you had to get the vaccine. It definitely turned me away,” said Cyrarra Bricker, 26, a sales representative in Fort Worth, Texas.

The United States continues to see a stark partisan divide in vaccination rates, with more than 91% of adult Democrats receiving at least one shot, compared with about 60% of adult Republicans.

Over the past week, former President Donald Trump made two full-throated endorsements of vaccines that many of his supporters have rejected, drawing praise from Biden.

At an event in Dallas last Sunday, he argued that a shot in the arm was a way to help demonstrate that the three vaccines, which were developed while he was in office, were one of his great successes. Trump also promoted the vaccines in a video interview released this past week by The Daily Wire, a conservative media site, while also rejecting the idea of mandates.

“Forget about the mandates; people have to have their freedom,” Trump said. “But at the same time, the vaccine is one of the greatest achievements of mankind.”

Still, many members of right-wing media continue to spout anti-vaccine rhetoric and disinformation, dissuading many from getting the shot.

At the same time, Republican governors and attorneys general are fighting to block the administration’s vaccine mandates for federal contractors, health care workers and Head Start programs. Anti-vaccine activists have applauded moves by Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas, both Republicans, to thwart vaccine requirements by schools or private businesses.

Dr. José R. Romero, the Arkansas health secretary, said his state’s vaccination rate, which is hardly budging, reflected how deep the opposition to the shot was among those left to convince.

“Unfortunately, we can’t say that we’ve identified a single thing that has really moved the needle in any great extent,” Romero said. “It’s just a slow chipping away at this. It’s sort of a mouse eating the elephant one bit at a time. And you just keep going.”

In Washington, as the Supreme Court is set to hear challenges to the Biden administration’s vaccine mandates, White House officials see few remaining policy levers to pull. Domestic airline passenger vaccination requirements are one of the few tools still at Biden’s disposal that could meaningfully increase the ranks of the vaccinated. But the administration does not have plans to enact them for now, senior officials said.

“Pure persuasion? I think we’ve sort of run out of options,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, Biden’s chief medical adviser.

There were still glimmers of hope, he added. Some people fearful of omicron would take the leap. And unvaccinated Americans, he said, were still not a one-dimensional group. Some might need to just see more safety data, he said.

Like some other public health experts, Fauci said that a uniform federal vaccine passport system could be another resource. If more businesses and organizations asked for passports under that kind of program, he said, “a lot of people are going to realize that it’s so inconvenient not to be vaccinated that they might as well go ahead.”

But unvaccinated people like Eric Dilts, 45, a DoorDash delivery worker in St. Joseph, Missouri, said he felt like the imperfect nature of the vaccines and shifting messages from public officials about boosters and breakthrough infections had validated his skepticism.

“Now you need a first shot and second shot, and now they’re talking about all these boosters,” he said. “How many shots do you need? It seems like a joke to me.”

Unvaccinated Americans this year have made up the vast majority of severe cases and deaths from the virus, and health experts say getting vaccinated remains the best way to protect against severe illness and death. The unvaccinated are “much more likely to be in a hospital, and they’re much more likely to be taking up a bed that might be wanted” this winter, said Bill Hanage, a public health researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Instead, many of the unvaccinated have placed their faith in “natural immunity” in weathering COVID-19 so far, despite warnings from infectious disease experts that the body’s protections are not sufficient to ward off reinfection.

In Los Angeles, Marie Elena Rigo, 51, who contracted COVID in January, said she felt protected after testing for antibodies and was more skeptical of the vaccine after a flurry of recent breakthrough infections among friends and family. Her 11-year-old son tested positive Wednesday.

“He coughed on me last night when I hugged him,” she said. “I don’t feel scared. I never was scared.”

Dr. Luciana Borio, a former chief scientist at the Food and Drug Administration who advised Biden during the transition, said reaching the unvaccinated was now arguably “the hardest aspect” of the U.S. response — one that would require a change of course in federal and state priorities, such as reopening community vaccine sites or urging providers to put more focus back on first doses.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services pointed to a wide-ranging vaccine public education campaign still underway at the agency, with special attention now to reaching young children and those in need of a booster. New ads this past week targeting rural, younger Americans featured the language: “When you’re done with COVID, it doesn’t mean it’s done with you.” Other ads targeting rural adults warned of the financial costs of contracting the virus.

In Cleveland, the COVID picture is one of the bleakest in the country. Intensive care units are crammed with patients with the delta variant, with a surge of new omicron infections looming. New infections in Cuyahoga County, which includes Cleveland, have grown by 234% in the past two weeks.

Ohio, where 60% of people have gotten at least one shot, now has the country’s highest rate of COVID-19 hospitalization, and doctors say emergency rooms and ICUs are running out of beds. They are being forced to call people in from holiday vacations as growing breakthrough infections whittle away at their staff levels.

There was just a single open bed in a sixth-floor intensive care unit at the main campus of the Cleveland Clinic on Thursday morning, where about 90% of ICU patients were unvaccinated. The demand for intensive care has gotten so great that when a bed opens up, nurses are cleaning rooms and moving patients themselves to make space for the next patient.

“It feels like it will never end,” said Claire Strauser, a nurse manager in the intensive care unit whose adult son still has refused her entreaties to get vaccinated.

Strauser said she will probably not see him over Christmas to reduce her own chances of getting infected and sidelined from a job she is devoted to.

“I don’t know what can change,” she said. “They’re just dug in.” 
&nbsp;

As a fast-spreading new strain of the coronavirus swarms across the country, hospitals in Ohio running low on beds and staff recently took out a full-page newspaper advertisement pleading with unvaccinated Americans to finally get the shot.

As a fast-spreading new strain of the coronavirus swarms across the country, hospitals in Ohio running low on beds and staff recently took out a full-page newspaper advertisement pleading with unvaccinated Americans to finally get the shot. It read, simply, “Help.” But in a suburban Ohio cafe, Jackie Rogers, 58, an accountant, offered an equally succinct response on behalf of unvaccinated America: “Never.” In the year since the first shots began going into arms, opposition to vaccines has hardened from skepticism and wariness into something approaching an article of faith for the approximately 39 million American adults who have yet to get a single dose. Now health experts say the roughly 15% of the adult population that remains stubbornly unvaccinated is at the greatest risk of severe illness and death from the omicron variant and could overwhelm hospitals that are already brimming with COVID patients. In Cleveland, where omicron cases are soaring, a hospital unit at the Cleveland Clinic that provides life support to the sickest patients is already completely full. Compounding the problem, the pace of first-time vaccinations appears to be plateauing this month even as omicron takes hold, and the numbers of children getting vaccinated and eligible adults getting booster shots are lower than some health experts hoped. Around 20% of children 5-11 years old have gotten a dose of vaccine. And only around 1 in 3 fully vaccinated Americans has gotten a booster. It is still too early to know whether spiking numbers of omicron infections in New York, the rest of the Northeast and the Midwest will be followed by a surge in hospitalizations and deaths. Early studies suggest the new variant may cause less severe illness than previous variants did. But so far, the threat of omicron is doing little to change people’s minds. Nearly 90% of unvaccinated adults said the variant would not spur them to get shots, according to a recent survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation. And some of the unvaccinated said that omicron’s wily ability to infect vaccinated people only reaffirmed their decision to not get the shot. Others say the virus’ changing nature has stiffened their resolve not to get it. “It’s just another variant,” said Dianne Putnam, an unvaccinated resident of Dalton, Georgia, and president of her county’s Republican Party, who spent six days in the hospital this summer after contracting COVID-19. “Next year there’ll be another one. I mean, there’s going to always be different variants.” Public health campaigns and employee vaccine mandates have made progress since the summer at reducing the ranks of unvaccinated fence-sitters, people without easy access to health care and those who were hesitant but persuadable. The remaining ranks of unvaccinated Americans steadfastly opposed to getting a shot tend to be younger, whiter and more Republican than those who have received the vaccine or are still considering one, surveys have shown. At least 6 million first doses have been given in December since omicron was first detected in the United States. But those numbers come with a caveat: Boosters can sometimes be misclassified as first doses, potentially leading to an overcount of how many Americans are getting their first shots, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned. Booster shots, now the preoccupation of many state and federal health officials, have made up a greater portion of the roughly 1.5 million doses administered each day around the country in recent weeks. The rate of first doses given was similarly sluggish in the late summer, when roughly 300,000 were given each day, dropping even more before regulators authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech shot for young children in October, when the rate of first doses began climbing again. The number of adults vaccinated has steadily grown since six months ago, when roughly 170 million had received a first shot, compared with around 220 million Saturday, an increase driven in part by mandates. Low vaccination rates are still heavily concentrated in rural areas and the South, with Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Arkansas and Alabama near the bottom. Those states have recorded around half of their population as fully vaccinated, well below the national rate of about 62%. In interviews across the country, unvaccinated people said they had grown inured to public health messages from exhausted doctors and nurses and even pleas from their own families, as vaccinations have become entangled in the country’s politics. Even though mandates have been shown to significantly improve vaccination rates in places and at companies that enact them, they said they were dead-set against President Joe Biden’s efforts and had tuned out his appeals for Americans to get vaccinated as a patriotic duty. “The nail in the coffin was when they said you had to get the vaccine. It definitely turned me away,” said Cyrarra Bricker, 26, a sales representative in Fort Worth, Texas. The United States continues to see a stark partisan divide in vaccination rates, with more than 91% of adult Democrats receiving at least one shot, compared with about 60% of adult Republicans. Over the past week, former President Donald Trump made two full-throated endorsements of vaccines that many of his supporters have rejected, drawing praise from Biden. At an event in Dallas last Sunday, he argued that a shot in the arm was a way to help demonstrate that the three vaccines, which were developed while he was in office, were one of his great successes. Trump also promoted the vaccines in a video interview released this past week by The Daily Wire, a conservative media site, while also rejecting the idea of mandates. “Forget about the mandates; people have to have their freedom,” Trump said. “But at the same time, the vaccine is one of the greatest achievements of mankind.” Still, many members of right-wing media continue to spout anti-vaccine rhetoric and disinformation, dissuading many from getting the shot. At the same time, Republican governors and attorneys general are fighting to block the administration’s vaccine mandates for federal contractors, health care workers and Head Start programs. Anti-vaccine activists have applauded moves by Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas, both Republicans, to thwart vaccine requirements by schools or private businesses. Dr. José R. Romero, the Arkansas health secretary, said his state’s vaccination rate, which is hardly budging, reflected how deep the opposition to the shot was among those left to convince. “Unfortunately, we can’t say that we’ve identified a single thing that has really moved the needle in any great extent,” Romero said. “It’s just a slow chipping away at this. It’s sort of a mouse eating the elephant one bit at a time. And you just keep going.” In Washington, as the Supreme Court is set to hear challenges to the Biden administration’s vaccine mandates, White House officials see few remaining policy levers to pull. Domestic airline passenger vaccination requirements are one of the few tools still at Biden’s disposal that could meaningfully increase the ranks of the vaccinated. But the administration does not have plans to enact them for now, senior officials said. “Pure persuasion? I think we’ve sort of run out of options,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, Biden’s chief medical adviser. There were still glimmers of hope, he added. Some people fearful of omicron would take the leap. And unvaccinated Americans, he said, were still not a one-dimensional group. Some might need to just see more safety data, he said. Like some other public health experts, Fauci said that a uniform federal vaccine passport system could be another resource. If more businesses and organizations asked for passports under that kind of program, he said, “a lot of people are going to realize that it’s so inconvenient not to be vaccinated that they might as well go ahead.” But unvaccinated people like Eric Dilts, 45, a DoorDash delivery worker in St. Joseph, Missouri, said he felt like the imperfect nature of the vaccines and shifting messages from public officials about boosters and breakthrough infections had validated his skepticism. “Now you need a first shot and second shot, and now they’re talking about all these boosters,” he said. “How many shots do you need? It seems like a joke to me.” Unvaccinated Americans this year have made up the vast majority of severe cases and deaths from the virus, and health experts say getting vaccinated remains the best way to protect against severe illness and death. The unvaccinated are “much more likely to be in a hospital, and they’re much more likely to be taking up a bed that might be wanted” this winter, said Bill Hanage, a public health researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Instead, many of the unvaccinated have placed their faith in “natural immunity” in weathering COVID-19 so far, despite warnings from infectious disease experts that the body’s protections are not sufficient to ward off reinfection. In Los Angeles, Marie Elena Rigo, 51, who contracted COVID in January, said she felt protected after testing for antibodies and was more skeptical of the vaccine after a flurry of recent breakthrough infections among friends and family. Her 11-year-old son tested positive Wednesday. “He coughed on me last night when I hugged him,” she said. “I don’t feel scared. I never was scared.” Dr. Luciana Borio, a former chief scientist at the Food and Drug Administration who advised Biden during the transition, said reaching the unvaccinated was now arguably “the hardest aspect” of the U.S. response — one that would require a change of course in federal and state priorities, such as reopening community vaccine sites or urging providers to put more focus back on first doses. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services pointed to a wide-ranging vaccine public education campaign still underway at the agency, with special attention now to reaching young children and those in need of a booster. New ads this past week targeting rural, younger Americans featured the language: “When you’re done with COVID, it doesn’t mean it’s done with you.” Other ads targeting rural adults warned of the financial costs of contracting the virus. In Cleveland, the COVID picture is one of the bleakest in the country. Intensive care units are crammed with patients with the delta variant, with a surge of new omicron infections looming. New infections in Cuyahoga County, which includes Cleveland, have grown by 234% in the past two weeks. Ohio, where 60% of people have gotten at least one shot, now has the country’s highest rate of COVID-19 hospitalization, and doctors say emergency rooms and ICUs are running out of beds. They are being forced to call people in from holiday vacations as growing breakthrough infections whittle away at their staff levels. There was just a single open bed in a sixth-floor intensive care unit at the main campus of the Cleveland Clinic on Thursday morning, where about 90% of ICU patients were unvaccinated. The demand for intensive care has gotten so great that when a bed opens up, nurses are cleaning rooms and moving patients themselves to make space for the next patient. “It feels like it will never end,” said Claire Strauser, a nurse manager in the intensive care unit whose adult son still has refused her entreaties to get vaccinated. Strauser said she will probably not see him over Christmas to reduce her own chances of getting infected and sidelined from a job she is devoted to. “I don’t know what can change,” she said. “They’re just dug in.”

As Omicron spreads and cases soar, the unvaccinated remain defiant

In order to motivate locals to get a Covid booster jab, the government has decided to send out mobile alerts to all customers on Boxing Day.<o:p></o:p>

UK’s mobile operators such as EE, O2, Three UK and Vodafone will have to send out a pre-decided message to all users on behalf of the government. The text message is supposed to encourage all eligible adults to get their booster shots as soon as possible to stay safe from the Omicron variant, which is being dubbed to be more contagious than the Delta variant of coronavirus.<o:p></o:p>

"Get boosted now. Every adult needs a COVID-19 booster vaccine to protect against Omicron. Get your COVID-19 vaccine or booster. See NHS website for details," reads the proposed text message.

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/some-christmas-cheer-hospitalization-risk-for-omicron-patients-40-45-lower-than-delta-variant-439674">WATCH |</a></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/some-christmas-cheer-hospitalization-risk-for-omicron-patients-40-45-lower-than-delta-variant-439674/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

However, mobile operators are hesitant in sending out this text message as they believe that it can offend and anger the customers who do not support the vaccine mandates and are against getting vaccinated.<o:p></o:p>

"Operators feel a little nervous about angering some customers because it is such a heated issue," a telecoms industry source was quoted saying by the Guardian. "We will make it happen, but don’t want those who don’t agree with the message to blame us."<o:p></o:p>

UK’s health and social care secretary, Sajid Javid has confirmed the action plan. "It has never been as important to get protected with the booster – so whether it is in between turkey sandwiches or before the Boxing Day fixtures, whatever your traditions make the booster a part of them this year," Javid said. "Millions of vaccine slots are available through the festive calendar so if you’re not boosted and you get this text, take up the offer and get vaccinated."<o:p></o:p>

It is also being reported that this message will not be sent through the nationwide mobile emergency alert system set up for natural disasters such as floods, tornadoes etc, but will be sent through operators.<o:p></o:p>

In order to motivate locals to get a Covid booster jab, the government has decided to send out mobile alerts to all customers on Boxing Day. UK’s mobile operators such as EE, O2, Three UK and Vodafone will have to send out a pre-decided message to all users on behalf of the government.

In order to motivate locals to get a Covid booster jab, the government has decided to send out mobile alerts to all customers on Boxing Day. UK’s mobile operators such as EE, O2, Three UK and Vodafone will have to send out a pre-decided message to all users on behalf of the government. The text message is supposed to encourage all eligible adults to get their booster shots as soon as possible to stay safe from the Omicron variant, which is being dubbed to be more contagious than the Delta variant of coronavirus. "Get boosted now. Every adult needs a COVID-19 booster vaccine to protect against Omicron. Get your COVID-19 vaccine or booster. See NHS website for details," reads the proposed text message. WATCH | However, mobile operators are hesitant in sending out this text message as they believe that it can offend and anger the customers who do not support the vaccine mandates and are against getting vaccinated. "Operators feel a little nervous about angering some customers because it is such a heated issue," a telecoms industry source was quoted saying by the Guardian. "We will make it happen, but don’t want those who don’t agree with the message to blame us." UK’s health and social care secretary, Sajid Javid has confirmed the action plan. "It has never been as important to get protected with the booster – so whether it is in between turkey sandwiches or before the Boxing Day fixtures, whatever your traditions make the booster a part of them this year," Javid said. "Millions of vaccine slots are available through the festive calendar so if you’re not boosted and you get this text, take up the offer and get vaccinated." It is also being reported that this message will not be sent through the nationwide mobile emergency alert system set up for natural disasters such as floods, tornadoes etc, but will be sent through operators.

As Omicron spreads, UK government to send text messages to locals encouraging Covid boosters

Let's take a look at the different Christmas festivities in cities across the world.

Christmas festivities across the world

World is celebrating yet another pandemic-tinged Christmas, this time all the more amid the rising cases of highly infectious Omicron variant of the Covid-19, with curbs on mass gatherings and cancellations of flights.

World celebrates yet another pandemic-tinged Christmas

Let's now get you a quick round-up of all the updates on Coronavirus spread and its impact on the Christmas celebrations around the world.

Impact of Coronavirus spread on Christmas celebration around the globe

omicron

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