Thousands of people took over French streets protesting against tighter restrictions for people who are not yet vaccinated. According to official estimates, the turnout was way below than previous weekend's demonstrations. As per the figures gathered by the police and released by the interior ministry the turnout was 54,000 across France, compared to 105,200 a week ago.

People in the crowds were heard chanting slogans that said, "no to the vaccine."

In Paris, the largest single gathering started from near the Eiffel Tower. There were also marches in major cities including Bordeaux, Toulouse and Lille.

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In pictures: Thousands fill the streets of Paris to protest against a draft bill that will ban unvaccinated people from entering public venues like cafes, restaurants and cinemas <a href="https://t.co/9gKxtFi0AA">pic.twitter.com/9gKxtFi0AA</a>
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🇫🇷 Clashes between protesters and police are taking place these minutes in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Paris?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Paris</a>, where mass anti-government protests are taking place<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/France?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#France</a> <a href="https://t.co/3ghsLhVarh">pic.twitter.com/3ghsLhVarh</a>
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Claire, a demonstrator in her sixties, while speaking to AFP said, "It's Nazism, it's apartheid, I haven't been jabbed and I'm against vaccines in general."&nbsp;

Another demonstrator, Laurence, along with Claire told AFP that they are vaccinated "but we're against the pass for teenagers. We don't see why they're being vaccinated because they aren't in danger."

Earlier in January, France's lower house of the Parliament cleared plans for vaccine pass. As per the new rules, all French citizens must be fully vaccinated to enjoy public needs.&nbsp;

Currently, the government is working to transform the health pass into a "vaccine pass."

As France continues to battle a surge in cases, Health Minister Olivier Veran has said Omicron is less dangerous and patients ill with the variant require shorter hospital stays.

(With inputs from agencies)

Thousands of people took over French streets protesting against tighter restrictions for people who are not yet vaccinated. According to official estimates, the turnout was way below than previous weekend's demonstrations.

Thousands of people took over French streets protesting against tighter restrictions for people who are not yet vaccinated. According to official estimates, the turnout was way below than previous weekend's demonstrations. As per the figures gathered by the police and released by the interior ministry the turnout was 54,000 across France, compared to 105,200 a week ago. People in the crowds were heard chanting slogans that said, "no to the vaccine." In Paris, the largest single gathering started from near the Eiffel Tower. There were also marches in major cities including Bordeaux, Toulouse and Lille. In pictures: Thousands fill the streets of Paris to protest against a draft bill that will ban unvaccinated people from entering public venues like cafes, restaurants and cinemas pic.twitter.com/9gKxtFi0AA — TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) January 15, 2022 × 🇫🇷 Clashes between protesters and police are taking place these minutes in #Paris, where mass anti-government protests are taking place#France pic.twitter.com/3ghsLhVarh — ÔSiNTEL📡 (@OSiNTEL_) January 16, 2022 × Claire, a demonstrator in her sixties, while speaking to AFP said, "It's Nazism, it's apartheid, I haven't been jabbed and I'm against vaccines in general." Another demonstrator, Laurence, along with Claire told AFP that they are vaccinated "but we're against the pass for teenagers. We don't see why they're being vaccinated because they aren't in danger." Earlier in January, France's lower house of the Parliament cleared plans for vaccine pass. As per the new rules, all French citizens must be fully vaccinated to enjoy public needs. Currently, the government is working to transform the health pass into a "vaccine pass." As France continues to battle a surge in cases, Health Minister Olivier Veran has said Omicron is less dangerous and patients ill with the variant require shorter hospital stays. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Protesters take over French streets to fight against the new vaccine pass

In order to save the nation from a logistical nightmare, Canada has now said that it will allow unvaccinated truckers to cross in from the United States.

Canada will allow unvaccinated truckers to cross in from the United States

The Omicron variant has brought an urgency in getting the world vaccinated, but despite this, foreign nations last month have rejected almost about 100 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccines mainly due to their rapid expiry date.

UNICEF: Poor nations rejected over 100 MN vaccine doses due to near expiry dates & lack of storage

European Medicines Agency (EMA) the European Union's drug regulator said on Tuesday (January 11) that the strategy of administering repeated booster doses at short intervals was not viable as a long-term response to COVID-19 pandemic.

A fourth dose of Pfizer-BioNTech shot is already being administered to people over the age of 60 in Israel. Doses are also being given to immunocompromised patients and healthcare workers to protect them against Omicron surge.

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&nbsp;

But speaking at a news conference the EMA's Head of Vaccines Strategy, Marco Cavaleri, said a second booster could be a contingency measure, particularly in the most vulnerable, but that repeated, frequent vaccination was not viable in the long-term.

"We will end up potentially having problems with immune response, and immune response may end up not being as good as we would like it to be," he said.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-says-over-50-of-europeans-on-track-to-contract-omicron-variant-of-coronavirus-443861">WHO says over 50% of Europeans on track to contract Omicron variant of coronavirus</a>

"Secondly, of course, there is the risk of fatiguing the population with the continuous administration of boosters," he told a news conference.

Fourth dose of Covid vaccine is being given to "the most vulnerable citizens" in Denmark as well.

Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said the move marked a "new chapter" in the fight against the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

Health authorities said those concerned would be contacted by early next week.&nbsp;

Heunicke also announced the re-opening of cultural institutions, closed since December 19 in a country where 3,433 people have died since the start of the pandemic, according to latest official data published Wednesday.

(With inputs from agencies)

European Medicines Agency (EMA) the European Union's drug regulator said on Tuesday (January 11) that the strategy of administering repeated booster doses at short intervals was not viable as a long-term response to COVID-19 pandemic.

European Medicines Agency (EMA) the European Union's drug regulator said on Tuesday (January 11) that the strategy of administering repeated booster doses at short intervals was not viable as a long-term response to COVID-19 pandemic. A fourth dose of Pfizer-BioNTech shot is already being administered to people over the age of 60 in Israel. Doses are also being given to immunocompromised patients and healthcare workers to protect them against Omicron surge. × But speaking at a news conference the EMA's Head of Vaccines Strategy, Marco Cavaleri, said a second booster could be a contingency measure, particularly in the most vulnerable, but that repeated, frequent vaccination was not viable in the long-term. "We will end up potentially having problems with immune response, and immune response may end up not being as good as we would like it to be," he said. Also Read | WHO says over 50% of Europeans on track to contract Omicron variant of coronavirus "Secondly, of course, there is the risk of fatiguing the population with the continuous administration of boosters," he told a news conference. Fourth dose of Covid vaccine is being given to "the most vulnerable citizens" in Denmark as well. Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said the move marked a "new chapter" in the fight against the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Health authorities said those concerned would be contacted by early next week. Heunicke also announced the re-opening of cultural institutions, closed since December 19 in a country where 3,433 people have died since the start of the pandemic, according to latest official data published Wednesday. (With inputs from agencies)

EU says repeated boosters against Covid not a viable strategy

The vaccine mandate bill in Germany has sparked a debate at a time when the country has hit a daily COVID-19 infections record; the country has recorded over 80,000 new covid-19 cases. The government is now pushing for expanded vaccine mandate.

Germany records over 80,000 new covid-19 cases, govt pushes for expanded vaccine mandate

A new revelation by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that two doses of the Pfizer Covid vaccine can help in protecting a 'rare but often serious' condition in children. Experts believe that this condition causes organ inflammation a few weeks after Covid infection. This comes in after a study which concluded that the vaccine was 91 per cent effective in preventing Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children aged 12- to 18-years.

The syndrome leads to inflammation in children in organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys and brain.

The study involved 283 hospitalised patients aged 12–18 years. They were in 24 different children's hospitals in 20 states between July and early December. As per the study, children aged 5–11 years are at the highest risk for this inflammatory syndrome.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/omicron-update-cdc-suggests-pfizer-booster-shot-for-kids-aged-12-and-above-442658">Also read |&nbsp;Omicron update: CDC suggests Pfizer booster shot for kids aged 12 and above</a>

Meanwhile, both FDA and CDC have suggested Pfizer booster shots for kids aged 12 and above.&nbsp;

The booster shot will be given at least five months after the two doses have been given. The decision was taken after a CDC advisory panel voted 13-1 in favour of booster dose.&nbsp;

The vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech is the only US option for children of any age. According to the CDC, about 13.5 million 12- to 17-year-olds, just over half that age group, have received two Pfizer shots.

Global Covid cases experiencing a surge due to the Omicron variant. The health authorities have warned that its extremely high transmissibility could overwhelm many health systems.

(With inputs from agencies)

A new revelation by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that two doses of the Pfizer Covid vaccine can help in protecting a 'rare but often serious' condition in children.

A new revelation by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that two doses of the Pfizer Covid vaccine can help in protecting a 'rare but often serious' condition in children. Experts believe that this condition causes organ inflammation a few weeks after Covid infection. This comes in after a study which concluded that the vaccine was 91 per cent effective in preventing Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children aged 12- to 18-years. The syndrome leads to inflammation in children in organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys and brain. The study involved 283 hospitalised patients aged 12–18 years. They were in 24 different children's hospitals in 20 states between July and early December. As per the study, children aged 5–11 years are at the highest risk for this inflammatory syndrome. Also read | Omicron update: CDC suggests Pfizer booster shot for kids aged 12 and above Meanwhile, both FDA and CDC have suggested Pfizer booster shots for kids aged 12 and above. The booster shot will be given at least five months after the two doses have been given. The decision was taken after a CDC advisory panel voted 13-1 in favour of booster dose. The vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech is the only US option for children of any age. According to the CDC, about 13.5 million 12- to 17-year-olds, just over half that age group, have received two Pfizer shots. Global Covid cases experiencing a surge due to the Omicron variant. The health authorities have warned that its extremely high transmissibility could overwhelm many health systems. (With inputs from agencies)

Pfizer vaccine protects children against this 'rare' Covid complication

The Supreme Court is hearing arguments Friday on the legality of two initiatives at the heart of the Biden administration’s efforts to address the coronavirus in the workplace through vaccine mandates.

The challengers — states led by Republican officials, businesses, religious groups and others — say Congress has not authorized the measures, adding that they are unnecessary and in some ways counterproductive.

The administration says that workplace safety and health care laws have given it ample authority to take bold action in the face of a lethal pandemic.

The more sweeping of the two measures, directed at businesses with 100 or more employees, would impose a vaccine-or-testing mandate on more than 84 million workers. The administration estimated that the rule would cause 22 million people to get vaccinated and prevent 250,000 hospitalisations.

The other measure requires workers at hospitals and other health care facilities that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. The requirement would affect more than 17 million workers, the administration said, and would “save hundreds or even thousands of lives each month.”

The Supreme Court remains closed to the public, but the justices are taking the bench to hear the arguments in person and the court will provide a live audio feed on its website.

All of the justices are fully vaccinated and have received a booster shot, a court spokesperson said.

The Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld state vaccine mandates in a variety of settings against constitutional challenges. The cases before the court are different, as they primarily present the question of whether Congress has authorized the executive branch to institute the requirements.

The answer will mostly turn on the language of the relevant statutes and on whether the administration followed proper procedures in issuing the requirements.

The vaccination-or-testing requirement for large employers was issued in November by the Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Employers are allowed to give their workers the option to be tested weekly instead of getting the vaccine, although they are not required to pay for the testing. The rule makes an exception for employees with religious objections and those who do not come into close contact with other people at their jobs, like those who work at home or exclusively outdoors.

Under a 1970 law, OSHA has the authority to issue emergency rules for workplace safety, provided it can show that workers are exposed to a grave danger and that the rule is necessary.

States, businesses and others challenged the measure in appeals courts around the nation, and a unanimous three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in New Orleans, ruled in favor of some of the challengers, blocking the measure.

After the challenges were consolidated before the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in Cincinnati, a divided three-judge panel reinstated the measure.

“The record establishes that COVID-19 has continued to spread, mutate, kill and block the safe return of American workers to their jobs,” Judge Jane B. Stranch wrote for the majority. “To protect workers, OSHA can and must be able to respond to dangers as they evolve.”

In dissent, Judge Joan L. Larsen wrote that the administration “likely lacks congressional authority” to impose the vaccine-or-testing requirement.

“The mandate is aimed directly at protecting the unvaccinated from their own choices,” she wrote. “Vaccines are freely available, and unvaccinated people may choose to protect themselves at any time.”

In the Supreme Court case, National Federation of Independent Business v. Department of Labor, the challengers argued that the regulation did not address a workplace issue and so exceeded the agency’s lawful authority.

“COVID-19 is not an occupational danger that OSHA may regulate,” lawyers for Ohio and 26 other states told the justices in a recent brief.

They added that agencies seeking to issue regulations on “major questions” with broad economic or political implications must have clear congressional authorization.

The second case, Biden v. Missouri, concerns a regulation issued in November requiring health care workers at facilities that receive federal money under the Medicare and Medicaid programs to be vaccinated against the coronavirus unless they qualify for a medical or religious exemption.

States led by Republican officials challenged the regulation, obtaining injunctions against it covering about half of the nation. Two federal appeals courts, in New Orleans and St. Louis, refused to stay those injunctions while appeals moved forward.

A third federal appeals court, in Atlanta, sided with the Biden administration.

“Health care workers have long been required to obtain inoculations for infectious diseases, such as measles, rubella, mumps and others,” Judges Robin S. Rosenbaum and Jill A. Pryor wrote for a divided three-judge panel, “because required vaccination is a common-sense measure designed to prevent health care workers, whose job it is to improve patients’ health, from making them sicker.”

The Biden administration argued that a federal statute gave it broad authority to impose regulations concerning the health and safety of patients at facilities that receive federal money. The statute gives the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services the general power to issue regulations to ensure the “efficient administration” of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and parts of the statute concerning various kinds of facilities generally also authorize the secretary to impose requirements to protect the health and safety of patients.

“It is difficult to imagine a more paradigmatic health and safety condition than a requirement that workers at hospitals, nursing homes and other medical facilities take the step that most effectively prevents transmission of a deadly virus to vulnerable patients,” Solicitor General Elizabeth B. Prelogar wrote in a Supreme Court brief.

In response, lawyers for Missouri and other states wrote that the “sweeping and unprecedented vaccine mandate for health care workers threatens to create a crisis in health care facilities in rural America.”

“The mandate would force millions of workers to choose between losing their jobs or complying with an unlawful federal mandate,” they wrote. Had a judge not issued an injunction, they added, “last year’s health care heroes would have become this year’s unemployed.”

The Supreme Court is hearing arguments Friday on the legality of two initiatives at the heart of the Biden administration’s efforts to address the coronavirus in the workplace through vaccine mandates.

The Supreme Court is hearing arguments Friday on the legality of two initiatives at the heart of the Biden administration’s efforts to address the coronavirus in the workplace through vaccine mandates. The challengers — states led by Republican officials, businesses, religious groups and others — say Congress has not authorized the measures, adding that they are unnecessary and in some ways counterproductive. The administration says that workplace safety and health care laws have given it ample authority to take bold action in the face of a lethal pandemic. The more sweeping of the two measures, directed at businesses with 100 or more employees, would impose a vaccine-or-testing mandate on more than 84 million workers. The administration estimated that the rule would cause 22 million people to get vaccinated and prevent 250,000 hospitalisations. The other measure requires workers at hospitals and other health care facilities that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. The requirement would affect more than 17 million workers, the administration said, and would “save hundreds or even thousands of lives each month.” The Supreme Court remains closed to the public, but the justices are taking the bench to hear the arguments in person and the court will provide a live audio feed on its website. All of the justices are fully vaccinated and have received a booster shot, a court spokesperson said. The Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld state vaccine mandates in a variety of settings against constitutional challenges. The cases before the court are different, as they primarily present the question of whether Congress has authorized the executive branch to institute the requirements. The answer will mostly turn on the language of the relevant statutes and on whether the administration followed proper procedures in issuing the requirements. The vaccination-or-testing requirement for large employers was issued in November by the Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Employers are allowed to give their workers the option to be tested weekly instead of getting the vaccine, although they are not required to pay for the testing. The rule makes an exception for employees with religious objections and those who do not come into close contact with other people at their jobs, like those who work at home or exclusively outdoors. Under a 1970 law, OSHA has the authority to issue emergency rules for workplace safety, provided it can show that workers are exposed to a grave danger and that the rule is necessary. States, businesses and others challenged the measure in appeals courts around the nation, and a unanimous three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in New Orleans, ruled in favor of some of the challengers, blocking the measure. After the challenges were consolidated before the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in Cincinnati, a divided three-judge panel reinstated the measure. “The record establishes that COVID-19 has continued to spread, mutate, kill and block the safe return of American workers to their jobs,” Judge Jane B. Stranch wrote for the majority. “To protect workers, OSHA can and must be able to respond to dangers as they evolve.” In dissent, Judge Joan L. Larsen wrote that the administration “likely lacks congressional authority” to impose the vaccine-or-testing requirement. “The mandate is aimed directly at protecting the unvaccinated from their own choices,” she wrote. “Vaccines are freely available, and unvaccinated people may choose to protect themselves at any time.” In the Supreme Court case, National Federation of Independent Business v. Department of Labor, the challengers argued that the regulation did not address a workplace issue and so exceeded the agency’s lawful authority. “COVID-19 is not an occupational danger that OSHA may regulate,” lawyers for Ohio and 26 other states told the justices in a recent brief. They added that agencies seeking to issue regulations on “major questions” with broad economic or political implications must have clear congressional authorization. The second case, Biden v. Missouri, concerns a regulation issued in November requiring health care workers at facilities that receive federal money under the Medicare and Medicaid programs to be vaccinated against the coronavirus unless they qualify for a medical or religious exemption. States led by Republican officials challenged the regulation, obtaining injunctions against it covering about half of the nation. Two federal appeals courts, in New Orleans and St. Louis, refused to stay those injunctions while appeals moved forward. A third federal appeals court, in Atlanta, sided with the Biden administration. “Health care workers have long been required to obtain inoculations for infectious diseases, such as measles, rubella, mumps and others,” Judges Robin S. Rosenbaum and Jill A. Pryor wrote for a divided three-judge panel, “because required vaccination is a common-sense measure designed to prevent health care workers, whose job it is to improve patients’ health, from making them sicker.” The Biden administration argued that a federal statute gave it broad authority to impose regulations concerning the health and safety of patients at facilities that receive federal money. The statute gives the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services the general power to issue regulations to ensure the “efficient administration” of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and parts of the statute concerning various kinds of facilities generally also authorize the secretary to impose requirements to protect the health and safety of patients. “It is difficult to imagine a more paradigmatic health and safety condition than a requirement that workers at hospitals, nursing homes and other medical facilities take the step that most effectively prevents transmission of a deadly virus to vulnerable patients,” Solicitor General Elizabeth B. Prelogar wrote in a Supreme Court brief. In response, lawyers for Missouri and other states wrote that the “sweeping and unprecedented vaccine mandate for health care workers threatens to create a crisis in health care facilities in rural America.” “The mandate would force millions of workers to choose between losing their jobs or complying with an unlawful federal mandate,” they wrote. Had a judge not issued an injunction, they added, “last year’s health care heroes would have become this year’s unemployed.”

Supreme court hears major challenges to Biden’s vaccine mandates

France's lower house of the Parliament has cleared plans for vaccine pass. All French citizens must be fully vaccinated to enjoy public needs.

French lower house passes vaccine pass plans

France where lawmakers have debated draft legislation that would require most people to be vaccinated against covid-19. The past would be required to enter public spaces such as bars restaurants and long-distance public transport. The new law would remove the option of showing a negative test result instead of having the jabs.

French lawmakers draft Covid vaccine pass law amid 'tidal wave' of Omicron cases

COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 15 to 18 years old began in India on Monday morning.

On Saturday, CoWIN registration for the age group had commenced.

So far, 12,57,603 children aged 15 to 18 have registered to be vaccinated through the CoWIN platform.

The national capital, according to Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, has the potential to vaccinate 3,00,000 youngsters aged 15 to 18 years per day.

The Delhi government and municipal corporations have established COVID immunisation centres in government hospitals, dispensaries, polyclinics, and schools. 
 
Watch:

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The clearance from the government came amid a threat of growing cases of Omicron, the highly infectious variant that is sweeping Europe and the US, replacing Delta as the dominant strain.

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Since schools and colleges opened earlier this year, a substantial number of children and teens have contracted the virus. Several outbreaks have been reported from residential schools and college hostels.

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COVID-19 vaccination starts for children aged 15-18 years in Dr RML Hospital, Delhi 
 
"I got my vaccination registration done online yesterday. Apart from the vaccination, we need to be extra careful &amp; alert for our own safety," says a teenager <a href="https://t.co/kYvlGE5CJ7">pic.twitter.com/kYvlGE5CJ7</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1477860075964231681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The vaccination campaign, which is being carried out in collaboration with schools, is taking place in hospitals and health centres.

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Jammu &amp; Kashmir | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> vaccination for children in the age group of 15-18 years starts in Jammu. Visuals from a private school in the city <a href="https://t.co/SZUv20DIQU">pic.twitter.com/SZUv20DIQU</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1477874425223847936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Vaccination centres are also being employed in a huge number of schools and other educational organisations.

Those who were born before 2007 are eligible for the vaccine.

According to the Union Health Ministry, only Covaxin will be given to teenagers, and more doses of the vaccine will be distributed to all states and union territories.

On December 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that vaccinations for those aged 15 to 18 would begin on January 3.

Beginning January 10, health staff, frontline workers, and vulnerable senior citizens will receive a third dosage of the vaccine.&nbsp; 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 15 to 18 years old began in India on Monday morning. On Saturday, CoWIN registration for the age group had commenced. So far, 12,57,603 children aged 15 to 18 have registered to be vaccinated through the CoWIN platform.

COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 15 to 18 years old began in India on Monday morning. On Saturday, CoWIN registration for the age group had commenced. So far, 12,57,603 children aged 15 to 18 have registered to be vaccinated through the CoWIN platform. The national capital, according to Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, has the potential to vaccinate 3,00,000 youngsters aged 15 to 18 years per day. The Delhi government and municipal corporations have established COVID immunisation centres in government hospitals, dispensaries, polyclinics, and schools. Watch: The clearance from the government came amid a threat of growing cases of Omicron, the highly infectious variant that is sweeping Europe and the US, replacing Delta as the dominant strain. Only Covaxin is approved for beneficiaries aged less than 18 years. Beneficiaries aged 18 & above are eligible for all vaccines. Validations have been put in place in the Co-WIN system to ensure that vaccination is carried out as per government policy: Union Health Ministry × Since schools and colleges opened earlier this year, a substantial number of children and teens have contracted the virus. Several outbreaks have been reported from residential schools and college hostels. COVID-19 vaccination starts for children aged 15-18 years in Dr RML Hospital, Delhi "I got my vaccination registration done online yesterday. Apart from the vaccination, we need to be extra careful & alert for our own safety," says a teenager pic.twitter.com/kYvlGE5CJ7 — ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2022 × The vaccination campaign, which is being carried out in collaboration with schools, is taking place in hospitals and health centres. Jammu & Kashmir | #COVID19 vaccination for children in the age group of 15-18 years starts in Jammu. Visuals from a private school in the city pic.twitter.com/SZUv20DIQU — ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2022 × Vaccination centres are also being employed in a huge number of schools and other educational organisations. Those who were born before 2007 are eligible for the vaccine. According to the Union Health Ministry, only Covaxin will be given to teenagers, and more doses of the vaccine will be distributed to all states and union territories. On December 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that vaccinations for those aged 15 to 18 would begin on January 3. Beginning January 10, health staff, frontline workers, and vulnerable senior citizens will receive a third dosage of the vaccine. (With inputs from agencies)

Vaccination for 15-18 age group in India starts amid COVID-19 surge

As the Omicron variant of coronavirus continues to torment several countries in the world, Israel has decided to administer a fourth dose of vaccine to people, who are most vulnerable to COVID-19. The country has become the first country to do so. &nbsp;&nbsp;

At a press conference late on Thursday, Nachman Ash, the director general of the health ministry, announced the decision. &nbsp;

The move comes as the country braces for new wave of infections, which are being fuelled by Omicron. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fda-plans-to-allow-12-to-15-year-olds-to-receive-pfizer-boosters-441278" hreflang="en">FDA plans to allow 12- to 15-year-olds to receive Pfizer boosters</a>

Ash said the decision has been taken on the basis of research. After assessment of the situation, the officials will also consider expanding the administration of the fourth dose to more people. &nbsp;

Earlier, Israel had also got its first shipment of pills, which can help treat the worst effects of Covid on Thursday. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-falls-short-of-self-testing-kits-amid-coronavirus-wave-441245" hreflang="en">UK falls short of self-testing kits amid coronavirus wave</a>

A year ago, Israel was one of the first countries to roll out vaccination programme with the help of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine. &nbsp;

It also offered boosters last summer to its citizens. &nbsp;

But still it witnessed a wave of infections, which was blamed on the Delta variant of coronavirus. The officials have also warned of another wave, which may get driven by the fast-spreading Omicron. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

As the Omicron variant of coronavirus continues to torment several countries in the world, Israel has decided to administer a fourth dose of vaccine to people, who are most vulnerable to COVID-19.

As the Omicron variant of coronavirus continues to torment several countries in the world, Israel has decided to administer a fourth dose of vaccine to people, who are most vulnerable to COVID-19. The country has become the first country to do so. At a press conference late on Thursday, Nachman Ash, the director general of the health ministry, announced the decision. The move comes as the country braces for new wave of infections, which are being fuelled by Omicron. Also Read: FDA plans to allow 12- to 15-year-olds to receive Pfizer boosters Ash said the decision has been taken on the basis of research. After assessment of the situation, the officials will also consider expanding the administration of the fourth dose to more people. Earlier, Israel had also got its first shipment of pills, which can help treat the worst effects of Covid on Thursday. Also Read: UK falls short of self-testing kits amid coronavirus wave A year ago, Israel was one of the first countries to roll out vaccination programme with the help of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine. It also offered boosters last summer to its citizens. But still it witnessed a wave of infections, which was blamed on the Delta variant of coronavirus. The officials have also warned of another wave, which may get driven by the fast-spreading Omicron. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel to administer fourth dose of vaccine to most vulnerable to COVID-19

Latin America surpass Europe and North America to become the most vaccinated region in the world, with 63% of people being inoculated.

Latin America becomes the most vaccinated region worldwide, with 63% of people being inoculated

Amid the looming threat of Covid-19 and despite receiving a steady supply of vaccines, Nepal still faces an intense challenge. As the Himalayan nation struggles to vaccinate its targeted population now this all comes as a country struggles to store its vaccine shipments, there are about 12 million covid shots in stock in Nepal.

Nepal requests to delay vaccine shipments, struggles to jab targeted population

In a first, a person in Israel has been vaccinated with a fourth coronavirus vaccine. This was done as a part of the study to see if the country will go ahead and approve the measure in a bid to curb the growing wave of Covid infections triggered by the Omicron variant. There are a total of 150 subjects and all of these are medical staff.&nbsp;

Speaking about the study, a spokesman said, it "will zero in on efficacy of the vaccine in producing antibodies, and safety, in order to ascertain if a fourth vaccine is needed in general."

This comes a few days after an expert panel suggested that Israel should become the first country to offer a fourth dose. This is specifically for those aged over 60 and medical workers.

Israel has been experiencing a sudden spike in cases due to the Omicron variant. There are a little over 1,000 cases of the Omicron variant in Israel.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/worlds-first-dna-covid-vaccine-from-india-cost-features-other-details-here-440286">Also read |&nbsp;World's first DNA Covid vaccine from India: Cost, features, other details here</a>

Several health officials have warned that the new Covid variant is the reason for an upcoming fifth wave of infections.&nbsp;

In a bid to fight the virus, the government has imposed restrictions. New rules for the education sector have also come into play.&nbsp;

As per the new restrictions, classes for students in grades 7-12 in communities listed as 'red' or 'orange' will only be allowed to open for offline learning where 70 per cent of students have received the first dose of the vaccine.

Students in classes with less than 70 per cent vaccinated students will be taken online. For communities listed as 'green' and 'yellow', classes will be conducted regularly.&nbsp;

As per ministry data, nearly 63 per cent of Israel's population have received the first two vaccine doses. Also, almost 45 per cent have also received a third dose.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a first, a person in Israel has been vaccinated with a fourth coronavirus vaccine. This was done as a part of the study to see if the country will go ahead and approve the measure in a bid to curb the growing wave of Covid infections triggered by the Omicron variant.

In a first, a person in Israel has been vaccinated with a fourth coronavirus vaccine. This was done as a part of the study to see if the country will go ahead and approve the measure in a bid to curb the growing wave of Covid infections triggered by the Omicron variant. There are a total of 150 subjects and all of these are medical staff. Speaking about the study, a spokesman said, it "will zero in on efficacy of the vaccine in producing antibodies, and safety, in order to ascertain if a fourth vaccine is needed in general." This comes a few days after an expert panel suggested that Israel should become the first country to offer a fourth dose. This is specifically for those aged over 60 and medical workers. Israel has been experiencing a sudden spike in cases due to the Omicron variant. There are a little over 1,000 cases of the Omicron variant in Israel. Also read | World's first DNA Covid vaccine from India: Cost, features, other details here Several health officials have warned that the new Covid variant is the reason for an upcoming fifth wave of infections. In a bid to fight the virus, the government has imposed restrictions. New rules for the education sector have also come into play. As per the new restrictions, classes for students in grades 7-12 in communities listed as 'red' or 'orange' will only be allowed to open for offline learning where 70 per cent of students have received the first dose of the vaccine. Students in classes with less than 70 per cent vaccinated students will be taken online. For communities listed as 'green' and 'yellow', classes will be conducted regularly. As per ministry data, nearly 63 per cent of Israel's population have received the first two vaccine doses. Also, almost 45 per cent have also received a third dose. (With inputs from agencies)

In a study, Israel vaccinates people with fourth vaccine dose for the first time

Chief Medical Advisor to the President of the US, Anthony Fauci in an interview with WCBS Newsradio 880 said that it is “too premature” on part of the US to discuss a fourth Covid vaccine dose. He further highlighted that health officials must first study the “durability” of protection from three jabs.

"One of the things that we're gonna be following very carefully is what the durability of the protection is following the third dose of an mRNA vaccine. If the protection is much more durable than the two dose non-boosted group, and we may go a significant period of time without requiring a fourth dose," Fauci said.&nbsp;

As per data by the White House, over 60 million Americans have already received their booster shots. This includes 62 per cent of eligible seniors.

As the Omicron variant is spreading, experts all across the world are warning people to stay indoors rather than travelling during the festive time.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/even-after-booster-shot-large-gatherings-and-parties-not-safe-warns-fauci-439259">Also read |&nbsp;Even after booster shot, large gatherings and parties not safe, warns Fauci</a>

So far, the US has recorded over 800,000 deaths related due to the deadly coronavirus. While people were already struggling to battle with the Delta variant, the newly discovered Omicron has now become the dominant variant in the US.&nbsp;

Earlier, Fauci had said that large gatherings during the upcoming holiday season are not so safe even for people vaccinated with a booster shot.&nbsp;

Fauci has also urged people to go back to wearing face masks and practice social distancing. He said that if people do not pay attention to these warnings, the cases will double up at an alarming rate.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Chief Medical Advisor to the President of the US, Anthony Fauci in an interview with WCBS Newsradio 880 said that it is “too premature” on part of the US to discuss a fourth Covid vaccine dose.

Chief Medical Advisor to the President of the US, Anthony Fauci in an interview with WCBS Newsradio 880 said that it is “too premature” on part of the US to discuss a fourth Covid vaccine dose. He further highlighted that health officials must first study the “durability” of protection from three jabs. "One of the things that we're gonna be following very carefully is what the durability of the protection is following the third dose of an mRNA vaccine. If the protection is much more durable than the two dose non-boosted group, and we may go a significant period of time without requiring a fourth dose," Fauci said. As per data by the White House, over 60 million Americans have already received their booster shots. This includes 62 per cent of eligible seniors. As the Omicron variant is spreading, experts all across the world are warning people to stay indoors rather than travelling during the festive time. Also read | Even after booster shot, large gatherings and parties not safe, warns Fauci So far, the US has recorded over 800,000 deaths related due to the deadly coronavirus. While people were already struggling to battle with the Delta variant, the newly discovered Omicron has now become the dominant variant in the US. Earlier, Fauci had said that large gatherings during the upcoming holiday season are not so safe even for people vaccinated with a booster shot. Fauci has also urged people to go back to wearing face masks and practice social distancing. He said that if people do not pay attention to these warnings, the cases will double up at an alarming rate. (With inputs from agencies)

'Too premature' to discuss a fourth Covid vaccine dose, says Fauci

Europe is facing a pretty sharp rise in the number of Covid 19 infections and it is not just due to the latest omicron variant.

PM Johnson urges people to get vaccinated

Europe Concerned Over Rise In Cases

Ecuador has become the first country to make Covid vaccines mandatory for children as young as five years. "In Ecuador, vaccination against Covid-19 is declared compulsory," the health ministry said in a statement. This comes in amid growing fears of the Omicron variant.&nbsp;

While speaking to AFP, the ministry said, "Compulsory vaccination applies to persons five years and older."

The South American country has a population of 17.7 million people, out of which, 69 per cent of people have received two doses. Over 900,000 people have received the booster dose.&nbsp;

As per the ministry, people only with medical reasons will be exempted from getting the vaccine.&nbsp;The South American country has so far registered nearly 540,000 cases, with 33,600 fatalities.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/omicron-update-europe-begins-covid-19-vaccination-drive-for-children-439120">Also read |&nbsp;Omicron update: Europe begins COVID-19 vaccination drive for children</a>

The country recorded its first Omicron case a week ago. Since then, the country has made it mandatory for its citizens to get vaccinated to travel to public places, including restaurants, cinemas, shopping malls, and theatres.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, several European countries have started the inoculation drive against coronavirus for children.&nbsp;Authorities in Belgium and France have announced that children aged 5-11 are now eligible for voluntary Covid vaccination in both countries.

“We have observed that 80 per cent of children with severe forms had no comorbidities,” said the French National Authority for Health (HAS).

Vaccinating children “could diminish the virus’s circulation in schools and reduce the risk of classroom closures,” it added.

(With inputs from agencies)

Ecuador has become the first country to make Covid vaccines mandatory for children as young as five years. "In Ecuador, vaccination against Covid-19 is declared compulsory," the health ministry said in a statement.

Ecuador has become the first country to make Covid vaccines mandatory for children as young as five years. "In Ecuador, vaccination against Covid-19 is declared compulsory," the health ministry said in a statement. This comes in amid growing fears of the Omicron variant. While speaking to AFP, the ministry said, "Compulsory vaccination applies to persons five years and older." The South American country has a population of 17.7 million people, out of which, 69 per cent of people have received two doses. Over 900,000 people have received the booster dose. As per the ministry, people only with medical reasons will be exempted from getting the vaccine. The South American country has so far registered nearly 540,000 cases, with 33,600 fatalities. Also read | Omicron update: Europe begins COVID-19 vaccination drive for children The country recorded its first Omicron case a week ago. Since then, the country has made it mandatory for its citizens to get vaccinated to travel to public places, including restaurants, cinemas, shopping malls, and theatres. Meanwhile, several European countries have started the inoculation drive against coronavirus for children. Authorities in Belgium and France have announced that children aged 5-11 are now eligible for voluntary Covid vaccination in both countries. “We have observed that 80 per cent of children with severe forms had no comorbidities,” said the French National Authority for Health (HAS). Vaccinating children “could diminish the virus’s circulation in schools and reduce the risk of classroom closures,” it added. (With inputs from agencies)

Ecuador becomes first country to mandate Covid vaccines for children from age of 5

The Omicron surge has triggered a debate on boosters. Should governments donate jabs instead of rolling out a third shot? How has the WHO's confused messaging muddled the booster debate? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: The Wests's boosters are extending the pandemic

Omicron variant may produce more infections than Delta, but the risk of hospitalisation is lesser by 40 to 45 per cent, two new studies from Britain have&nbsp;revealed.

The preliminary studies — one paper from Scotland and the other from England — that are&nbsp;yet to be peer reviewed stated that the Omicron variant was associated with milder symptoms and likely to cause less hospitalisation than Delta.

During a media briefing on Wednesday, Jim McMenamin, director at Public Health Scotland and co-author, called the research “qualified good news.”

“Qualified because these are early observations, they are statistically significant, and we are showing a reduced risk of hospitalisations,” AFP quoted McMenamin as saying.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-panic-due-to-the-rapid-surge-of-omicron-us-stores-put-limits-on-at-home-covid-test-purchase-439154">Amid panic due to the rapid surge of Omicron, US stores put limits on at-home Covid test purchase</a>

The <a href="https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/publications/severity-of-omicron-variant-of-concern-and-vaccine-effectiveness-">Scottish paper</a> examined Covid cases reported in November and December and compared the infections caused by Delta against Omicron.

The study also found that a booster dose would provide&nbsp;significant additional protection against symptomatic infection.

The study was small and there were no people under 60 hospitalised at the time, but the authors said they had adjusted for these limitations using statistical methods.

The second paper from Imperial College London had similar findings, suggesting that there was a 20 to 25 per cent reduction in hospitalisation for Omicron compared to Delta, and a 40 to 45 per cent reduction in hospitalisations lasting one night or longer.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/omicron-alert-uk-records-over-100000-covid-19-cases-in-24-hours-439145">Omicron alert: UK records over 100,000 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours</a>

The <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/mrc-global-infectious-disease-analysis/covid-19/report-50-severity-omicron/">London study,</a> which included 56,000 omicron cases and 269,000 delta cases, also called for a booster dose for additional protection against the Omicron.

Azra Ghani of the Imperial College London, who co-authored the study, said in a statement, “Whilst the reduced risk of hospitalisation with the Omicron variant is reassuring, the risk of infection remains extremely high.”

“With the addition of the booster dose, vaccines continue to offer the best protection against infection and hospitalisation.”

(With inputs from agencies)

Omicron variant may produce more infections than Delta, but the risk of hospitalisation is lesser by 40 to 45 per cent, two new studies from Britain have revealed.

Omicron variant may produce more infections than Delta, but the risk of hospitalisation is lesser by 40 to 45 per cent, two new studies from Britain have revealed. The preliminary studies — one paper from Scotland and the other from England — that are yet to be peer reviewed stated that the Omicron variant was associated with milder symptoms and likely to cause less hospitalisation than Delta. During a media briefing on Wednesday, Jim McMenamin, director at Public Health Scotland and co-author, called the research “qualified good news.” “Qualified because these are early observations, they are statistically significant, and we are showing a reduced risk of hospitalisations,” AFP quoted McMenamin as saying. Also read | Amid panic due to the rapid surge of Omicron, US stores put limits on at-home Covid test purchase The Scottish paper examined Covid cases reported in November and December and compared the infections caused by Delta against Omicron. The study also found that a booster dose would provide significant additional protection against symptomatic infection. The study was small and there were no people under 60 hospitalised at the time, but the authors said they had adjusted for these limitations using statistical methods. The second paper from Imperial College London had similar findings, suggesting that there was a 20 to 25 per cent reduction in hospitalisation for Omicron compared to Delta, and a 40 to 45 per cent reduction in hospitalisations lasting one night or longer. Also read | Omicron alert: UK records over 100,000 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours The London study, which included 56,000 omicron cases and 269,000 delta cases, also called for a booster dose for additional protection against the Omicron. Azra Ghani of the Imperial College London, who co-authored the study, said in a statement, “Whilst the reduced risk of hospitalisation with the Omicron variant is reassuring, the risk of infection remains extremely high.” “With the addition of the booster dose, vaccines continue to offer the best protection against infection and hospitalisation.” (With inputs from agencies)

Omicron causes 40-45% less hospitalisation than Delta variant, reveal UK studies

Bernie Sanders claims investors of Pfizer & Moderna made $10 billion as news about Omicron spread. Through secret contracts & vaccine patents - vaccine makers want to control the prices of boosters. Palki Sharma tells you how they could profit from boosters and variants.

Gravitas: How Vaccine Makers could profit from boosters and variants

Nigeria has destroyed more than a million of AstraZeneca vaccine doses. The destruction has come days after Nigerian health authorities said that some of the COVID-19 shots donated by the wealthy nations were a few weeks away from the expiry date.

Nigeria destroys more than 1 million AstraZeneca COVID vaccine doses

Israel has announced the fourth doze of covid-19 vaccine for people older than 60 to be rolled out with immediate effect. It is to be taken by senior citizens, health workers and people with a suppressed immune system.

Israel to roll out fourth doze of Covid-19 vaccine for seniors and health workers

As the Omicron strain of COVID-19 spread its wings globally, European Union prepares to contain the strain by tweaking the vaccine shots accordingly.

EU prepares to contain highly-mutated Omicron strain of COVID-19 by tweaking vaccine shots

The Omicron variant of the COVID-19 has spread its wings globally, with cases rising rapidly in the US. In the latest, Omicron has become the dominant strain in the US.

Omicron variant has become the dominant strain in the US as cases rise rapidly

According to a recent Chinese study involving 292 samples, the Sinopharm vaccine jab is weak against the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

Study: Sinopharm vaccine jab weak against Omicron variant of the COVID-19

A leader of UK's National Health Service (NHS) has said that hospital units in England faced potential closure due to staff quitting in protest of government compulsion for health workers to be vaccinated against Covid.

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers has cited example of a hospital run by a trust.

In this hospital, 40 midwives have refused to get vaccinated. This has raised fears that the maternity unit would have to be closed.

The mandate for health workers to get vaccinated comes into effect in April.

Hopson did not name the hospital in which the midwives are refusing to get vaccinated. He presented this as a representative example.&nbsp;

He said that if the trend spreads, it will 'lead to patient services being put at risk'. He was quoted by The Guardian.

UK's Health Secretary Sajid Javid recently told House of Commons the number of NHS staff who are unvaccinated.

“despite the incredible effort to boost uptake across the country, there are still approximately 94,000 NHS staff who are unvaccinated. It’s critical to patient safety that health and care staff get the jab,” he said.

A leader of UK's National Health Service (NHS) has said that hospital units in England faced potential closure due to staff quitting in protest of government compulsion for health workers to be vaccinated against Covid.

A leader of UK's National Health Service (NHS) has said that hospital units in England faced potential closure due to staff quitting in protest of government compulsion for health workers to be vaccinated against Covid. Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers has cited example of a hospital run by a trust. In this hospital, 40 midwives have refused to get vaccinated. This has raised fears that the maternity unit would have to be closed. The mandate for health workers to get vaccinated comes into effect in April. Hopson did not name the hospital in which the midwives are refusing to get vaccinated. He presented this as a representative example. He said that if the trend spreads, it will 'lead to patient services being put at risk'. He was quoted by The Guardian. UK's Health Secretary Sajid Javid recently told House of Commons the number of NHS staff who are unvaccinated. “despite the incredible effort to boost uptake across the country, there are still approximately 94,000 NHS staff who are unvaccinated. It’s critical to patient safety that health and care staff get the jab,” he said.

UK hospitals may close if health workers refuse to get vaccinated: NHS leader

A growing body of preliminary research suggests the COVID vaccines used in most of the world offer almost no defense against becoming infected by the highly contagious omicron variant.

All vaccines still seem to provide a significant degree of protection against serious illness from omicron, which is the most crucial goal. But only the Pfizer and Moderna shots, when reinforced by a booster, appear to have initial success at stopping infections, and these vaccines are unavailable in most of the world.

The other shots — including those from AstraZeneca, Johnson &amp; Johnson and vaccines manufactured in China and Russia — do little to nothing to stop the spread of omicron, early research shows. And because most countries have built their inoculation programs around these vaccines, the gap could have a profound impact on the course of the pandemic.

A global surge of infections in a world where billions of people remain unvaccinated not only threatens the health of vulnerable individuals but also increases the opportunity for the emergence of yet more variants. The disparity in the ability of countries to weather the pandemic will almost certainly deepen. And the news about limited vaccine efficacy against omicron infection could depress demand for vaccination throughout the developing world, where many people are already hesitant or preoccupied with other health problems.

Most evidence so far is based on laboratory experiments, which do not capture the full range of the body’s immune response, and not from tracking the effect on real-world populations. The results are striking, however.

The Pfizer and Moderna shots use the new mRNA technology, which has consistently offered the best protection against infection with every variant. All of the other vaccines are based on older methods of triggering an immune response.

The Chinese vaccines Sinopharm and Sinovac — which make up almost half of all shots delivered globally — offer almost zero protection from omicron infection. The great majority of people in China have received these shots, which are also widely used in low- and middle-income countries such as Mexico and Brazil.

A preliminary effectiveness study in Britain found that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine showed no ability to stop omicron infection six months after vaccination. Ninety percent of vaccinated people in India received this shot, under the brand name Covishield; it has also been widely used across much of sub-Saharan Africa, where COVAX, the global COVID vaccine program, has distributed 67 million doses of it to 44 countries.

Researchers predict that Russia’s Sputnik vaccine, which is also being used in Africa and Latin America, will show similarly dismal rates of protection against omicron.

Demand for the Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine had been surging in Africa, because its single-shot delivery regimen makes it easy to deliver in low-resource settings. But it too has shown a negligible ability to block omicron infection.

Antibodies are the first line of defense induced by vaccines. But the shots also stimulate the growth of T cells, and preliminary studies suggest that these T cells still recognize the omicron variant, which is important in preventing severe disease.

“What you lose first is protection against asymptomatic mild infection, what you retain much better is protection against severe disease and death,” said John Moore, a virus expert at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York. He called it “a silver lining” that omicron so far appears less lethal than the delta variant.

But this protection will not be enough to prevent omicron from causing global disruption, said J. Stephen Morrison, director of the Global Health Policy Center at the Center for International and Strategic Studies.

“The sheer scale of infection will overwhelm health systems, simply because the denominator will be potentially so big,” he said. “If you have a burst of infection worldwide, a shock, what does the world look like on other side of it? Is it, ‘The war is over,’ or, ‘The war has just entered another phase’? We haven’t begun thinking about any of that.”

People with breakthrough cases may experience only asymptomatic infection or mild illness, but they can pass the virus to unvaccinated people, who could fall more severely ill, and become a source of new variants.

Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the global vaccine alliance, said that more data was needed before drawing conclusions about vaccines’ effectiveness against omicron — and that accelerated vaccination should continue to be the focus of pandemic response.

Preliminary data from South Africa suggest that with omicron, there is a much higher chance of people who already had COVID getting reinfected than there was with the original virus and previous variants. But some public health experts say they believe that countries that have already been through brutal waves of COVID, such as Brazil and India, may have a buffer against omicron, and vaccination after infection produces high antibody levels.

“The combination of vaccination and exposure to the virus seems to be stronger than only having the vaccine,” said Ramanan Laxminarayan, a public health researcher in New Delhi. India, he noted, has an adult vaccination rate of only about 40% but 90% exposure to the virus in some areas.

“Without a doubt omicron is going to flood through India,” he said. “But hopefully India is protected to some extent because of vaccination and exposure.”

China does not have this layer of protection to back up its weak vaccines. Because of China’s aggressive efforts to stop spread of the virus within its borders, relatively few people have previous exposure. Only an estimated 7% of people in Wuhan, where the pandemic began, were infected.

Much of Latin America has relied on the Chinese and Russian vaccines, and on AstraZeneca. Mario Rosemblatt, a professor of immunology at the University of Chile, said that more than 90% of Chileans had had two doses of one vaccine, but the great majority of these were Coronavac, the Sinovac shot. High vaccination coverage combined with early reports that omicron does not cause serious illness is leading to a false sense of security in the country, he said.

“We have to get people to understand that it doesn’t work like that: If you get high transmissibility you’re going to have the health system saturated because the number of people getting ill will be higher,” he said.

Brazil has recommended that all vaccinated people get a third dose, and it started using Pfizer’s vaccine for all boosters, but only 40% of the vaccinated have turned up to get the extra shot. Dr. Amilcar Tanuri, a virus expert at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, said with cautious optimism that the high levels of previous COVID exposure might blunt omicron’s impact but noted that the most vulnerable Brazilians, vaccinated first, got Coronavac, and tens of millions more were given AstraZeneca.

Morrison called omicron’s ability to evade the protection of vaccination “a massive setback” for low- and middle-income countries, where, far from any discussion of boosters, the focus is still on delivering first shots.

“The world gets cleaved into two parts, right?” he said. “It’s those that have a quick path toward boosters versus those who have had very limited progress and suddenly they’re subject to this new lashing.”

Just 13% of people in Africa have received a least one dose of a COVID vaccine.

Laxminarayan said the Indian government, to which he is an occasional adviser, was considering booster shots, but the delta variant still poses a significant threat in India, and two vaccine doses offers protection against delta. That presents the government with a difficult choice between focusing on getting people who remain unvaccinated, or only partly vaccinated, to two doses, or trying to gets boosters to older people and those with high-risk medical conditions as protection against omicron.

The news that the non-mRNA vaccines offer little protection against infection from omicron may further erode demand for shots in countries already struggling to build demand, Morrison said.

“This challenges the whole value of vaccines,” he said. “If you’re so far behind and then you suffer this, it’s going to feed anti-vaccine sentiment and weaken confidence.”

Tolbert Nyenswah, a senior researcher with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said the emerging threat to countries in the global south that have relied on non-mRNA vaccines was an indictment of wealthy countries’ failure to share that technology or help build production points in low- and middle-income countries.

As a consequence, dangerous variants will continue to emerge from areas with low vaccination coverage and will prolong the pandemic, predicted Nyenswah, who was deputy minister of health in Liberia through that country’s worst Ebola outbreak.

Berkley at Gavi said it would be a serious mistake for countries to ease up on their vaccination push or to assume that only mRNA vaccines are worth distributing.

“We may be seeing a situation where countries say, ‘If developed countries don’t want these vaccines, then we don’t want these vaccines,’” he said. “That, of course, would be the wrong interpretation, if it turns out that these vaccines prevent against severe disease and death.”

A growing body of preliminary research suggests the COVID vaccines used in most of the world offer almost no defense against becoming infected by the highly contagious omicron variant.

A growing body of preliminary research suggests the COVID vaccines used in most of the world offer almost no defense against becoming infected by the highly contagious omicron variant. All vaccines still seem to provide a significant degree of protection against serious illness from omicron, which is the most crucial goal. But only the Pfizer and Moderna shots, when reinforced by a booster, appear to have initial success at stopping infections, and these vaccines are unavailable in most of the world. The other shots — including those from AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and vaccines manufactured in China and Russia — do little to nothing to stop the spread of omicron, early research shows. And because most countries have built their inoculation programs around these vaccines, the gap could have a profound impact on the course of the pandemic. A global surge of infections in a world where billions of people remain unvaccinated not only threatens the health of vulnerable individuals but also increases the opportunity for the emergence of yet more variants. The disparity in the ability of countries to weather the pandemic will almost certainly deepen. And the news about limited vaccine efficacy against omicron infection could depress demand for vaccination throughout the developing world, where many people are already hesitant or preoccupied with other health problems. Most evidence so far is based on laboratory experiments, which do not capture the full range of the body’s immune response, and not from tracking the effect on real-world populations. The results are striking, however. The Pfizer and Moderna shots use the new mRNA technology, which has consistently offered the best protection against infection with every variant. All of the other vaccines are based on older methods of triggering an immune response. The Chinese vaccines Sinopharm and Sinovac — which make up almost half of all shots delivered globally — offer almost zero protection from omicron infection. The great majority of people in China have received these shots, which are also widely used in low- and middle-income countries such as Mexico and Brazil. A preliminary effectiveness study in Britain found that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine showed no ability to stop omicron infection six months after vaccination. Ninety percent of vaccinated people in India received this shot, under the brand name Covishield; it has also been widely used across much of sub-Saharan Africa, where COVAX, the global COVID vaccine program, has distributed 67 million doses of it to 44 countries. Researchers predict that Russia’s Sputnik vaccine, which is also being used in Africa and Latin America, will show similarly dismal rates of protection against omicron. Demand for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had been surging in Africa, because its single-shot delivery regimen makes it easy to deliver in low-resource settings. But it too has shown a negligible ability to block omicron infection. Antibodies are the first line of defense induced by vaccines. But the shots also stimulate the growth of T cells, and preliminary studies suggest that these T cells still recognize the omicron variant, which is important in preventing severe disease. “What you lose first is protection against asymptomatic mild infection, what you retain much better is protection against severe disease and death,” said John Moore, a virus expert at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York. He called it “a silver lining” that omicron so far appears less lethal than the delta variant. But this protection will not be enough to prevent omicron from causing global disruption, said J. Stephen Morrison, director of the Global Health Policy Center at the Center for International and Strategic Studies. “The sheer scale of infection will overwhelm health systems, simply because the denominator will be potentially so big,” he said. “If you have a burst of infection worldwide, a shock, what does the world look like on other side of it? Is it, ‘The war is over,’ or, ‘The war has just entered another phase’? We haven’t begun thinking about any of that.” People with breakthrough cases may experience only asymptomatic infection or mild illness, but they can pass the virus to unvaccinated people, who could fall more severely ill, and become a source of new variants. Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the global vaccine alliance, said that more data was needed before drawing conclusions about vaccines’ effectiveness against omicron — and that accelerated vaccination should continue to be the focus of pandemic response. Preliminary data from South Africa suggest that with omicron, there is a much higher chance of people who already had COVID getting reinfected than there was with the original virus and previous variants. But some public health experts say they believe that countries that have already been through brutal waves of COVID, such as Brazil and India, may have a buffer against omicron, and vaccination after infection produces high antibody levels. “The combination of vaccination and exposure to the virus seems to be stronger than only having the vaccine,” said Ramanan Laxminarayan, a public health researcher in New Delhi. India, he noted, has an adult vaccination rate of only about 40% but 90% exposure to the virus in some areas. “Without a doubt omicron is going to flood through India,” he said. “But hopefully India is protected to some extent because of vaccination and exposure.” China does not have this layer of protection to back up its weak vaccines. Because of China’s aggressive efforts to stop spread of the virus within its borders, relatively few people have previous exposure. Only an estimated 7% of people in Wuhan, where the pandemic began, were infected. Much of Latin America has relied on the Chinese and Russian vaccines, and on AstraZeneca. Mario Rosemblatt, a professor of immunology at the University of Chile, said that more than 90% of Chileans had had two doses of one vaccine, but the great majority of these were Coronavac, the Sinovac shot. High vaccination coverage combined with early reports that omicron does not cause serious illness is leading to a false sense of security in the country, he said. “We have to get people to understand that it doesn’t work like that: If you get high transmissibility you’re going to have the health system saturated because the number of people getting ill will be higher,” he said. Brazil has recommended that all vaccinated people get a third dose, and it started using Pfizer’s vaccine for all boosters, but only 40% of the vaccinated have turned up to get the extra shot. Dr. Amilcar Tanuri, a virus expert at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, said with cautious optimism that the high levels of previous COVID exposure might blunt omicron’s impact but noted that the most vulnerable Brazilians, vaccinated first, got Coronavac, and tens of millions more were given AstraZeneca. Morrison called omicron’s ability to evade the protection of vaccination “a massive setback” for low- and middle-income countries, where, far from any discussion of boosters, the focus is still on delivering first shots. “The world gets cleaved into two parts, right?” he said. “It’s those that have a quick path toward boosters versus those who have had very limited progress and suddenly they’re subject to this new lashing.” Just 13% of people in Africa have received a least one dose of a COVID vaccine. Laxminarayan said the Indian government, to which he is an occasional adviser, was considering booster shots, but the delta variant still poses a significant threat in India, and two vaccine doses offers protection against delta. That presents the government with a difficult choice between focusing on getting people who remain unvaccinated, or only partly vaccinated, to two doses, or trying to gets boosters to older people and those with high-risk medical conditions as protection against omicron. The news that the non-mRNA vaccines offer little protection against infection from omicron may further erode demand for shots in countries already struggling to build demand, Morrison said. “This challenges the whole value of vaccines,” he said. “If you’re so far behind and then you suffer this, it’s going to feed anti-vaccine sentiment and weaken confidence.” Tolbert Nyenswah, a senior researcher with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said the emerging threat to countries in the global south that have relied on non-mRNA vaccines was an indictment of wealthy countries’ failure to share that technology or help build production points in low- and middle-income countries. As a consequence, dangerous variants will continue to emerge from areas with low vaccination coverage and will prolong the pandemic, predicted Nyenswah, who was deputy minister of health in Liberia through that country’s worst Ebola outbreak. Berkley at Gavi said it would be a serious mistake for countries to ease up on their vaccination push or to assume that only mRNA vaccines are worth distributing. “We may be seeing a situation where countries say, ‘If developed countries don’t want these vaccines, then we don’t want these vaccines,’” he said. “That, of course, would be the wrong interpretation, if it turns out that these vaccines prevent against severe disease and death.”

Most of the world's vaccines likely won't prevent infection from Omicron

World Health Organization warned the nations to not dismiss the Omicron variant of COVID-19 as mild. WHO also added that vaccines may have reduced effectiveness.

Coronavirus surge alarms the world

Vaccine mandate and strict COVID-19 guidelines spark several mass protests across Europe. Vaccine passports have been made mandatory in several countries to access public and leisure places.

Several mass protests erupt across Europe against vaccine mandate amid Omicron scare

As the world grapples with Omicron, the WHO has warned the nations about the threat of the new variant. Omicron has been found to be spread at a faster pace than the previous variant.

Omicron found to spread at faster pace compared to other COVID variants

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