COVID-19 News And Updates

Covid case numbers continue to grow in NSW amid outbreak of Omicron variant Millions more Australians to be eligible for Covid booster Follow the live blog for the latest updates Get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing New South Wales has reported 6,394 new infections on Boxing Day with 458 in hospital, a slight increase on the already record case numbers on Christmas Day. Victoria also reported a slight decrease in daily case numbers, with 1,608 new Covid-19 infections, including 374 in hospital. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Leadership hopefuls told to block new limits as scientists model curbs on bars and cafes Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Cabinet ministers vying to succeed Boris Johnson have been warned by Tory colleagues that they will damage their chances unless they stridently oppose further Covid measures, as MPs called for New Year’s Eve restrictions to be ruled out. With ministers expected to meet as soon as Monday to discuss whether additional measures are needed to protect hospital capacity , several Conservatives said that they would be watching those emerging as leading contenders to replace Johnson should he step aside before the next election. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Online purchases expected to surge as many shoppers avoid crowds due to Covid fears Record sales are expected this Boxing Day with shoppers tipped to splurge more than $20bn during the summer sales period. The Australian Retailers Association has estimated people will spend $21bn in the post-Christmas sales through to mid-January. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Churches cancel some services in New York, Washington and Boston, while some officials cut isolation period for positive cases The Omicron coronavirus variant vigorously continued its viral march across the US on Christmas Day, throwing many winter holiday celebrations into turmoil. Airlines canceled over 2,000 flights on Friday, with more than 600 within, into or out of the US, stranding passengers after short-staffed carriers were hit by pilot and flight attendants reporting infections. Hundreds more cancellations were anticipated for Saturday. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

As Omicron variant rips holes in casts and productions daily, theatres are forced to cancel shows – despite £30m support fund Just over a year ago, Anna-Jane Casey was forced to abandon the Covid-shuttered West End to deliver hundreds of parcels in a second-hand van. She was overjoyed to find herself back on stage this Christmas in one of theatreland’s most star-studded and critically acclaimed shows: Cabaret . But productions are at the mercy of Omicron, with the highly transmissible Covid variant ripping holes in casts and backstage staff daily, so Casey’s triumphant return to the West End has been put on hold. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Home schooling harms children. And we now have the knowhow and tools to mitigate the risks from Covid We still don’t know how severe the Omicron wave will be, and debates are raging about closing nightclubs, alcohol curfews and work-from-home guidance. It can sometimes feel like last Christmas all over again. But one decision should be clear. Given the tools and knowledge we have now, school closures should be off the table. Why were schools closed at all in previous lockdowns? The best approach was to minimise risk , given the limited knowledge about Covid-19 transmission and with no vaccination available to protect against severe health outcomes and death. Concerns about many different groups factored into policy decisions on schools. Prof Devi Sridhar is chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian