COVID-19 News And Updates

Germany is already out of step with the rest of the EU on this and needs to send a strong signal to Joe Biden Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Announcing a “ new era ” for Germany last month, the country’s new chancellor, Olaf Scholz, made his bold intentions clear. “We are united by our belief in progress and that politics can achieve something good,” he said, launching his SPD-Green-FDP coalition’s programme, under the slogan “dare more progress”. This self-described “progress coalition” promises a series of socially liberal domestic policies – but it could make its greatest impact of all if it dares to join the global movement to make Covid-19 vaccines available to all as global public goods. The statement “no one is safe until everyone is safe” must be more than a nice-sounding slogan: Germany has the opportunity and the obligation to help it become a reality. Joseph E Stiglitz is a Nobel laureate in economics and a professor at Columbia Universi...

Those who fail to comply without valid exemption will initially be placed on leave and could later be sacked Coronavirus – latest updates Google has told its US staff they must be vaccinated against Covid-19 by the middle of January or face serious repercussions including a pay cut and ultimately the loss of their job. Employees were told they were required to have declared their vaccination status and uploaded proof of it, or to have applied for a medical or religious exemption, by 3 December, according to an internal memo obtained by CNBC, which first reported the story. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Some patients say their third Covid vaccine dose has been wrongly recorded as a booster jab, resulting in them being turned away If Boris Johnson is a betting man then he is putting it all on boosters. As the Omicron variant spreads throughout the UK, and early data shows three doses of the jabs are needed for protection, Johnson has announced a speed-up of the booster programme. All over-18s are eligible from Monday, with the aim of rolling out 1m booster jabs a day through GPs and even the army. It’s a bold and necessary move but it would be naive to suggest it will be straightforward. Consider that the most jabs administered since the booster rollout began in September is a record of 699,192 on one day. The NHS website to book booster jabs had “ technical difficulties ” shortly after Johnson’s televised address, on top of previous IT glitches . There have already been accounts of people struggling to access their booster over the past month due to vaccine shortages, as well mar...

AMA warns against shutting vaccination hubs as GPs reveal chaos in securing supplies Get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Vaccine rollout and rates tracker ; Cases and data tracker Rural patients and those living in lower socioeconomic areas are struggling to access Covid booster shots, experts are warning, amid concern the vaccine rollout is “falling behind” as the Omicron variant spreads. General practitioners and pharmacies are reporting a sudden increase in demand for vaccines, after federal health advice changed to allow boosters five months after the second primary dose . Sign up to receive an email with the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

All 11 countries to be removed from list as concerns about importing variant diminish Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage All 11 countries on England’s travel red list are to be taken off it from 4am on Wednesday, amid diminishing concern about Omicron cases being imported into the country. Given that the variant has already taken hold in the UK – making up a third of new infections in London – the health secretary, Sajid Javid, announced that mandatory hotel quarantine for those arriving from some southern African countries was set to end. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

A line for Covid vaccine boosters at a walk-in centre on Holloway Road in central London measured 300 metres. The government has brought forward its booster target, aiming to offer third jabs to all UK adults by the end of the year Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Plan B measures including entry rules for large venues are expected to pass despite sizeable Tory rebellion Coronavirus – latest updates Boris Johnson has warned his cabinet that “a huge spike of Omicron is coming” as the government braces itself for a significant backbench rebellion over Covid restrictions in England. The cabinet met virtually on Tuesday before four Commons votes on “plan B” measures, including wider mandatory mask wearing and a requirement to show a Covid certificate or negative test result at large venues. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian