Covid news: pre-departure tests return for UK arrivals and Nigeria added to red list | World news

Australia’s drugs regulator provisionally authorized on Sunday the Pfizer Inc coronavirus vaccine for kids between the ages of 5 and 11.

The well being minister, Greg Hunt, mentioned the rollout may start from January tenth.

“They (the Therapeutics Items Administration) have made a cautious, thorough evaluation, decided that it’s secure and efficient and that it’s within the pursuits of youngsters and Australians for kids 5 to 11 to be vaccinated,” Hunt mentioned.

New York introduced three extra circumstances of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus Saturday, bringing the variety of state circumstances linked to the brand new variant to eight.

“The omicron variant is right here, and as anticipated we’re seeing the start of group unfold,” state well being commissioner Mary Bassett mentioned in a information launch.

The variety of states discovering the variant is rising as properly, with Massachusetts asserting its first case Saturday, a day after New Jersey, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Maryland reported their first confirmed circumstances, Related Press reviews.

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Romania reported 1,490 new day by day Covid-19 circumstances and 131 deaths on Saturday.

The EU’s second-least vaccinated nation skilled its deadliest wave of the pandemic to this point in October and early November, Reuters reviews.

Brazil has reported 8,838 new circumstances of coronavirus and an additional 170 deaths, in response to the nation’s well being ministry.

The previous queen of the Netherlands, Princess Beatrix, 83, has examined optimistic for Covid-19, the royal info service RVD mentioned in an announcement.

Princess Beatrix, as she has been recognized since her abdication in 2013, bought examined after coming down with “gentle chilly signs”, the assertion mentioned.

“The princess is at house in isolation and adheres to the principles of life for individuals who have examined optimistic,” it added, in response to Reuters.

The emergence of the Omicron variant reveals that the world is “nearer to the beginning of the pandemic than the tip”, one among Britain’s most senior scientific figures has warned, as he lamented an absence of political management over Covid.

Sir Jeremy Farrar, the director of the Wellcome Belief, who stepped down as a authorities scientific adviser final month, mentioned the progress in combatting Covid-19 since its emergence was “being squandered”.

Writing in the Observer, he mentioned wealthy international locations had been taking “a really blinkered home focus, lulled into considering that the worst of the pandemic was behind us”. He mentioned whereas he was cautiously hopeful that present vaccines would defend towards extreme sickness from Omicron, that will not be true for future variants.

France on Saturday mentioned greater than 50,000 folks had examined optimistic for coronavirus up to now 24 hours, AFP reviews.

The nation recorded 51,624 new day by day circumstances of Covid, well being authorities mentioned.

France has recorded a median of just about 41,000 new circumstances a day over the previous week, in comparison with fewer than 28,000 every week in the past.

Some 694 folks had been admitted to hospital up to now 24 hours, together with 119 who have been critically ailing.

Labour’s shadow house secretary, Yvette Cooper, has supported the pre-departure exams for UK arrivals however criticised the pace it took the federal government to introduce the measure.

“Why on Earth is that this nonetheless solely being introduced in almost two weeks after Omicron was recognized?” she requested on Twitter.

“Wes Streeting and I known as for this, SAGE really useful this, and I’m relieved the federal government is lastly appearing. However ready till Tuesday is simply too gradual on the border but once more,” she wrote.

Romania’s well being ministry mentioned it has detected the primary two circumstances of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in two Romanians who returned from South Africa on 30 November 30.

The 2 travellers, a 48-year-old lady from the central county of Brasov and a 59-year-old man from the jap county of Vaslui, have been remoted of their properties and had no signs, the ministry mentioned.

Authorities have been sequencing a 3rd take a look at to establish virus variant, Reuters reviews.

Romania has launched journey bans for non-European Union residents arriving from a number of African states and has despatched planes to recuperate Romanians stranded by cancelled flights.

The returnees are anticipated to quarantine for 2 weeks.

Chilean well being authorities reported on Saturday that they detected the primary case of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in an individual who had arrived within the nation from Africa.

The overseas affected person residing in Chile arrived within the nation on 25 November from Ghana with a lately taken unfavourable Covid-19 take a look at, Reuters reviews.

However a subsequent take a look at taken upon arrival in Chile was optimistic after which sequenced.

“The passenger, who had two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, is at present in good well being and fulfilling his isolation,” the secretary of well being of the Valparaiso area in Chile mentioned.

The UK’s well being secretary Sajid Javid mentioned there are actually about 160 confirmed Omicron circumstances within the UK, up from 134 on Friday.

Some 130 circumstances are in England, Javid added.

Folks arriving in Scotland from overseas might want to take pre-departure Covid exams to assist stem the unfold of the Omicron coronavirus variant, the Scottish authorities has introduced.

Worldwide travellers must present a unfavourable pre-departure take a look at taken two days earlier than travelling, along with a unfavourable PCR take a look at on or earlier than day two after arrival, underneath measures agreed on a four-nation foundation.

The requirement comes into impact at 4am on 7 December.

Nigeria has additionally been added to the crimson listing for worldwide journey from 4am on 6 December, that means all travellers returning to Scotland from Nigeria can be required to quarantine on their arrival in managed lodging for 10 days.

The introduction of pre-departure Covid exams for travellers getting into the UK has been branded a “devastating blow” for journey by the chief government of the Airport Operators Affiliation.

Karen Dee mentioned that the coverage, starting on 7 December, will act as a “main deterrent” to journey.

This can be a devastating blow for aviation and tourism,” she mentioned.

“Pre-departure exams act as a significant deterrent to journey and a lot of the restricted remaining demand following the reintroduction of self-isolation will now fall away, simply as airports have been hoping for a small uplift over the Christmas vacation.

“Journey and aviation are the one sectors hit with any working restrictions in response to the Omicron variant.

“The UK and devolved governments ought to have accomplished the appropriate factor and, alongside the restrictions, introduced help for our companies and our employees to get via one other interval of shutdown.”

The UK’s transport secretary has given his response to the brand new measures for arrivals.

The mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, tweeted that he would observe the suggestions of Rio de Janeiro state to cancel the celebrations, regardless of the town’s personal view on the contrary.

“We respect science,” he wrote.

“The town’s committee says it could go forward and the state’s says no. So it could’t happen. Let’s cancel the official New Yr’s Eve celebration in Rio,” the tweet mentioned.

“I’m very unhappy as mayor and personally. The New Yr’s Eve celebration in Rio is among the most unbelievable and incomparable events on the earth,” Paes later informed a press convention.

In Brazil, the pandemic has claimed greater than 615,000 lives, the second highest complete on the earth after the US, Reuters reviews.

France has reported 92,557 coronavirus deaths in hospital, a rise of 49.
It additionally reported that 2,037 individuals are in intensive care items with the virus, down by 21, Reuters reviews.

Nigeria has change into the eleventh African nation to be added to the UK’s journey crimson listing.

Well being secretary Sajid Javid mentioned: “Over current days we’ve realized of a big variety of rising circumstances linked to journey with Nigeria.

“There are 27 circumstances in England already and that’s rising.”