Category: Feature Stories

59 Omicron cases currently in Austria. New variant is more infectious, but courses could be milder. Vaccination booster works and is recommended for ages 12 and up. There are currently 59 Omicron cases in Austria, plus dozens of suspected cases. Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein gave an update today with molecular biologist Andreas Bergthaler (CeMM), Katharina Raich, Director General for Public Health, and Herwig Ostermann, Managing Director of Gesundheit Österreich (GÖG). “We already know a lot about the new virus variant, but not enough yet,” Wolfgang Mückstein said at the outset.…

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A two-dose Covid 19 vaccine does not produce sufficient neutralizing antibodies against the Omicron variant, according to a British study. Oxford University scientists came to that conclusion after laboratory tests on blood samples from vaccinated people who received the vaccine from AstraZeneca or BioNTech/Pfizer. However, they said there is no evidence yet that the lower antibody levels with Omicron lead to a higher risk of serious illness or death. Neutralizing antibodies not enough“These are important data, but they only show part of the picture. They only look at neutralizing antibodies…

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Children’s hands kneading cookie dough. As tempting as it may be, snacking on raw cookie dough is not a good idea! Christmas is just around the corner, the time for baking. But cookie or cookie dough should not be eaten raw, warns the German Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety. Why? Food inspectors have detected disease-causing bacteria in wheat flour. Bacteria in cookie dough can cause intestinal inflammationIn 22 of a total of 242 samples examined from milling companies (a good 9 percent), they detected so-called STEC bacteria…

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Carelessly discarded Corona masks pose a serious problem for the environment and wildlife, according to researchers at the University of Portsmouth. For a study published this week in the journal Nature Sustainability, the scientists examined the relationship between Corona measures in eleven countries and the amount of carelessly discarded Corona masks and other protective equipment. To do so, they analyzed data from publicly available databases, including data from the waste collection app Litterati, and looked at the period from September 2019 to the first six months of the pandemic. According…

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British researchers have found evidence in a population study that the effect of the Corona vaccines from Biontech/Pfizer and AstraZeneca against the Omicron variant is weaker than against the Delta variant. Booster vaccination then raises protection against symptomatic infection again, report researchers led by Nick Andrews of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) in a yet-to-be peer-reviewed study. “ “This important UK study on Omicron shows more clearly for the first time how contagious variant is,” German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) commented on Twitter Saturday. “Early booster vaccination seems…

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The emergence of new variants of coronavirus inevitably makes us more vigilant. Mutations from the Covid 19 virus pose a major threat. But what is now becoming known about the Omicron variant combines good and bad news in an interesting way. Some experts even see the light at the end of the tunnel, should Omikron be the dominant version of the coronavirus that caused the pandemic. Highly contagious, but perhaps with only mild symptomsTedros Adhanom, head of the World Health Organization, spoke Dec. 8 about preliminary data on Omicron. He…

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The two journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitri Muratov will receive the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on Friday (from 13.00). The Filipino and the Russian will receive this year’s prize for their fight for freedom of expression. They will be presented with their prestigious Nobel medals and diplomas at a corona-cut award ceremony at Oslo City Hall. Last year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), will also be at the ceremony. A festive Nobel banquet in the evening has been cancelled due to Norwegian Corona…

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The federal government has presented the four-party agreement on the draft of the general vaccination requirement, which is planned to take effect in February 2022. Compulsory vaccination is to apply to all persons residing in Austria from the age of 14. Exceptions are provided for pregnant women and those who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons, as well as for convalescents (for 180 days). The penalty range is up to 3,600 euros, and fines are imposed quarterly. Compulsory vaccination could come into force in FebruaryThe draft law for the so-called…

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A laboratory study by the Institute of Virology of the Medical University of Innsbruck shows that the immune system inhibits the new virus variant Omicron significantly worse. Neutralizing antibodies in blood samples of recovered and double vaccinated persons were examined. This showed that vaccination protection declines significantly within a few months. Study author and virologist Dorothee von Laer urgently called for booster vaccination in an APA interview. Even those who have recovered should definitely be vaccinated to prevent a repeated corona infection. Initial studies from South Africa indicate that convalescents…

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