Omicron: Starting Sunday, travellers to Greece must present negative PCR test

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In the future, travelers to Greece will be required to present a negative current PCR test upon entry, regardless of vaccination status. Originally, the government had intended this measure only for travelers from the United Kingdom and Denmark to prevent the spread of the corona variant Omicron. Now, however, the testing requirement has been extended to all entrants – it also applies to Austria. This was announced by the Ministry of Health. The measure will come into force at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021. In Greece, there are…

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WHO Europe urges caution at Christmas

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The World Health Organization’s (WHO) European office is appealing for caution during the Christmas holidays in light of the pandemic situation. “If you plan to see friends and family, keep groups small and, if possible, take a test beforehand,” it said in a statement Thursday. Even those who are fully vaccinated should avoid crowded and confined places and wear a mask, it said. “We are dealing with two highly transmissible variants that have the potential to overwhelm our already overburdened health systems,” WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Henri Kluge…

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Novavax inactivated vaccine: approval expected before Christmas

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The European Medicines Agency (EMA) announced today, Thursday, that it will publish the outcome of its deliberations on Novavax’s vaccine on Monday. This means the vaccine could be approved before Christmas. Many who are not now vaccinated have been waiting months for Novavax’s inactivated vaccine. The main difference between it and the mRNA vaccines, which some have questioned, is that inactivated spike proteins are injected. In contrast, with mRNA vaccines, the spike protein is first formed by the body’s own cells – according to the blueprint that is injected. The…

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Omicron multiplies 70 times faster in respiratory tract than delta

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Omicron has numerous mutations compared to delta, which is also evident in other characteristics. A Chinese research team at Hong Kong University has now demonstrated that omicron replicates 70 times faster in the respiratory tract than delta. That may facilitate its spread from person to person, the researchers said. In lung tissue, however, Omicron replicates 10 times slower than the original version of the coronavirus and than the Delta variant, which could contribute to less severe disease. The large differences in the efficiency of Omicron’s replication could help predict the…

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3046 new infections, 53 deaths

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Today, 3046 new infections with corona virus are reported. 2113 corona patients need treatment in hospitals, 534 of them in intensive care units. 53 people have died with covid-19 infection. Ministries report 3046 new infections in Austria today. This is roughly the level at which the number of new infections has leveled off in recent days. A week ago Thursday, there were 4437 new cases. The average for the past seven days is thus 3557, and the seven-day incidence is 278.7. The number of hospitalized patients is decreasing significantly. As…

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EU Commision President Von der Leyen calls for vaccination as soon as possible

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In light of high Corona case numbers in Europe and the new virus variant Omikron, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has issued an urgent call to vaccinate. “The most important thing now is to continue to bring vaccination rates up in Europe as quickly as possible. And in all age groups, children included,” the German politician said Wednesday at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, APA reports. “The price we all pay in the meantime for too low vaccination rates is, after all, getting higher and higher.” That applies,…

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Tens of thousands flee typhoon in the Philippines

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Tens of thousands of people are fleeing a typhoon in the Philippines. “Rai” was expected to make landfall early Thursday afternoon (local time), initially near the islands of Dinagat, Siargao and Bucas Grande 700 kilometers south of the capital Manila, according to the Southeast Asian island nation’s weather service. According to authorities, some 45,000 people left their homes to seek shelter in higher ground. The typhoon, dubbed “Odette” in the Philippines, had recently intensified rapidly and was moving west-northwest with wind gusts of up to 230 kilometers per hour, the…

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South Africa records highest number of new infections

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A new high in new COV infections has been recorded in South Africa. South African authorities yesterday reported 26,976 infections within one day, the highest level since the pandemic began. The previous record was 26,485, recorded on July 3 at the height of the third wave. At that time, 108 deaths were reported; yesterday there were 54. In November, the Omikron variant of the coronavirus, which is now also widespread in Europe, was detected for the first time in the country with 60 million inhabitants. According to experts, the pathogen…

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Already more than 800,000 Corona deaths in the U.S.

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The U.S. has passed the 800,000 Corona death mark, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University. U.S. President Joe Biden called for remembrance of the victims of the pandemic on Tuesday evening. He declared, “I know what it’s like to have an empty chair around the kitchen table, especially at Christmas time.” He said he suffers with every family “that is going through this pain.” Meanwhile, more than 270 million people worldwide have contracted the coronavirus. Members of the U.S. Congress observed a moment of silence Tuesday evening in front…

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