In this file photo taken on Jan 8, 2022 a doctor inoculates 5-year-old Phillip with the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against the coronavirus in Berlin, Germany. (HANNIBAL HANSCHKE / AFP)
LISBON / OSLO / BERLIN – Germany hit a new coronavirus record on Wednesday, with the 208,498 more cases reported within 24 hours carrying it past the 10-million mark for total infections.
For comparison, 12,515 new cases were reported on Jan 2.
The seven-day incidence rate also hit an all-time high of 1,227.5 cases per 100,000 residents, as the highly contagious Omicron variant raced through the country
The seven-day incidence rate also hit an all-time high of 1,227.5 cases per 100,000 residents, as the highly contagious Omicron variant raced through the country.
The death toll rose by 196 on Wednesday, bringing the total to 118,170.
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has said that he expects the Omicron wave to peak in mid-February, bringing with it 400,000 new infections daily before dropping, and has brought up the possibility of easing restrictions in late February or early March if the situation remains under control.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic reported 57,195 new COVID-19 infections on Tuesday, its highest daily tally since the coronavirus pandemic started, amid the spread of the Omicron variant, Health Ministry data showed.
The ministry also reported 9,775 cases of suspected re-infections in the country of 10.7 million. Hospital admissions were steady at 2,653, the ministry said on Wednesday, well below previous peaks.
Norway
Norway will scrap most of its remaining COVID-19 lockdown measures with immediate effect as a spike in coronavirus infections is unlikely to jeopardize health services, the prime minister said on Tuesday.
Restaurants will again be allowed to serve alcohol beyond 11 o'clock at night, working from home will no longer be mandatory and the limit of 10 visitors in private homes will be removed, Jonas Gahr Stoere told a news conference.
"Even if many more people are becoming infected, there are fewer who are hospitalized. We're well protected by vaccines. This means that we can relax many measures even as infections are rising rapidly," Stoere said.
The announcement follows similar decisions by neighbouring Denmark and other European countries including Britain, Ireland and the Netherlands, which have eased or removed restrictions in recent weeks.
People wearing protective face masks are seen inside a tram decorated with Christmas lights in central Oslo on Dec 9, 2021. (ODD ANDERSEN / AFP)
Norway in December went into partial lockdown to combat the fast-spreading Omicron coronavirus variant.
While lifting most restrictions, the country will keep basic social distancing measures, asking people to stay at least one metre apart and to wear a face mask in crowded settings, thus still hampering businesses such as nightclubs and some entertainment venues.
The easing is expected to lead to an even faster spread of the virus, and the government will continue to monitor the situation.
"We don't know if this is the beginning of the end of the pandemic," Stoere said, adding that future tightening was possible.
Three quarters of all Norwegians have received at least two vaccine doses against the coronavirus and half the population has also had a booster shot, the National Institute of Public Health (FHI) says.
But infections will rise when restrictions are lifted.
"We face a wave of pandemic in the next month or two," FHI chief Camilla Stoltenberg said.
Norway eased its quarantine rules last week, replacing mandatory quarantine in many cases with a daily test regime.
Omicron Subtype
The emerging BA.2 form of the Omicron coronavirus variant does not seem to be any more severe than the original BA.1 form, an official of the World Health Organization said on Tuesday.
Vaccines also continue to provide similar protection against the different forms of Omicron, Dr. Boris Pavlin of the WHO's COVID-19 Response Team told an online briefing.
The comments come as the BA.2 subvariant begins to replace Omicron's more common "original" BA.1 subvariant in countries such as Denmark.
Based on data from Denmark, the first country where BA.2 overtook BA.1, there appears to be no difference in disease severity, although BA.2 has the potential to replace BA.1 globally
Based on data from Denmark, the first country where BA.2 overtook BA.1, there appears to be no difference in disease severity, although BA.2 has the potential to replace BA.1 globally, Pavlin added.
"Looking at other countries where BA.2 is now overtaking, we're not seeing any higher bumps in hospitalization than expected," he said.
ALSO READ: UK: Omicron subtype has apparent transmission advantage
BA.2 is more transmissible than the more common BA.1 and more able to infect vaccinated people, according to a Danish study which analyzed coronavirus infections in more than 8,500 Danish households between December and January.
The subvariant is already becoming dominant in the Philippines, Nepal, Qatar, India and Denmark, Pavlin said.
He added: "Vaccination is profoundly protective against severe disease, including for Omicron. BA.2 is rapidly replacing BA.1. Its impact is unlikely to be substantial, although more data are needed.”
Portugal
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa has tested positive for COVID-19, his cabinet said Tuesday.
"The Prime Minister carried out a routine COVID-19 self-test today, having a positive result. This result has already been confirmed by an antigen test," the cabinet said in a statement.
Costa is symptom-free and will be in isolation for seven days, it said.
ALSO READ: Portugal eases virus curbs for UK fans at Champions League final
Costa has spent the last two weeks on an electoral campaign, with rallies and street actions with supporters for last Sunday's legislative elections, in which his Socialist Party won with an absolute majority.
Portugal recorded 50,888 new COVID-19 infections in the last 24 hours, raising the national tally to 2,690,690 since the start of the pandemic, according to a bulletin from the Directorate-General for Health (DGS).
US
US regulators are considering the first COVID-19 vaccine for children under the age of 5, the only age group not yet eligible for the shots, after Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE began the regulatory approval process on Tuesday.
A decision is expected as soon as this month.
The companies said they began submitting data for an emergency use authorization even though they did not meet a key target in their clinical trial of 2- to 4- year olds. They are submitting the data at the request of the US Food and Drug Administration in order to address an urgent public health need in the age group, they said.
The arrival of a vaccine for younger children could help harried parents who have had to contend with quarantines and closures of pre-schools and daycare centers.
"Having a safe and effective vaccine available for children in this age group is a priority," acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said. She said the agency asked for the application because of the recent Omicron surge.
The FDA said an outside committee of expert advisers would meet on Feb. 15 to discuss the authorization. If that goes forward, the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention also needs to sign off on how the vaccinations will be implemented, following a meeting of its own advisers. Those meetings have tended to follow within a week or so of FDA decisions.
The drug companies said they are asking the FDA for authorization of the first two doses of a planned three-dose regimen.
"If two doses are authorized, parents will have the opportunity to begin a COVID-19 vaccination series for their children while awaiting potential authorization of a third dose," Pfizer Chief Executive Albert Bourla said.
He said the company believes three doses of the vaccine will be needed "to achieve high levels of protection against current and potential future variants."
The companies expect to complete submitting data to the FDA in the coming days, with data on the third dose to follow.
Pfizer and BioNTech are testing a 3-microgram dose of the vaccine in the age group, compared with a 10-microgram dose in 5- to 11-year-olds and 30 micrograms for people aged 12 and older.
The companies said they expect to have ample supply of the 3-microgram shots should the FDA authorize the vaccine.
