DIRECT. Covid-19: BioNTech says it can quickly adapt its vaccine against Omicron

– 3:50 p.m .: BioNTech says it can quickly adapt its vaccine against Omicron

German company BioNTech should be able to adapt its COVID vaccine fairly quickly to make it effective against the new variant Omicron, its CEO Ugur Sahin announced on Friday.
He also said vaccines should continue to provide protection against severe forms of COVID-19, despite the mutations.

“This new variant may be able to infect people who have been vaccinated, but we expect them to still be protected against serious illness,” Sahin said.

The CEO of BioNTech, which together with Pfizer produced one of the first COVID-19 vaccines, also said that given the mutations in the virus, annual vaccinations, as is the case with seasonal flu, would be a likely option.

– 3:30 p.m .: Belgium adopts new restrictions

The country has just announced this Friday new restrictions to curb the pandemic. For example, the school holidays have been brought forward by one week, they will start on December 20 instead of December 27. The mask also became compulsory from the age of six, and indoor events of more than 200 people are strictly prohibited.

– 3:20 p.m .: no death linked to the Omicron variant according to the WHO

The World Health Organization currently has no information on a possible death linked to the new Omicron variant of Sars-CoV-2, the Covid-19 virus, a spokesperson for the United Nations said. organization in Geneva.

As more countries test to try to detect it, “we will have more cases, more information, and – although I hope not – possibly deaths,” as reported by Franceinfo.

– 3 p.m .: ban on the anti-health pass demonstration this Saturday in Montpellier

The prefect of Hérault decided by decree to ban demonstrations in the city center of Montpellier on Saturday, December 4, between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., outside a determined itinerary which consists of the following axes:

Place de la Comédie, rue de Maguelone, rue de la République, boulevard du Jeu de Paume, boulevard Ledru Rollin, rue François Franque, rue la Blottière, boulevard Henri IV, boulevard Pasteur, boulevard Louis Blanc, boulevard Sarrail, esplanade Charles de Gaulle .

– 2:45 p.m .: Switzerland will abolish the quarantine requirement for vaccinated people

From this Saturday, December 5, Switzerland will abolish the obligation of quarantine on entry into the country for people vaccinated against Covid-19, but will tighten the test requirements, announced this Friday, December 3 the Minister of Swiss health, Alain Berset.

– 2 p.m .: The crowd at the Strasbourg Christmas market worries caregivers

It is a real human tide that can be seen on images broadcast in recent days at the Strasbourg Christmas market. The thousands of people in front of the wooden cabins worry the carers of the city.

“I call on politicians to take their responsibilities, deplores Emmanuel Andres, president of the medical commission for the establishment of Strasbourg Hospitals, in The Parisian. I understand that there are other issues besides health. There are economic issues, we hear a lot from our citizens who want freedom. But their freedom that they take is freedom that they take from others “.

– 1:50 p.m .: What data for Omicron?

Christian Lindmeier, a WHO spokesperson, detailed the known data about the Omicron variant: “Preliminary data seems to point to more contagiousness, but basically that’s all we know for. the moment”. In addition, the WHO has indicated that it has not yet identified any deaths attributable to this new variant.

– 1:30 p.m .: Unusual

To receive his health pass, an Italian presents a fake silicone arm during his vaccination. Some people stop at nothing to obtain a fake health pass. Between those who buy fake QR codes and those who steal the data of truly vaccinated people, we thought we had seen it all. It was without counting on this Italian who tried to find the solution to obtain a real health pass with … a false arm. More information here.

– 1:20 p.m .: update on the situation in the Montpellier academy

The Montpellier academy has just shared its update on the health situation in schools.

As of Thursday, December 2, only one school was closed. 264 classes were closed (or 1.24%) and 1,583 cases of covid-19 were recorded over the last 7 days, a downward trend for 24 hours.

– 1 p.m .: “Get vaccinated to spend Christmas together”

The government spokesman, Gabriel Attal confided this Friday, December 3, the importance of being vaccinated “to allow the French to spend Christmas together”.

“With the vaccine, the booster dose and the barrier actions, we have the necessary tools to get through the winter,” added Gabriel Attal.

– 12:55 p.m .: 5,233,111 dead worldwide since the start of the epidemic

– 12:50 p.m .: Global report with more than 263 million cases of infections

The global toll to date, Friday December 3, reports at least 5,233,111 dead worldwide, as reported by LCI.

And more than 263,616,200 cases of infection have been officially recorded since the start of the pandemic

– 12 p.m .: Portugal postponement of the next championship match of Belenenses, decimated by the Covid-19

The next league game for the Belenenses club, which was forced a week ago to play against Benfica with only nine players due to an outbreak of Covid-19, has been postponed, the League announced on Friday (December 3rd). Portugese.

– 10:30 a.m .: Omicron increases the risk of reinfection

According to a study by South African scientists, the Omicron variant is more capable of bypassing the immunity acquired by an infection than the previous variants. This work is based on the analysis of 35,670 re-infections identified in nearly 2.8 million individuals who have tested positive in South Africa.

– 10 a.m .: 17 suspected cases of the Omicron variant in Norway

17 people are suspected at this point of having contracted the omicron variant in Norway after a party last week in Oslo. Half of the roughly 100 participants tested positive for Covid-19. “So far, 60 people have tested positive with a PCR test and four others with a rapid test,” Oslo city services said in an email to AFP. “Seventeen are probably (cases of the variant) Omicron but not yet confirmed. So far, one case of Omicron has been confirmed by sequencing.”

– 9 am: vaccination of children at risk probably open between “mid and end of December”

Olivier Véran announced that vaccination “will undoubtedly be open” to vulnerable children aged 5 to 11, as recommended by the HAS, “between the middle and the end of December”.

Regarding children who are not at risk, the government considers that it is preferable to wait for a new opinion from the HAS. Finally, a child-friendly dose (which contains a third of the adult dose) of the Pfizer vaccine will be available from December 13 in the European Union.

– 8:30 am: Without reaction, France will experience a health peak at the end of January

France, faced with a strong fifth wave of the Covid-19 epidemic, should reach, if nothing changes, a “health peak” at the end of January, “with a number of serious patients which would be very important”, this Friday, December 3 warned the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran.

However, he stressed on franceinfo that the vaccination – in particular the recall campaign – and the respect of barrier gestures would make it possible to “change that”, with a smaller peak and a little earlier.

– 8 a.m .: South Africa enters fourth epidemic wave with Omicron

South Africa has entered a fourth wave of the Covid-19 epidemic due to the emergence of the new Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus but the hospital system is not threatened at this point, said South African Health Minister Joe Phaalha on Friday.

Infections with the new variant have now been detected in seven of the country’s nine provinces, he said during a press briefing.

Joe Phaalha urged South Africans to get vaccinated, according to him the best protection against Omicron, formally identified last week by South African researchers.

– 7 a.m .: New health defense council this Monday, December 6.

Prime Minister Jean Castex announced the holding of a new health defense council on Monday, December 6 to discuss possible restrictive measures.

– 6:30 a.m .: Nine cases of the Omicron variant detected in France

Nine cases of the Omicron variant have now been confirmed in France, according to the latest report updated this Friday, December 3 by the Ministry of Health.

They were identified in five different regions, of which Ile-de-France, Haut-Rhin and Vendée. No details were given on the other two regions. The first three cases detected are travelers returning from Africa, announced the regional health agencies (ARS).

– 6 a.m .: in Germany, confinement of the unvaccinated, return of gauges and closure of nightclubs before compulsory vaccination

This Thursday, December 2, Germany is tightening the screw for people who do not have a complete vaccination schedule. The country is also planning to make vaccination compulsory from February and has taken restrictive measures for its entire population.

The restrictions are: confinement for people who are not fully vaccinated and in large gatherings, attendance should be limited to 30% of the total reception capacity.