Coronavirus Briefing: Britain’s Omicron restrictions
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/14/us/coronavirus-briefing-britain-omicron-restrictions.html Version 0 of 1. This is the Coronavirus Briefing, an informed guide to the pandemic. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. The C.D.C. said the proportion of known cases of the Omicron variant in the U.S. had increased sharply. Africa is seeing a surge in new cases as more countries detect Omicron. The U.S. health secretary hinted that more federal funds might be needed to fight an Omicron surge. Get the latest updates here, as well as maps and a vaccine tracker. During the summer, with virus cases on the wane, Britain embraced a live-and-let-live approach, casting off many virus restrictions on what became known as “freedom day.” Five months later, as Omicron doubles infections every two or three days, the country is reversing course. The government today voted to pass a string of new measures meant to stem the latest surge. But even as the country estimates that about 200,000 people a day are being infected with Omicron, a record number of Conservative lawmakers voted against Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s plan. It was a striking rebuke to their leader at a time when he has called for a national campaign to prevent Omicron from swamping the country. Opposition to the plan focused mainly on what critics described as “vaccine passports” but the government called a “Covid certification” policy. The new regulation requires people entering nightclubs, large indoor venues and some sporting events in England to show proof of vaccination or of a recent negative Covid test. Nearly 40 Conservatives also rebelled against the government’s plan to expand the compulsory use of face masks. Lawmakers passed a measure requiring health workers to be vaccinated. There are many explanations for the paradoxical vote, my colleagues Mark Landler and Stephen Castle report, including Britain’s cherished tradition of protecting individual liberties and a deep sense of fatigue with a government that has lurched from policy to policy during the pandemic. But while Conservatives have long been skeptical of lockdowns, the insurgents have been joined by some lawmakers who argue that Covid certificates will do little to stop Omicron. Indeed, the government today relaxed one restriction, removing all 11 countries from its “red list,” which required travelers to quarantine in hotels after they arrive in Britain. The decision essentially acknowledges that Omicron has spread so widely that the restrictions no longer matter. The rebellion among Conservative lawmakers — the worst since Johnson’s landslide victory in 2019 — attests to his weakened political standing, which public health experts say has dire epidemiological implications. Devi Sridhar, head of the global public health program at the University of Edinburgh, said it was “politically difficult for the PM now to have any authority to put in place necessary protections.” Britain is mainly tightening rules to encourage more people to get inoculated (roughly 30 percent of the population is not yet fully vaccinated). Defenders of vaccine passes say they have driven up vaccination rates in France and Italy. But they have also ignited protests in both countries, with critics calling them discriminatory. Pfizer announced today that a highly anticipated study of the company’s Covid pill confirmed that it helps stave off severe disease. Lab studies also showed that the pill worked against the Omicron variant. The pill, Paxlovid, reduced the risk of hospitalization and death by 89 percent if given within three days of the onset of symptoms. If given within five days, the risk was reduced by 88 percent. Pfizer said the pill held up against Omicron by jamming into one of its key proteins, called a protease, just as effectively as it does with other variants. Omicron is surging in South Africa and Europe and is expected to dominate U.S. cases in the weeks ahead. Last month, Pfizer asked the F.D.A. to authorize the pill based on a preliminary batch of data. The new results will undoubtedly strengthen the company’s application, which means that Americans infected with the virus could have access to the pill within weeks. More Omicron news: An early study in South Africa found that the variant seemed to cause fewer hospitalizations. A second case of the variant in China is raising the prospect of stricter controls. Cornell University went on high alert after finding evidence of the variant on campus. Omicron is a dress rehearsal for the next pandemic. Today’s questions on testing and the variant go to Carl Zimmer, who covers science for The Times. (If you have a question, you can fill out this form.) Are rapid at-home Covid-19 virus test kits effective in detecting Omicron? — P. Zamora, San Francisco Yes, at-home antigen tests will tell you if you have the coronavirus, regardless of the variant. But rapid at-home tests tell you only if you have SARS-CoV-2 or not. They don’t tell you which variant you have. Standard PCR tests won’t tell you, either. If at-home Covid tests produce a positive result, should one then get professionally tested, perhaps placing others at risk, or just isolate and treat at home? — Abbe Herbst, Bronx, N.Y. A PCR test is a good idea following a positive antigen test. You can go through a drive-through window to avoid putting others at risk. A court in Kenya temporarily halted a government plan to impose widespread restrictions on the unvaccinated. The U.S. Air Force discharged 27 people for refusing Covid vaccines. Officials believe they are the first service members to be removed for forgoing shots, The Associated Press reports. Four people were arrested in India after a man left the country using a fake virus test result. New Zealand’s Health Ministry accused a man of receiving up to 10 Covid vaccinations in one day on behalf of people who wanted to avoid them, Newsweek reports. The authorities in northern Greece have jailed three people after an attack on a school principal related to virus restrictions. Here’s a guide to tracking the progress in understanding Omicron. The N.F.L. is mandating boosters but stopping short of resuming daily testing for all players. Let us know how you’re dealing with the pandemic. Send us a response here, and we may feature it in an upcoming newsletter. Sign up here to get the briefing by email. Email your thoughts to briefing@nytimes.com. |