Covid news live: Omicron found in one-third of US states but early reports on severity are ‘encouraging’, Fauci says | World news

South Korea has simply launched its each day Covid numbers with one other 4,325 confirmed coronavirus circumstances recorded prior to now 24 hours.

An extra 41 deaths had been additionally reported, taking the cumulative nationwide whole to three,893.

Thailand has additionally reported one other 4,000 each day new circumstances and seven deaths.

India has reported a further 8,306 new Covid circumstances within the final 24 hours, in line with lately launched figures from the ministry of well being. An extra 211 deaths had been additionally recorded.

The nation’s lively caseload at present stands at 98,416 and is the bottom reported in 552 days.

On Sunday, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, India’s minister for well being, introduced over 50% of the eligible inhabitants had been totally vaccinated.

US president Joe Biden has introduced that well being insurers within the US should cowl the price of at-home Covid testing from subsequent month.

Non-public well being insurers already cowl the associated fee for PCR exams taken at a physician’s workplace however will now cowl exams taken at dwelling, too.

For these Individuals not lined by personal medical insurance, free exams can be made out there at different places throughout the nation.

“The underside line, this winter, you’ll be capable of take a look at totally free within the consolation of your private home and have some peace of thoughts,” Biden stated.

New Zealand has bought 60,000 programs of Pfizer’s oral antiviral remedy to deal with early infections of Covid-19, topic to Medsafe approval, prime minister Jacinda Ardern has introduced.

“It’s a giant step ahead for the administration of Covid-19 globally. That brings the suite of Covid drugs secured and managed by PHARMAC to 6 in whole, three of that are already in use in our hospitals and the remainder of which, topic to Medsafe approval, will arrive in New Zealand early within the new yr,” Ardern stated.

The prime minister stated alongside vaccinations, hospital therapies had been already decreasing the chance of individuals needing intensive care, with charges in Auckland dropping from 5.7% seen early within the pandemic to three%.

Well being consultants will present a extra in depth briefing on the finish of the week concerning the therapies, Ardern stated.

The nation reported 135 new circumstances of the Delta variant in the neighborhood on Monday, bringing the overall within the present outbreak to 9,171.

The nation’s eligible inhabitants – 12 years and older – is ready to hit the 90% double-vaccinated aim by 15 December.

Germany has reported a further 27,836 each day Covid circumstances and 81 deaths, in line with lately launched figures from the Robert Koch Institute.

The European nation is at present mulling obligatory vaccinations for some well being care workers with the intention to curb the unfold of the virus.

Germany has recorded a cumulative whole of 103,121 deaths and 6,185,961 confirmed coronavirus circumstances.

The Johnson & Johnson booster shot may go properly for many who initially had a Pfizer vaccine, a latest examine has discovered.

Researchers on the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Middle in Boston studied 65 individuals who had acquired two photographs of the Pfizer vaccine. Six months after the second dose, the researchers gave 24 of the volunteers a 3rd dose of the Pfizer vaccine and gave 41 the Johnson & Johnson shot.

Each vaccines boosted the variety of Covid-fighting T-cells however the T-cell enhance delivered by the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was twice as excessive as that of Pfizer’s, in line with the analysis.

Volunteers who acquired a 3rd Pfizer dose noticed their antibody ranges soar after two weeks, after which decline by 1 / 4 by the fourth week. The Johnson & Johnson booster greater than doubled antibody ranges between the second and fourth weeks the place Pfizer’s antibodies had been nonetheless about 50% greater than Johnson & Johnson’s. Each ranges had been properly above the edge scientists imagine is required for sturdy safety.

The outcomes differ from earlier research, together with a “combine and match” medical trial organised by the Nationwide Institutes of Well being that reported that every one three authorised vaccines — from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson — precipitated antibody ranges to rise when used as a booster, with Johnson & Johnson’s shot offering a a lot smaller enhance than the others.

The distinction between the 2 research is perhaps defined by the size of delay between photographs, the New York Instances suggests. Within the NIH. trial, lots of the volunteers bought their booster photographs after three or 4 months, versus the brand new examine’s wait of six months. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to this fact appears to have benefited extra from the longer wait.

The examine was funded partially by Johnson & Johnson and has not but been printed in a scientific journal.

The coronavirus pandemic is way from over and the following one could possibly be much more deadly, the creator of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine has stated.

Prof Dame Sarah Gilbert cautioned that whereas it was more and more apparent that “this pandemic just isn’t finished with us”, the following one could possibly be worse.

Delivering the forty fourth Richard Dimbleby lecture, attributable to be broadcast on the BBC on Monday, Gilbert stated that regardless of the damaging nature of a two-year pandemic that had already contaminated greater than 265 million folks, the following one is perhaps extra contagious and declare much more lives.

“This won’t be the final time a virus threatens our lives and our livelihoods,” she stated. “The reality is, the following one could possibly be worse. It could possibly be extra contagious, or extra deadly, or each.”

Learn the complete story by our reporters Andrew Gregory and Jessica Elgot right here.

South Africa has reported a each day enhance of 11,125 new Covid circumstances on Sunday, a slight lower in quantity on earlier days.

Only one dying within the nation was reported over the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide tally to 89,966.

US Senator Bernie Sanders has known as upon pharmaceutical corporations to share their vaccines, describing the present world vaccine inequality as “obscene”.

“That is obscene. Final week, 8 traders in Pfizer and Moderna grew to become $10 billion richer as information concerning the Omicron variant unfold,” Sanders tweeted on Sunday night.

“It’s time for these pharmaceutical corporations to share their vaccines with the world and begin controlling their greed. Sufficient is sufficient!”

The worldwide disparity in vaccination charges is obvious within the map beneath.

Well being consultants proceed to name for motion to sort out the disaster of vaccine inequality between wealthy and poor nations.