Category: Asia
Asian Coronavirus News
Omicron may be contagious for longer than other variants
Confirmed carriers of the Omicron COVID-19 variant will be required to quarantine for 14 days in Israel, instead of the 10 days mandated for confirmed carriers of other coronavirus strains, the Israeli Health Ministry has decreed. More...
Vaccines: Pfizer CEO says fourth dose of vaccine may be needed sooner than expected
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said Wednesday that people might need a fourth Covid-19 shot sooner than expected after preliminary research shows the new Omicron variant can undermine protective antibodies generated by the vaccine the company developed with BioNTech. More...
FFP2 masks more effective at preventing Covid infection than vaccines
Max Planck: “When both wear a surgical mask, while the infectious is speaking, the very conservative upper bound remains below 30% after 1h, but, when both wear a well-fitting FFP2 mask, it is 0.4%”
We find, for a typical SARS-CoV-2 viral load and infectious dose, that social distancing alone, even at 3m between two speaking individuals, leads to an upper bound of 90% for risk of infection after a few minutes. More...
Omicron: The world is “closer to the start of the pandemic than the end”
The emergence of the Omicron variant shows that the world is “closer to the start of the pandemic than the end”, one of Britain’s most senior scientific figures has warned, as he lamented a lack of political leadership over Covid. More...
UKHSA risk assessment for Omicron variant
UK risk assessment for Omicron variant B.1.1.529, dated 3rd December 2021
Transmissibility between humans: Amber – At least as transmissible as currently circulating variants
Omicron is transmitting rapidly and successfully. More...
Preprint: Increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection associated with emergence of the Omicron variant in South Africa
332 individuals were identified who had three suspected infections. More...
Israeli doctor believes he caught Omicron variant of Covid in London
Cardiologist Elad Maor suspects he caught virus at conference attended by more than 1,200 people. More...
Israel: Triple jabbed doctor found infected with Omicron after flight from London
Two Israeli cardiologists have been confirmed as infected with the Omicron variant, a spokesperson for Sheba hospital confirmed. More...
Community spread of Omicron in Israel – seven suspected infected, only four are travellers
The Israeli Health Ministry says there are currently seven people in Israel suspected of having contracted the Omicron coronavirus variant, in addition the one confirmed case announced yesterday. More...
Israel: four potential Omicron cases flew in from Malawi, Jordan
The South African Omicron variant was first discovered in Israel late Thursday night, according to reports released Friday morning by the Health Ministry.