Covid news live: Pfizer says Omicron-specific vaccine could be available by March; Mexico president tests positive again | World news

Extra on the state of affairs unfolding surrounding Novak Djokovic’s Australian visa.

Djokovic’s household have confirmed the tennis star had examined positive for Covid-19 on 16 December. Nevertheless, they shut down the press convention after reporters requested if he then attended an occasion on 17 December. That occasion was lined by native media, and oldsters posted images on social media exhibiting Djokovic and the kids not sporting masks.

“OK, so this press convention is adjourned,” Djordje Djokovic mentioned after being pressed on the matter.

Regardless of the federal government agreeing to launch Djokovic from detention and quash the unique choice to cancel his visa, the immigration minister, Alex Hawke, is but to determine whether or not to make use of a separate energy to deport the tennis star.

A choice is predicted as early as Tuesday however the authorities faces inner division over whether or not to implement Australia’s hardline border insurance policies towards Djokovic.

Watch the video from the press convention under.

Pfizer Inc chief govt Albert Bourla on Monday mentioned a redesigned Covid-19 vaccine that particularly targets the Omicron variant is probably going wanted and his firm could have one able to launch by March.

Bourla mentioned Pfizer and companion BioNTech SE are engaged on each an Omicron-targeted vaccine model in addition to a shot that would come with each the earlier vaccine in addition to one focused on the fast-spreading variant.

“I believe it’s the most definitely state of affairs,” Bourla mentioned on Monday. “We’re engaged on increased doses. We’re working totally different schedules. We’re doing lots of issues proper now, as we converse.”

Bourla mentioned Pfizer could be able to file for US regulatory approval for a redesigned vaccine and launch it as quickly as March and with a lot manufacturing capability for the vaccine it could not be an issue to change instantly.

The vaccine could be able to distribute by June, Bourla added in an interview with CNBC.

This vaccine will be prepared in March.

We [are] already beginning manufacturing a few of these portions in danger.

The hope is that we are going to obtain one thing that can have manner, manner higher safety notably towards infections, as a result of the safety towards the hospitalisations and the extreme illness – it’s cheap proper now, with the present vaccines so long as you’re having let’s say the third dose.”

France has introduced an easing of Covid guidelines for faculties as record-high case numbers shut down hundreds of lessons and sparked concern amongst dad and mom and lecturers.

Prime minister Jean Castex instructed France 2 tv on Monday that greater than 10,000 lessons – 2% of the overall – needed to be cancelled due to Covid outbreaks, however that the federal government wouldn’t “shut down the colleges or the nation”, Agence France-Presse reviews.

France on Monday reported greater than 125,000 new coronavirus circumstances because the Omicron variant drives up every day infections to document highs.

Underneath the primary change, from Tuesday, dad and mom will now not be obliged to select up their baby instantly for Covid testing if she or he is a contact case of a virus sufferer.

Residence-testing will be deemed adequate in such circumstances quite than testing at an formally permitted website, with the dad and mom signing a certificates to verify the consequence.

The take a look at kits, available from pharmacies, will be free.

Castex introduced the news on Twitter on Monday night, saying:

The college well being protocol will be simplified: if a positive case is detected in a category, the scholars can keep there till the tip of the day, 3 unfavorable self-tests will suffice for contact circumstances [and] just one parental certificates will be needed.”

Hi there it’s Samantha Lock again with you on the weblog, able to take you thru all of the Covid news this Tuesday.

Let’s dive proper in with the news that Pfizer Inc chief govt Albert Bourla on Monday mentioned a redesigned Covid-19 vaccine that particularly targets the Omicron variant is probably going wanted and his firm could have one able to launch by March.

Bourla mentioned Pfizer and companion BioNTech SE are engaged on each an Omicron-targeted vaccine model in addition to a shot that would come with each the earlier vaccine in addition to one focused on the fast-spreading variant.

“I believe it’s the most definitely state of affairs,” Bourla mentioned on Monday. “We’re engaged on increased doses. We’re working totally different schedules. We’re doing lots of issues proper now, as we converse.”

Bourla mentioned Pfizer could be able to file for US regulatory approval for a redesigned vaccine and launch it as quickly as March.

Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador additionally introduced he has examined positive for Covid-19 for a second time, saying that he solely has gentle signs.

Lopez Obrador, who had examined positive for the virus in January final 12 months, sounded hoarse in his morning press convention earlier within the day, prompting reporters to inquire about his well being.

“Though the signs are gentle, I’ll stay in isolation and can solely do workplace work and talk just about,” till recovering, Lopez Obrador mentioned in a tweet.

Mexico has recorded greater than 300,000 deaths because the pandemic started, in response to well being ministry information.

Right here’s a fast rundown of all the most recent headlines:

• Boris Johnson was accused on Monday evening of an “totally outrageous” breach of lockdown guidelines as a leaked e mail confirmed one in all his high officers invited greater than 100 Downing Road workers to a “convey your personal booze” occasion through the first lockdown. The police at the moment are investigating.
• Boris Johnson has ordered officers to look at plans to chop Covid isolation to 5 days in England as scientists urged warning over the dearth of proof to help a change.
• NHS England has struck a cope with personal healthcare suppliers beneath which their hospitals will be prepared to start out treating NHS sufferers who can not get the Covid or non-Covid care they want as a result of their native NHS hospital is beneath an excessive amount of stress.
• Pfizer Inc chief govt Albert Bourla mentioned on Monday that shifting towards a redesigned Covid-19 vaccine that’s particularly focused to fight the Omicron variant is the “most definitely state of affairs.”
• The small variety of individuals in Italy’s inhabitants who refuse to be vaccinated towards Covid-19 are largely accountable for the continued well being disaster, prime minister Mario Draghi mentioned on Monday.
• Within the US, a brand new document has been set for the variety of individuals admitted to hospital with Covid-19, with 132,646 at present on wards, in response to Reuters. The most recent determine, which comes because the extremely contagious Omicron pressure spreads throughout the nation, surpassed the document of 132,051 set in January final 12 months.
• Moderna has introduced it expects document gross sales of about $18.5bn (£13.6bn) in contracts for its Covid vaccine in 2022.
• Novak Djokovic’s brother reportedly ended a press convention after questions on why the tennis ace appeared in public in Belgrade a day after he had examined positive for Covid-19.
• Emmanuel Macron has condemned protesters on the French abroad territory of Saint Pierre and Miquelon who pelted an MP with seaweed and dust throughout a protest towards vaccine passes.
• Stricter pandemic measures are to be launched in Sweden in response to a rising variety of Covid circumstances and stress on hospitals, the prime minister has mentioned.
• The prime minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has referred to as for European officers to contemplate ditching detailed pandemic monitoring for Covid in favour of a flu-like monitoring system. The change would imply treating Covid-19 as an “endemic sickness” quite than a pandemic, Sánchez mentioned on Monday. He identified that deaths as a proportion of recorded circumstances has fallen because the pandemic started.