COVID digest: German hospitals say no need for lockdowns

The German Hospital Federation on Monday said a full lockdown in Germany is not needed at present, as hospitals are not currently overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients.

"We would favor consistent contact restrictions, especially for the unvaccinated," Gerald Gass, the federation's chairman, told public broadcaster ZDF.

Vaccinations are compulsory at German hospitals and nursing homes. Gass said that the vaccination rate at hospitals in Germany is at over 90%. 

Gass added that regulations for the unvaccinated have "nothing to do with harassment, but is more about taking precautions, and that's why it's right."

Germany's overall seven-day incidence of new COVID-19 cases on Monday dipped in comparison to Sunday. The Robert Koch Institute reports it dropped from 390.9 cases per 100,000 to 389.

Here is a roundup of other coronavirus news from around the world:

Europe

The UK has said the omicron variant is spreading at a "phenomenal rate" and now accounts for roughly 40% of the new infections in London.

"It's spreading at a phenomenal rate, something that we've never seen before, it's doubling every two to three days in infections," UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid told Sky News. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Monday that at least one person has died in the UK after contracting the omicron variant. 

"I think the idea that this is somehow a milder version of the virus ... I think that's something we need to set on one side ... and just recognize the sheer pace at which it accelerates through the population," Johnson said.

Amid the surge in cases of the variant, UK authorities are asking citizens to get booster shots. There were reports Monday of long lines at vaccination centers in the UK. 

Javid added, "We're once again in a race between the vaccine and the virus."

In Germany, the first batches of a COVID-19 pediatric vaccine for children aged five to 11 have been delivered.

According to the Federal Ministry of Health, 2.4 million doses of children’s vaccines are being distributed around the country. 

Children in the age group will receive a lower dose of the BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine.

Africa

Nigeria had to destroy some 1 million vaccine doses last month after they expired, the country's primary care agency told reporters. Vaccine hesitancy is a major problem in Africa's most populous country, officials have said.

Similarly, in Senegal, health officials said that at least 200,000 doses were wasted in the past two months. They expect 400,000 to be scrapped by the end of the year.

Global

The WHO has said the omicron coronavirus variant presents a "very high" risk to global public health. The omicron variant has now been reported in more than 60 countries.

Although there is some data to suggest that omicron evades the protection offered by vaccines, the WHO said clinical data on the severity of the variant is limited.

There are early indications that people who previously had the virus and recovered and those who were vaccinated would not build up sufficient antibodies to avoid infection from the omicron variant.

The WHO said the resulting transmission rates could have "severe consequences."

Researchers from the University of Oxford published findings from a study still awaiting peer review that showed two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine is not enough to protect against the omicron variant.

The researchers came to their conclusion after analyzing blood samples taken from participants who were given either the AstraZeneca vaccine or BioNTech-Pfizer in a large study examining the combined use of different vaccines.

The study did note, however, that there was no evidence to suggest the severity of disease or the hospitalization or death rates would be increased by the variant. 

Oceania

In Australia, Queensland state opened to Australians from other parts of the country for the first time in almost five months.

Television footage showed cars lined up between the states of New South Wales and Queensland before the regulations loosened at 1 a.m. local time (1400 GMT Sunday).

Queensland is Australia's third most populous state. The state had been closed to those traveling from elsewhere in Australia due to an outbreak of the delta variant.

ar,kb,es/wmr (dpa, Reuters)