LONDON (Reuters) – The Netherlands went into lockdown on Sunday and the potential for extra COVID-19 restrictions over the Christmas and New Yr interval loomed over a number of European international locations because the Omicron coronavirus variant spreads rapidly.

In america, White Home medical adviser Anthony Fauci urged https://www.reuters.com/world/us/covid-omicron-variant-raging-through-world-traveling-increases-risk-fauci-2021-12-19 individuals travelling over the vacations to get booster photographs and at all times put on masks in crowded public areas.

He described Omicron as “raging by the world,” and mentioned travelling will enhance the danger of an infection even amongst vaccinated individuals.

Dutch city centres have been largely abandoned https://www.reuters.com/enterprise/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/netherlands-starts-painful-christmas-coronavirus-lockdown-2021-12-19 because the nation started a snap lockdown that left individuals’s Christmas plans in disarray.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte introduced the shutdown on Saturday night, ordering the closure of all however important shops, in addition to eating places, hairdressers, gyms, museums and different public locations from Sunday till not less than Jan. 14.

Omicron, a really contagious variant first detected final month in southern Africa and Hong Kong, has raced across the globe and been reported in 89 international locations, the World Well being Group mentioned on https://www.reuters.com/enterprise/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/omicron-cases-doubling-15-3-days-areas-with-local-spread-who-2021-12-18 Saturday.

The variety of Omicron instances is doubling in 1.5 to three days in areas with group transmission, the WHO mentioned, noting that a lot remains to be not identified in regards to the variant, together with the severity of the sickness it causes.

Whereas the Netherlands took the plunge and shut down a lot of public life to stop its healthcare system from being overwhelmed by an anticipated surge in instances, a number of different European governments are contemplating extra curbs – at a time when individuals are usually spending cash on procuring, leisure and journey.

Britain reported a surge in instances of Omicron on Saturday, with 25,000 recorded to date. Authorities advisors mentioned this might be the tip of the iceberg and well being minister Sajid Javid declined https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-health-minister-doesnt-rule-out-new-covid-restrictions-before-christmas-2021-12-19 on Sunday to rule out the possibility of additional COVID-19 restrictions earlier than Christmas.

Javid mentioned the federal government was taking the “sobering” recommendation of its scientists significantly, was watching the info on an “nearly hourly foundation” and would stability that in opposition to the broader impression of restrictions on areas equivalent to companies and schooling.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is reeling after a sequence of scandals and missteps, and greater than 100 of his personal Conservative lawmakers this week voted in opposition to the federal government’s newest measures to deal with COVID-19.

Javid mentioned Johnson was not too politically weak to herald additional curbs if obligatory.

In Italy, the federal government is contemplating new measures to keep away from a surge in infections through the vacation interval, native newspapers reported on Sunday.

After holding a gathering with ministers on Dec. 23, Prime Minister Mario Draghi might mandate that individuals who have been vaccinated additionally present a damaging check to entry crowded locations, together with discos and stadiums, each day Corriere della Sera reported.