Scientists are warning the British government it needs to go further to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed. Health Secretary Sajid Javid and read, "Give them the boot." Hundreds of people blocked traffic as they marched with signs bearing slogans such as "Vaccine passports kill our freedoms" and "Don't comply." Other signs had the faces of Johnson or U.K. The maskless protesters blew whistles, yelled "Freedom!" and told passersby to remove their face coverings. In the U.K., where confirmed daily cases soared to record numbers this week, the government has reimposed a requirement for masks to be worn indoors and ordered people to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative coronavirus test when going to nightclubs and large events.Ĭritics of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's latest coronavirus restrictions flooded Oxford Street, a popular London shopping area, on Saturday. The head of the Dutch public health institute, Jaap van Dissel, described the shutdown as a preventative move that would "buy time" for more people to get booster vaccines and for the nation's health-care system to prepare for a possible new surge in infections. Very bad news again for all those businesses and cultural institutions that rely on the holidays." Another Christmas that is completely different from what we want. "All this, exactly one week before Christmas. "I can hear the whole of the Netherlands sighing," Rutte said in his lockdown announcement. Rotterdam municipality tweeted that it was "too busy in the centre" of the port city and told people: "Don't come to the city." Amsterdam also warned that the city's main shopping street was busy and urged people to stick to coronavirus rules. In the Netherlands, shoppers fearing the worst swarmed to commercial areas of Dutch cities earlier Saturday, thinking it might be their last chance to buy Christmas gifts. Yet Omicron's "substantial growth advantage" over the Delta variant means it is likely to soon overtake Delta as the dominant form of the virus in countries where the new variant is spreading locally, the UN health agency said. Major questions about omicron remain unanswered, including how effective existing COVID-19 vaccines are against it and whether the variant produces severe illness in many infected individuals, WHO noted. The World Health Organization reported Saturday that the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected in 89 countries, and COVID-19 cases involving the variant are doubling every 1.5 to 3 days in places with community transmission and not just infections acquired abroad. But it is the reality that we are dealing with." The twists and turns, the disappointments and the frustrations take a heavy toll on everyone. "We are all exhausted with COVID and the restrictions it requires. "None of this is easy," Martin said Friday night. Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin captured the sense of the continent in an address to the nation, saying the new restrictions were needed to protect lives and livelihoods from the resurgent virus. London Mayor Sadiq Khan underscored the official concern about the climbing cases and their potential to overwhelm the health care system by declaring a major incident Saturday, a move that allows local councils in Britain's capital to coordinate work more closely with emergency services. curfew on pubs and bars and limited attendance at indoor and outdoor events. Denmark has closed theatres, concert halls, amusement parks and museums. Paris cancelled its New Year's Eve fireworks. Alarmed ministers in France, Cyprus and Austria tightened travel restrictions. It wasn't just the Dutch seeking to slow the spread of Omicron. Newsletter sign-up: Get The COVID-19 Brief sent to your inbox."The Netherlands is going into lockdown again from tomorrow," he said, adding that the move was "unavoidable because of the fifth wave caused by the Omicron variant that is bearing down on us." Residents only will be permitted two visitors except for Christmas and New Year's, when four will be allowed, according to Rutte. In what is surely to prove a major disappointment, the lockdown terms also rein in private holiday celebrations. Schools and universities will shut until Jan. 14 starting Sunday, caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte said at a hastily arranged press conference Saturday night. Nations across Europe moved to reimpose tougher measures to stem a new wave of COVID-19 infections spurred by the highly transmissible Omicron variant, with the Netherlands leading the way by imposing a nationwide lockdown.Īll non-essential stores, bars and restaurants in the Netherlands will be closed until Jan.
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