The race against time continues.

The number of Covid-19 contaminations increased again on Tuesday, to 63,405 cases, the highest figure since April according to data from Public Health France published on Tuesday.

As of April 8, 84,999 new cases had been registered.

Hospitals continue to welcome new patients, with 1,662 new admissions (against 1,505 on Monday) and 362 critical care admissions, for a total of 2,792 patients.

At least 158 ​​people have died, up from 231 on Monday.

In total, since the start of the pandemic, more than 120,800 people have died from Covid-19 in France.

Vaccination continued to progress: 77.6% of the population received at least one dose, i.e. 52,349,285 people, 76.1% had a complete vaccination schedule and 15,893,348 people received a booster dose since campaign launch in September.

The vaccination of "at risk" children, likely to develop serious forms of Covid-19, opens on Wednesday, before no doubt being generalized on a voluntary basis to all the others in the days or weeks to come.

Restrictions across the Channel in the face of a "tidal wave"

The United Kingdom is facing a "tidal wave", according to Boris Johnson, of cases linked to the Omicron variant, which he is trying to stem with an unprecedented vaccine booster campaign.

To prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed, Boris Johnson announced new restrictions: daily tests for contact cases, teleworking, indoor mask wearing and compulsory health pass in major events.

This last measure, particularly criticized by the deputies of the conservative majority who consider it liberticidal and harmful for the economy, was finally adopted with 369 votes against 126.

A very mixed victory for the Prime Minister, in front of the scale of the rebellion of his camp: at least 97 elected officials voted against this measure, much more than the sixty initially planned, never seen before for the conservative leader .

Advanced school holidays in the Netherlands

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has announced the early closure of primary schools before the Christmas holidays and the extension of current health restrictions until January 14 because of the new Omicron variant.

Schools will close from December 20, one week before the start of the Christmas holidays.

“This is obviously not a happy message that we were hoping for as Christmas approaches.

But that's not a surprise, ”he added.

“We cannot ignore the signal regarding the Omicron variant,” he continued.

The government is also extending current health restrictions until January 14, including the closure of non-essential shops, bars and restaurants every day between 5 p.m. and 5 a.m.

"Unheard of pace", warns the WHO

The Omicron variant is spreading "at a rate that we have never seen with any other variant," warned the World Health Organization (WHO), calling for the use of all anti-Covid tools to prevent systems from health are quickly overwhelmed as the holiday season approaches.

On the medical front, encouraging news has come from Pfizer: the pharmaceutical giant has confirmed that its anti-Covid pill reduced hospitalizations and deaths in people at risk by almost 90% when taken in the first days after the onset of symptoms.

And a study in South Africa also estimated that Pfizer's vaccine was less effective overall against the Omicron variant, but still provided 70% protection against severe cases of the disease.

Health

Coronavirus: Contagiousness, mortality, resistance to vaccines… What do we know about the Omicron variant?

  • Omicron variant

  • Covid 19

  • Coronavirus

  • Health

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