Covid-19: United States authorizes Pfizer pill, United Kingdom exceeds 100,000 cases in 24 hours

These colleagues of Santa Claus stroll in the streets of Madrid on December 19, 2021. And they have already put their masks back on, in this period of renewed Covid-19 pandemic.

AP - Paul White

Text by: RFI Follow

5 mins

Two days before Christmas, the highly contagious Omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading at lightning speed.

Overview of the latest measures taken around the world.

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• 100,000 cases in 24 hours in the UK

Sad record for the United Kingdom: more than 100,000 cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in the space of 24 hours.

The Omicron variant is rampant across the Channel.

And

, between the scientific community which calls on him to tighten the restrictions and his own conservative political camp increasingly hostile to these measures deemed to be liberticidal.

On Monday, the British Prime Minister had announced not to take new restrictions, but keeping the possibility of doing so later.

For now, the Johnson government is procrastinating.

And the world is looking at the UK and waiting for its analyzes on the Omicron variant, especially concerning its virulence.

• Pfizer's pill, Paxlovid, cleared by US health authorities

After vaccines, innovative treatment: Pfizer laboratories have designed a new pill to be administered to people infected with Covid-19.

His name: Paxlovid.

It is a treatment, reserved for over 12 years at high risk of developing serious forms.

It comes in the form of a combination of two pills taken twice a day for five days.

Treatment with Paxlovid should be started upon diagnosis and within five days of symptom onset.

According to clinical trials, the drug can reduce hospitalizations and deaths by 88%, reports our correspondent in Washington,

.

Convinced by clinical trials carried out on more than 2,200 people (no deaths recorded), the US Medicines Agency has given the green light.

Paxlovid does not replace the vaccine, which remains the first line of defense.

But the US President, Joe Biden, welcomes the arrival of this new tool in the drugstore of the country.

Federal authorities have already ordered enough to treat 10 million people.

But this will only gradually be the case, as production has barely started.

Initially, 250,000 people will be able to benefit from Paxlovid.

It should start in the next few days.

• The mask back to Spain

Six months ago, the Spaniards took off their masks in the street.

It's time to put it back on:

has decided to make it compulsory again to wear a mask outside from Thursday.

The objective is clear: to curb contamination.

In 24 hours, the country recorded a new record with 60,000 recorded cases.

And the incidence rate is now 787 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, four times more than at the beginning of the month.

" 

 " said Pedro Sanchez during his speech to the press.

The Prime Minister made it clear that this is a "

 "

measure 

and which will be withdrawn "as 

 ".

In some regions, more drastic restrictions are being called for: Catalonia, for example, will have a response from the courts on Thursday regarding its wish to apply a curfew.

The Covid-19 has killed nearly 89,000 people in Spain since the start of the pandemic.

• Beginning of vaccination for 5-11 year olds in France

After the favorable opinion of the High Authority for Health on Monday (as well as the National Consultative Ethics Committee), the vaccination of children aged 5 to 11, on a voluntary basis, began in France, despite the reluctance of many parents.

The Vaccine Strategy Orientation Council gave a favorable opinion on Wednesday.

Children receive the

, with one-third the dosage of an adult.

The government hopes to slow the circulation of the virus as much as possible, but it may already be too late for the Omicron variant.

It already represents 20 to 30% of contaminations.

Olivier Véran expects it to be in the majority “

”.

France has recorded more than 84,000 cases of Covid-19 in the space of 24 hours.

And it will exceed " 

 " by the end of December, warned the Minister of Health.

• Belgium closes its theaters, for fear of the Omicron variant

With 8,300 new infections on Wednesday, Belgium saw its daily average drop.

Three weeks ago it was twice as high.

But the Omicron variant is pushing the government to respond.

It already represents 27% of contaminations, and Alexander De Croo, the Prime Minister, wants to be " 

 ", while the situation in hospitals remains " 

 ".

Thus, Belgium is taking " 

 " and decides that from this Sunday, December 26, cinemas and other theaters will be closed.

Cafes and restaurants are spared, but must always close by 11 p.m. at the latest during the holiday season.

As of Sunday, Belgians will only be able to shop for two at most, while sports competitions will be played without an audience.

Teleworking remains “ 

 ” with a maximum of one day of presence at the office.

• China entrusts Xi'an and its 13 million people

Faced with the coronavirus, China does not want to take any risk as the end of the year holidays approach.

The Chinese authorities imposed, Wednesday, December 22, a lockdown in Xi'an, in the north of the country, due to a rebound in Covid-19 cases.

Residents of the capital of Shaanxi province are invited to stay at home, unless there are compelling reasons.

► To read also: Covid-19 in China: the authorities confine Xi'an, a city of 13 million inhabitants

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