France to impose new restrictions on COVID-19 as Omicron rises Coronavirus pandemic News

France has announced new COVID-19 measures to halt the rise in infections, as concerns are spreading around the world about the rapid spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant.

From January 3, working from home will be mandatory for those who can do so at least three days a week, and public gatherings will be limited to 2,000 people indoors and 5,000 for outdoor events, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said late. on Monday.

The consumption of food and drink on public transport, including long journeys, as well as in cinemas, theaters and sports facilities, will be prohibited. In bars and restaurants, all food and drink should be consumed while sitting, not standing.

The new rules will be in effect for at least three weeks, Castex said, but there will be no restrictions on New Year’s Eve and schools will open as planned in early January.

The moves came after France on Saturday record More than 100,000 COVID-19 infections in a single day, the first time the pandemic has erupted.

More than 100 people in the Paris region have tested positive last week, according to the capital’s regional health service. Most of the new infections were linked to Omicron, as government experts predict that it will become the main strain in France in the coming days.

Castex stressed that hospital intensive care units are not overloaded today, as more than 90 percent of French adults were fully vaccinated, although he warned that the country is now in a “race against the clock”. reducing the spread of the new variant.

“I know it feels like an unfinished film, but a year ago we started our vaccination campaign and now we are one of the best vaccines and protections in the world,” he said after a cabinet meeting.

European governments are taking action

Elsewhere in Europe, other countries have chosen to roll out new measures to respond to the spread of Omicron, which studies say is significantly more infectious, but smoother than previous versions of coronavirus.

The Netherlands has closed all shops, restaurants and bars that are no longer essential and has extended school holidays, largely in a new blockade.

In Belgium, new measures came into force on Monday and weekend, banning shopping in large groups, and closing cinemas and concert halls in the middle of the festivities.

Greece too has announced additional measures after registering 9,300 cases on Monday, the biggest new infection in a single day ever.

From January 3, high-protection or dual-protection masks will be mandatory in supermarkets and on public transportation; recreation areas will be closed at midnight, and capacity will be reduced by 10 percent on football pitches, among other things.

However, other parts of Europe have opposed the introduction of new restrictions.

In a nation of 38 million people in Poland, where more than 500 people die every day, nightclubs that are now closed will be allowed to reopen on New Year’s Eve because the government does not want to go against the will of many voters who are against the virus. vaccines.

The United Kingdom The government, meanwhile, has ruled out new measures in England this year, despite repeated outbreaks of 100,000 infections in recent days.

And despite Europe having the highest COVID-19 death rate, Russia will play in 2022 with few reductions. Many measures will be removed during the 10-day holiday from New Year’s Eve.

Omicron is on the rise worldwide

Omicron has also traveled to other parts of the world in recent days, threatening to overtake hospitals. drowning out travel plans and the pandemic is already hampering severely damaged economies.

President Joe Biden warned on Monday that US hospitals could be closed soon “overcoming”While the most affected countries in the world are experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases feeding new variants. More than 200,000 daily infections have been confirmed in the last two days nationwide.

The rest are Chinese authorities in Xi’an harden restrictions to try to eradicate the worsening of the coronavirus on Monday.

On Tuesday, Indonesian health authorities said they were tracing contacts after detecting the country’s first local transmission Omicron case.

And in Australia, authorities set another record in Tuesday’s cases in the midst of an Omicron outbreak, while state leaders clashed over internal border controls.

Concerns have also been raised about the Gaza Strip, where Palestinian authorities said on Sunday that they had identified the first Omicron case in the besieged enclave.

Meanwhile, confirmed infections in Argentina nearly doubled from Monday to Friday at 20,263, the highest daily figure in nearly six months.