The Latest Breaking News from Omicron

No 10 resists investigation into ‘blackmailing’ of Tory MPs critical of Johnson until ‘evidence’ found – as it happened

No 10 says investigation will only be launched ‘if there was any evidence’ to support the claims, despite calls from Labour and Tory MPs

The Guardian - UK · Jan 21, 2022

Omicron restrictions spark worse-than-expected Christmas retail sales slump

Retail sales suffered a worse-than-expected slump over Christmas, new data published this morning shows.

Evening Standard · Jan 21, 2022

Retail sales drop in December as Omicron bites

Sales volumes fell 3.7% in December compared with a 1% rise in November as shoppers stayed away from the high street.

The Independent UK · Jan 21, 2022

WA's closed borders unlikely to halt spread of Omicron, epidemiologist says

Epidemiologist Catherine Bennett says community cases already occurring in Perth might mean that the spread of the variant will determine when the state can reopen.

ABC News · Jan 21, 2022

Australia approves two new medicines in the fight against COVID. How can you get them and are they effective against Omicron?

On Thursday, health minister Greg Hunt announced Australia’s drug regulator had provisionally approved two new medicines for the treatment of COVID.

The Conversation · Jan 21, 2022

‘Not sustainable’: Omicron tests China’s zero Covid policy as first cases detected

With the Winter Olympics imminent, experts predict more extreme measures but question strategy’s wisdom

The Guardian - UK · Jan 21, 2022

A divided nation: Western Australia stays shut as COVID deaths mount in east

Australia will remain a divided nation, with the vast mining state of Western Australia cancelling plans to reopen its borders on Feb. 5, citing health risks from a surge in the Omicron COVID-19 variant in eastern states.

Reuters · Jan 21, 2022

Covid live: Ireland to lift almost all curbs from 6am on Saturday; France reports 400,851 new cases — as it happened

Ireland’s premier Micheál Martin says ‘we have weathered the Omicron storm’; France reports 400,851 daily cases and 233 Covid-linked hospital deaths

The Guardian - UK · Jan 21, 2022

Omicron takes a toll on pagan community's vital conferences

Pagans are a decentralized community, comprising largely independent, small temples, covens and kindreds, with many people operating as solitary practitioners, without even a common doctrine to bring them together

The Independent UK · Jan 20, 2022

Victorian COVID-19 hospitalisations at 1,096 as 20 more deaths reported

Brett Sutton says Victoria is not yet at the peak of COVID-19 hospitalisations, as he urges people against becoming complacent about the risk posed by the Omicron variant.

ABC News · Jan 20, 2022