Two Covid omicron 'variants of concern' identified in UK Omicron BA.4 and Omicron BA.5 could have what is described as a 'growth advantage' over the Omicron BA.2 variant that is dominant in the UK Wales Online · May 20, 2022
Editorial: North Korea looks dangerously vulnerable in the face of omicron The situation in North Korea long has been worrying to those concerned about potentially capricious military actions on the part of paranoid authoritarian regimes. But COVID-19 is presenting new concerns, both to the people of North Korea and the world beyond. Chicago Tribune · May 20, 2022
COVID 19: Natural Immunity From Omicron Weak And Limited, Study Finds The team of researchers has found that the Omicron variant induces only a weak immune response. Zenger · May 20, 2022
COVID in South Africa: what to expect in the short and long term In light of the approaching winter months combined with the recent lifting of the national disaster act, South Africans have anxiously been watching an increase in COVID infections. The Conversation Africa spoke to infectious disease specialist Veronica Ueckermann about the current trajectory of the pandemic in the country. The Conversation · May 20, 2022
Unvaccinated people's immunity after Omicron is 'weak and vulnerable to reinfection' Vaccinated people were shown to receive a boost of protection after having Omicron. Daily Record · May 20, 2022
Unvaccinated and unprepared, North Korea faces Covid catastrophe Pyongyang’s gamble on extreme isolation has unravelled as Omicron sweeps the country Financial Times · May 20, 2022
Boston reports ‘significant increase’ in COVID cases, hospitalizations; Massachusetts reports nearly 5,000 COVID cases Boston health officials on Thursday reported a “significant increase” in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations amid the omicron subvariant wave, as nearly 5,000 new virus cases were recorded across the state. Boston Herald · May 19, 2022
The CDC is urging a Pfizer booster for children ages 5 to 11 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's advice opens a third COVID-19 shot to healthy elementary-age kids — just like what is already recommended for everybody 12 and older. WEKU · May 19, 2022
CDC advisers urge Pfizer booster for children ages 5 to 11 U.S. health advisers are urging a booster dose of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11 The Independent UK · May 19, 2022
Immunome Shares Rise After Publishing Positive COVID-19 Antibody Cocktail Data Immunome Inc (NASDAQ:IMNM) shares are trading higher after it published data demonstrating that its COVID-19 antibody cocktail, IMM-BCP-01, potently cleared the omicron variant (BA.1) when tested in vivo in hamsters. Additional in vitro testing of a SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus showed that IMM20253, one of the antibodies in Immunome's cocktail, successfully neutralized the omicron subvariant… Benzinga · May 19, 2022
Why Immunome Shares Are Rising Immunome Inc (NASDAQ: IMNM) shares are trading higher by 19.44% at $3.39 after the company published data demonstrating its COVID-19 antibody cocktail IMM-BCP-01 cleared the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 when tested in vivo in hamsters. Benzinga · May 19, 2022
Number of Covid-19 hospital patients in UK at lowest level since autumn Levels have dropped to almost a third of the recent peak. The Independent UK · May 19, 2022
Despegar.com Posts Mixed Q1 Earnings; Hopes On Travel Demand Recovery Despegar.com Corp (NYSE:DESP) reported first-quarter FY22 sales growth of 117% year-on-year to $112.4 million, missing the consensus of $104.85 million. Gross Bookings increased 118% Y/Y to $803.9 million and at 69% of Q1 FY19 levels. Transactions increased 59% Y/Y, reaching 74% of Q1 FY19 volume. Mobile represented 43% of transactions in the quarter.… Benzinga · May 19, 2022
NHS scam text: Warning over fraudulent Covid close contact messages The scam text encourages people to pay for a PCR test. Evening Standard · May 19, 2022
The Conversation · May 19, 2022 Reducing COVID transmission by 20% could save 2,000 Australian lives this year Australia’s COVID death toll is rising, yet public health measures to reduce transmission such as mask mandates are largely a thing of the past.
WEKU · May 19, 2022 Pro-Trump counties continue to suffer far higher COVID death tolls As Americans commemorate a million deaths due to COVID-19, the partisan divide of who has gotten sick and died continues to grow, mostly due to disinformation about the vaccines.
Reuters · May 19, 2022 China relaxes some COVID test rules for U.S., other travellers China has removed some COVID-19 test requirements for people flying in from countries such as the United States and shortened the pre-departure quarantine for some inbound travellers, as it fine-tunes measures to cope with the Omicron variant.
The Guardian - AU · May 18, 2022 ‘Don’t talk about Covid’: major parties accused of virus complacency during election campaign Experts say there is a lack of political urgency on vaccines and public health plans as deaths rise and winter approaches
The Independent UK · May 18, 2022 Officials say more areas of US may see mask recommendations U.S. officials say the COVID-19 pandemic could get worse in the U.S. in the weeks ahead, and more people could be advised to again wear masks indoors
Los Angeles Times · May 18, 2022 LA is doing much better than New York with new coronavirus wave. Can it last? LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County is doing significantly better than New York City so far in this latest spring wave of omicron cases, and officials remain hopeful that California can avoid the significant increases in coronavirus hospitalizations seen on the East Coast.
The Conversation · May 18, 2022 South Africa has entered a new phase of the COVID pandemic: what that means Confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 have been increasing in South Africa in recent weeks. This has been largely driven by two offspring – known as the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-lineages – of the Omicron variant first identified in South Africa late last year.
France 24 · May 18, 2022 Japan's economy shrinks amid Covid-19 curbs and rising prices Japan's GDP fell at an annualised rate of 1 percent in the first three months of this year as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus hampered consumer spending. Rising commodity prices also weighed on businesses in the world's third-largest economy. Plus, as unemployment remains stable in France at 7.3 percent,…
The Independent UK · May 18, 2022 Nine Omicron symptoms affecting fully vaccinated — and two early signs you might have it Fainting and fatigue may signal onset of Omicron, experts say
The Independent UK · May 18, 2022 What is Omicron XE? Symptoms of the new Covid variant found in UK XE combines genetic characteristic of the Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 variants, in what is known as a “recombinant”
Asharq Al-Awsat · May 18, 2022 Kim Slams Negligent Officials over NKorea Covid Outbreak North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the negligence and laziness of state officials worsened the country's Covid outbreak, state media reported Wednesday, as the number of known cases crossed 1.7 million. The nuclear-armed country reported its first coronavirus cases last week, and the Omicron variant-fueled outbreak has since ballooned…