Roche launches new test to detect fast spreading Omicron sub-variant
ZURICH (Reuters) – Roche has launched a new PCR test to detect a fast-spreading sub-variant of the Omicron variant of Coronavirus, the Swiss drugmaker said …
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U.S. FDA says Evusheld may not protect against Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5
(Reuters) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday it does not expect AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 antibody cocktail Evusheld to provide protection against the …
Over 40% of U.S. COVID cases caused by Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 – CDC
By Raghav Mahobe and Julie Steenhuysen (Reuters) -Over 40% of COVID-19 cases in the United States are now caused by the highly contagious Omicron XBB.1.5, …
Omicron BA.4.6 subvariant makes up nearly 14% of COVID variants in U.S. – CDC
(Reuters) – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday estimated that by Oct. 8 nearly 14% of the circulating coronavirus variants …
Omicron better at invading young noses than other variants; smell loss may predict memory issues
By Nancy Lapid (Reuters) – The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate …
Pfizer starts mid-stage trial for vaccine against Omicron subvariant
(Reuters) – Pfizer Inc and its German partner BioNTech SE said on Wednesday they had started a mid-stage study of a modified COVID-19 vaccine which …
Experimental chewing gum reduces Omicron in saliva; sexual dysfunction, hair loss among long COVID symptoms
By Nancy Lapid (Reuters) – The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate …
Omicron BA.5 makes up 82% of COVID variants in U.S. – CDC
(Reuters) – The BA.5 subvariant of Omicron was estimated to make up 81.9% of the circulating coronavirus variants in the United States for the week …
Australia battles fresh Omicron outbreak as COVID deaths rise
SYDNEY – Australia reported one of its highest daily death tolls from the novel coronavirus on Thursday while hospital admissions hovered near record levels, as …
Omicron BA.5 makes up nearly 78% of COVID variants circulating in U.S. – CDC
(Reuters) – The BA.5 subvariant of Omicron was estimated to make up 77.9% of the circulating coronavirus variants in the United States for the week …
Australia reinstates COVID quarantine pay amid fresh Omicron wave
By Renju Jose SYDNEY – Australia will reinstate support payments for casual workers who have to quarantine due to COVID-19, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said …
EU drugs regulator open to COVID boosters that target older Omicron offshoots
By Natalie Grover and Ludwig Burger LONDON -The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is open to using next generation COVID-19 vaccines that target older offshoots of …
Australia expands fourth COVID dose rollout amid fresh Omicron threat
By Renju Jose SYDNEY -Australia said on Thursday it would expand the rollout of the fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccines from next week as it …
Omicron sub-variants BA.4, BA.5 make up 70% of COVID variants in U.S. – CDC
(Reuters) – The fast-spreading BA.4 and BA.5 sub-lineages of Omicron are estimated to make up a combined 70.1% of the coronavirus variants in the United …
U.S. FDA advisers recommend inclusion of Omicron component for COVID boosters
(Reuters) – Advisers to the U.S Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday overwhelmingly recommended the inclusion of an Omicron component for COVID-19 booster vaccines in …
Omicron sub-variants BA.4, BA.5 make up more than 50% of U.S. COVID cases – CDC
(Reuters) – The fast-spreading BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of Omicron are estimated to make up a combined 52% of the coronavirus cases in the United …
Analysis-The next COVID booster shots will likely be updated for Omicron
By Michael Erman NEW YORK – COVID-19 vaccines this fall are likely to be based on the Omicron variant of the coronavirus rather than the …
Some Omicron sub-variants escaping antibodies from Sinopharm shot -Chinese study
BEIJING – A small Chinese study detailed in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal showed neutralising antibodies against some Omicron sub-variants were largely undetectable after two …
Omicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5 account for up to 13% of COVID variants in U.S. – CDC
(Reuters) – The BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of Omicron are estimated to make up nearly 5% and 8% of the coronavirus variants in the United …
Omicron breakthrough infections may spare young hearts; no need to delay mammogram after vaccination
By Nancy Lapid (Reuters) – The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate …
Unvaccinated children hospitalized at twice the rate during Omicron surge -U.S. study
By Amruta Khandekar (Reuters) – Hospitalization rates for unvaccinated children ages 5 to 11 were twice as high as among those who were vaccinated during …
Worldwide COVID cases surpass 500 million as Omicron variant BA.2 surges
By Kavya B and Aparupa Mazumder (Reuters) – Global COVID-19 cases surpassed 500 million on Thursday, according to a Reuters tally, as the highly contagious …
WHO says it is analysing two new Omicron COVID sub-variants
By Jennifer Rigby (Reuters) – The World Health Organization said on Monday it is tracking a few dozen cases of two new sub-variants of the …
Omicron sub-variant BA.2 accounts for about 55% of COVID variants in U.S. – CDC
(Reuters) -The U.S. national public health agency said on Tuesday that BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron was estimated to account for more than half the coronavirus …
White House to reopen to public tours as Omicron fades
WASHINGTON – The White House will reopen to the public next month after being shuttered two years amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it said on Tuesday, …
White House: Omicron BA.2 COVID variant has circulated in U.S. for some time
WASHINGTON – The White House said on Monday that the Omicron BA.2 sub-variant of COVID-19 had been circulating in the United States for some time, …
Euro zone business growth accelerated in Feb as Omicron faded -PMI
LONDON – Business activity across the euro zone accelerated sharply last month as demand soared, particularly in the bloc’s dominant services industry, according to a …
Canadian factory activity climbs to 3-month high as Omicron curbs ease
TORONTO – Canadian manufacturing activity expanded in February at the fastest pace in three months as an easing of domestic restrictions to contain the coronavirus …
Japan’s Q1 growth forecast slashed on Omicron hit to consumption: Reuters poll
By Daniel Leussink TOKYO – Japan’s economic growth will likely grind to a near halt this quarter as coronavirus curbs and supply disruptions threaten to …
Australia retail sales rebound in Jan as economy weathers Omicron
By Wayne Cole SYDNEY – Australian retail sales were surprisingly strong in January as shoppers weathered a surge in Omicron cases with aplomb, suggesting the …
COVID-related diabetes may be temporary; racial disparities widen with Omicron infections
By Nancy Lapid – The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the …
COVID raises risk of mental health problems; new Omicron version not making people sicker in S. Africa
By Nancy Lapid – The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the …
Thai property sector recovery delayed amid Omicron -state loan agency
BANGKOK – Thailand’s property market may not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2024, due to a slower-than-expected economic recovery amid a new coronavirus outbreak and …
New Jersey Department of Health identifies Omicron ‘stealth variant’ but should you worry?
TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey Department of Health this week reported cases of a COVID-19 omicron stealth variant but right now, the science and …
Prior COVID offers less protection vs Omicron; mRNA booster shot efficacy declines within months
By Nancy Lapid – The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the …
Gilead says COVID drug remdesivir shows antiviral activity against Omicron, other variants
– Gilead Sciences Inc’s drug, remdesivir, showed antiviral activity against Omicron, Delta and other variants of the coronavirus in laboratory studies, the company said on …
COVID cases surpass 400 million as Omicron grips world
By Roshan Abraham and Kavya B – Global COVID-19 cases surpassed 400 million on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, as the highly contagious Omicron …
Lyft’s weak rider numbers, Omicron hit outweigh first full-year profit
By Tina Bellon and Nivedita Balu -Lyft Inc’s first full-year adjusted profit and a spike in pricey airport trips were overshadowed by a drop in …
Chipotle profits beat expectations despite higher costs, Omicron
By Praveen Paramasivam and Hilary Russ – Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc beat Wall Street estimates for quarterly profits and comparable sales on Tuesday as higher …
New Jersey, California among states moving to ease mask mandates as Omicron ebbs
By Rami Ayyub -Officials in New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, California and Oregon said on Monday they will lift indoor mask mandates for schools and other …
Australia businesses suffer Omicron blues in Jan – survey
By Wayne Cole SYDNEY – A measure of Australian business conditions took a turn for the worse in January as a surge in coronavirus cases …
Some 50 Iranian MPs test positive for COVID as Omicron rages – lawmaker
– Some 50 members of Iran’s 290-seat parliament have contracted COVID-19, a senior MP said on Saturday as the Omicron variant spreads unabated across the …
Canada sheds more than 200,000 jobs in January as Omicron bites
By Julie Gordon and Ismail Shakil – The Canadian economy lost more jobs than expected in January, posting its first decline since May 2021 as …
Jobs Report Beats Expectations Despite Surging Omicron Cases
The U.S. economy recorded an increase of 467,000 jobs in January while unemployment increased to 4.0%, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced Friday. …
Omicron sub-variant BA.2 harder to identify, found in 5 African nations -WHO
JOHANNESBURG -The BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron has been found in five African countries, a World Health Organization scientist said on Thursday, adding she was concerned …
Euro zone business growth lost more momentum in Jan as Omicron hit demand
LONDON – Euro zone economic growth lost more momentum in January as the bloc’s dominant services industry suffered from subdued demand amid tighter restrictions to …
Opel to hire temporary workers at German plant amid Omicron absences – Wirtschaftswoche
BERLIN – Opel plans on hiring several hundred temporary workers to help deliver its new Astra model, a spokesperson told German paper Wirtschaftswoche on Thursday, …
Omicron Slammed Labor Market With Private Payrolls Falling 301,000 In January
Private firms’ payroll unexpectedly decreased by 301,000 in January as the Omicron coronavirus variant slowed down the recovering labor market, according to the ADP National …
Omicron infections slowing where variant first hit, says regional agency
BRASILIA -COVID-19 infections and deaths in the Americas are still increasing, but the rise in infections seems to be slowing down in places hit earliest …
Canadian factory activity grows at slower pace as Omicron weighs
TORONTO – Canadian manufacturing activity expanded at the joint-slowest pace in 11 months in January as material shortages and disruptions from the Omicron coronavirus variant …