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Added on the 30/11/2021 09:24:11 - Copyright : Euronews EN
Michael Osterholm is the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. And according to HuffPost, he has a grim prognostication for the next six to 12 weeks, saying they're going to be 'the darkest of the entire pandemic.' HuffPost says Osterholm points to the daily tally of 70,000 new COVID-19 cases in the US on Friday, which is the highest level since July. He said that between now and the holidays, the number of COVID-19 cases in the US will likely 'blow right through that.' Speaking on NBC's 'Meet the Press' on Sunday, Osterholm said he was troubled by the US's lack of a leading voice to guide the public. Vaccines will not become available in any meaningful way until early to the third quarter of next year. And even then, about half of the U.S. population at this point is skeptical of even taking the vaccine. Michel Osterholm Director, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, University of Minnesota
People wait in line in front of St Thomas's Hospital vaccination centre in London the day after Britain recorded 78,610 coronavirus cases, the highest daily total since the coronavirus pandemic began. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pleaded with all Britons to get booster jabs in the face of the spiralling infections. IMAGES
Head of Vaccine Strategy at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) Marco Cavaleri says it is "safe and effective" to issue booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines as soon as three months after the initial course, down from previous guidance of six months. SOUNDBITE
Özlem Türeci, BionTech's Chief Medical Officer says that the coronavirus vaccine developed jointly by BioNTech and Pfizer neutralises the Omicron variant of the virus after three doses. A laboratory study by its makers found "three doses of our vaccine neutralise the Omicron variant", but warned that "two doses show significantly reduce neutralization of this new variant.". SOUNDBITE
People queue in their cars to get vaccinated against Covid-19 at a drive-thu vaccination centre in Cape Town. Dozens of nations from Europe to Asia have imposed travel restrictions on South Africa and its neighbours since its scientists flagged Omicron last week. IMAGES
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen says the world is in a "race against time" to understand the new Covid variant, calling for precautions to give scientists time to analyse the Omicron strain. She speaks during a visit to Latvia with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg IMAGES