Of the Omicron coronavirus variant, health officials have announced. Getty Images Copyright: Getty Images Austrian hospitality settings, including Christmas markets, re-opened just 10 days ago after a three week lockdown in November Image caption: Austrian hospitality settings, including Christmas markets, re-opened just 10 days ago after a three week lockdown in NovemberĪustria has announced pans to re-introduce coronavirus restrictions after Christmas, including a 10pm closing time for hospitality venues, in a bid to slow the spread To their homes in a strict lockdown ahead of the Winter Olympics More than 13 million residents in the Chinese city of Xi'an Its hospital bed capacity for Covid cases as the number of peopleĬritically ill with the virus reaches a record high Its order for Merck & Co's Covid-19 antiviral drug following the Severe disease may be lower than with earlier strains of the coronavirusįrance announces publicly that it has cancelled Little time for distribution around the countryĪssessment of the Omicron variant in South Africa suggests the risk of International donors delivered the vials just before their expiry date, sparing More than one million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, saying The UK has signed deals to buy a further 4.25 million courses ofīe closed from 27 December as the nation brings in fresh restrictions toĬoronavirus restrictions on Boxing Day, including 2m socialĭistancing in public places and groups of six in pubs and restaurants, cinemas Vulnerable primary school children in the UK should be offered a low-dose CovidĬovid self-isolation will be cut from 10 daysĭown to seven in England after negative lateral flow results on We’ll be ending our live coverage for today shortly but,īefore we go, here’s a reminder of today’s main coronavirus updates from theĭaily Covid cases in the UK exceed 100,000 for the first time,Īccording to the latest government figures