UK exceeds 100,000 daily Covid-19 cases amid Pfizer’s breakthrough

Published

3 years ago

December 23, 2021

Brittany Coles

The first oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19 has been approved amid new research that shows the new Omicron strain appears to be milder, with fewer people requiring hospitalisation

Is this a break-through?

The US Food and Drug Administration has authorised the first oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19

This is the first oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19… so an alternative to vaccines in fact

it’s the first treatment of its kind

Made by Pfizer, its designed for ill people to take at home before they get sick enough to be hospitalised.

Dubbed PAX-LOVID it combines a new antiviral drug named and an older one.

Pfizer has recently released results that show the pill cuts the risk of hospitalisation or death by 89 percent when given to high-risk individuals within a few days of their first symptoms.

US President Joe Biden has previously labeled the treatment a “potentially powerful tool in the fight against the virus… including the Omicron variant”.

Will this be key for the omicron variant?

The new Omicron strain appears to be milder… with fewer people requiring hospitalisation

Early evidence suggests it may be a 30 to 70 percent reduction when compared to other variants, like Delta.

But despite this, experts remain concerned the sheer number of Omicron cases may overwhelm hospitals.

The study in Scotland has been tracking coronavirus, as well as the number of people ending up in hospital.

It says that if Omicron was as deadly as Delta, there would be around 47 people in hospital… but they currently have 15 patients.

More than 100-thousand cases have been reported in the UK in a 24 hour period for the first time

UK PM Boris Johnson used a video message to reassure Britts that they can go ahead with their Christmas plans

He has confirmed there will be no further restrictions imposed over the holiday period… His message was loud and clear.

I wanted to confirm that people can go ahead with their Christmas plans.

But we’re keeping a constant eye on the data and can’t rule out any further measures after Christmas.

Please continue to be cautious, follow the guidance and Get Boosted Now: https://t.co/VKGvuQ4lzq pic.twitter.com/506RPwP94h
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) December 21, 2021

Wednesday’s daily reported cases figure is the highest since mass testing began in May and June last year.

The PM did not rule out the possibility of enforcing new measures once the holiday season is over.

So although Brits can go ahead with their Christmas plans, he is also urging everyone to exercise caution

China encircles Taiwan with military drills, sparking global concern

Published

11 hours ago

October 14, 2024

ticker NEWS

Beijing’s latest show of force sends a stern warning to Taiwan, as the US urges restraint amid escalating tensions.

China deployed planes and ships to encircle Taiwan on Monday in military drills that Beijing described as a “stern warning” to what it called “separatist” forces on the island.

The exercises, dubbed Joint Sword-2024B, mark China’s fourth large-scale war game targeting Taiwan in the past two years.

Beijing, which has not ruled out using force to bring Taiwan under its control, conducted these drills in the north, south, and east of Taiwan, focusing on sea-air combat readiness and blockading key ports.

Practicing an assault

The Chinese military’s Eastern Theater Command said the drills also included practicing an assault on maritime and ground targets, with China’s coast guard conducting “inspections” around the island.

Taiwan condemned the exercises as “irrational and provocative,” deploying its own forces in response. The Taiwanese defence ministry stated it is fully prepared to counter any threat to its sovereignty.

The United States criticised China’s actions as “unwarranted” and warned of the risk of escalation, calling on Beijing to act with restraint. Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, who has taken a firmer stance on Taiwan’s sovereignty than his predecessor, convened a high-level security meeting to address the drills, describing them as inconsistent with international law.

Tensions between China and Taiwan continue to rise, with China ramping up its military activity around the island in recent years.

News

Europe’s crossroads: confronting electoral upheaval and rising global tensions

Published

12 hours ago

October 14, 2024

Nathan Langridge, Reuters

Experts discuss the EU’s challenges and opportunities ahead

Euro Bloch is a comprehensive program designed to highlight the breadth of topics and issues within the EU political landscape. It offers insightful analysis within the evolving framework of relations between the European Union and Australia/Asia-Pacific region.

Hosted by Ticker EU correspondent, Natanael Bloch.

In this episode, Natanael interviews Professor Bruno Mascitelli about the future of the European Union following the June elections. With Ursula von der Leyen re-elected as President of the European Commission, Mascitelli discusses the challenges she may face in her second term and the growing influence of far-right and populist parties in the EU Parliament.

As Hungary takes over the Presidency of the Council of the EU, concerns about its impact arise. The episode also considers the EU’s potential diplomatic role amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and identifies crucial policy areas where the EU must strengthen its stance to compete globally.