Health & Science

Monday, November 29th 2021 - 15:06 UTC
WHO recommendations on how to address Omicron, “a variant of concern”

Last Friday WHO designated variant B.1.1.529 a variant of concern, named Omicron, on the advice of WHO's Technical Advisory Group (TAG-VE). This decision was based on the evidence presented to the TAG-VE that Omicron has several mutations that may have an impact on how it behaves, for example, on how easily it spreads or the severity of illness it causes.
Monday, November 29th 2021 - 09:50 UTC
Argentine Health Pass coming up, mandatory vaccination not compulsory “for now”

Argentina's Health Minister Carla Vizzotti has admitted a Health Pass was coming up effective Dec. 1 as new strains of the coronavirus were being detected in other continents. The new pass would be mandatory for higher risk activities, events involving large crowds and indoor gatherings for people aged 13 and over.
Monday, November 29th 2021 - 09:15 UTC
Omicron: UK enforces strict measures including compulsory face covering

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed new temporary and precautionary measures following the emergence of the Omicron variant in the United Kingdom. The Omicron variant contains a large number of spike protein mutations as well as mutations in other parts of the viral genome.
Monday, November 29th 2021 - 09:07 UTC
UK calls for emergency G7 meeting over Omicron

The Government of the United Kingdom Sunday announced it would convene an “emergency meeting” to address the coronavirus Omicron variant and the new health map resulting from it.
Monday, November 29th 2021 - 08:59 UTC
Ramaphosa against travel bans on South Africa

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has called the entire world Sunday to lift the unjustifiable travel bans imposed on his country after the detection of the Omicron strain of the coronavirus because those restrictions “will do more harm than good.”
Saturday, November 27th 2021 - 21:54 UTC
Brazil closes borders on six African countries due to Omicron variant

The Government of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Friday decided to shut down the international borders to travelers from six African countries where the new coronavirus Omicron variant of concern has been detected.
Saturday, November 27th 2021 - 21:51 UTC
Argentina to launch green pass for mass events

Argentina's Health Minister Carla Vizzotti Friday announced during a press conference that the country was eyein a green pass of its own as cases of coronavirus have been reported to be growing over the past few weeks.
Saturday, November 27th 2021 - 12:11 UTC
Departure of Antarctic cruise from Ushuaia delayed because of Covid 19 among the crew

Covid 19 emergency in Ushuaia delays the departure of Quark Expeditions state of the art cruise vessel Ultramarine to Antarctica. According to reports from the capital of Tierra del Fuego, abiding by sanitary protocols, the 173 crew members of the vessel were on board PCR tested, with four of them turning out positive.
Saturday, November 27th 2021 - 11:46 UTC
WHO confirms Omicron (B.1.1.529) as a SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern

The Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) is an independent group of experts that periodically monitors and evaluates the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and assesses if specific mutations and combinations of mutations alter the behavior of the virus. The TAG-VE was convened on 26 November 2021 to assess the SARS-CoV-2 variant: B.1.1.529.
Friday, November 26th 2021 - 09:56 UTC
Falkland Islands' Tourism awarded the Safe Travels from WTTC

As the tourism industry rebuilds following the COVID-19 pandemic, very high standards of health and hygiene are expected to be adopted by all tourism businesses around the world.