The Prague Post

England lifts Omicron restrictions

England on Thursday lifted coronavirus restrictions imposed to tackle the Omicron variant, with masks no longer required in enclosed places and vaccine passports shelved.

Moderna begins trial of Omicron-specific vaccine booster

US biotech company Moderna announced on Wednesday that it has begun clinical trials of a booster dose of vaccine designed specifically to combat the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Spotify removing Neil Young's music after rocker's Rogan ultimatum

Neil Young made good on his vow to have his music removed from Spotify after demanding the streaming service choose between him and Joe Rogan, the controversial podcaster accused of spreading disinformation.

UK's Johnson defiant as 'partygate' report looms

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday defended his government's record and vowed to fight on as he braced for a potentially damning report into lockdown-breaching parties.

Abbas rival delivers one million vaccine doses to Gaza

One million doses of coronavirus vaccine arrived in Gaza from the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, the latest donation facilitated by an exiled rival of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.

Djokovic to play in Dubai after vaccine controversy: reports

Unvaccinated world number one Novak Djokovic has signed up to play at next month's ATP Dubai tennis tournament, reports said on Wednesday, after his deportation from Australia prevented a tilt at a record 21st Grand Slam title.

Germany cuts 2022 GDP growth forecast on virus woes

The German government on Wednesday lowered its economic growth forecast for 2022 as an Omicron-fuelled surge in coronavirus cases holds back Europe's industrial powerhouse.

China shrugs off IMF warnings on zero-tolerance Covid approach

Beijing shrugged off IMF warnings about the economic impact of its aggressive anti-Covid policy, saying on Wednesday that China has achieved "significant results" and is a key driver of global growth.

Chinese trauma doctors perfect ski skills for Olympics

Undeterred by the heavy medical bags on their backs, a group of Chinese doctors zipped down a steep ski slope, part of a crack medical team tasked with racing to any injured athletes during the Winter Olympics.

At up to $8,000/week, America's travel nurses keep Covid-slammed hospitals afloat

For Allyssa Findorff, the decision to hit the road on short-term nursing contracts was an easy one: she'd always wanted to see the rest of America, and the attractive rates on offer helped seal the deal.

UK's Johnson promises cooperation with police probing 'partygate'

The threat to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's position deepened on Tuesday, as police said they were investigating lockdown-breaking parties at his Downing Street office and government departments.

IMF slashes global growth outlook amid Omicron hit

The Omicron variant of Covid-19 is creating an obstacle course for the global economy, which will slow growth this year, notably in the world's two largest economies, the IMF said Tuesday.

IMF warns of possible market correction as interest rates rise

Global equity markets that have see-sawed in recent weeks but show signs of "overvaluation" are at risk of a sharp correction as major central banks raise interest rates, a top IMF official said Tuesday.

Neil Young demands Spotify remove his music over Joe Rogan 'disinformation'

Neil Young demanded in an open letter to Spotify to remove his music from the platform he said is spreading vaccine disinformation via the popular podcaster Joe Rogan.

UK PM promises cooperation with police 'partygate' probe

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday vowed to cooperate with police in any formal probe into coronavirus lockdown-breaking parties at Downing Street, which has deepened the threat to his position.

Pfizer-BioNTech begin Omicron vaccine trial

Pfizer and BioNTech have begun enrollment for a clinical trial to test the safety and immune response of their Omicron-specific Covid-19 vaccine in adults aged up to 55, the companies said in a statement Tuesday.

Beijing tests 2 million for Covid as Winter Olympics loom

Beijing city officials on Sunday said all two million residents of a neighbourhood where they identified a small cluster of Covid-19 infections will be tested, less than two weeks ahead of the start of the Winter Olympics.

How vaccine misinformation left children vulnerable to Omicron

The Covid-19 pandemic took a deadly toll on adults in the United States for two years while largely sparing children from the dire statistics.

Rio, Sao Paulo postpone carnival parades due to pandemic

Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are postponing the glittering parades that are the highlight of carnival festivities due to a surge in the pandemic, the Brazilian cities said Friday.

Covid-19 vaccines showed high efficacy against severe Omicron: US data

Covid-19 vaccines and boosters continued to have very high efficacy against severe outcomes during the Omicron wave of the virus, a large real-world study from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed Friday.

'The last wave?' Spain ICU staff exhausted by Covid battle

Seemingly milder for some but still highly contagious, Omicron has filled intensive care beds again at a hospital near Barcelona where shattered staff are still fighting a virus that refuses to retreat.

UN religion envoy to join China's Winter Olympic torch relay

China on Friday said the UN's religious freedom envoy will take part in the Winter Olympics torch relay, which organisers announced would be closed to the public because of coronavirus fears.

Soaring Covid self-test kit sales fuel India underreporting fears

Booming sales of home self-test kits for Covid are prompting Indian authorities to tighten the rules around their sale and fuelling long-held fears of underreporting as cases surge.

Glimmers of hope, but Doomsday Clock stuck at 100 seconds to midnight

The "Doomsday Clock," representing the judgment of leading science and security experts about perils to human existence, remains at 100 seconds to midnight this year, with advances like Covid-19 vaccines balanced by rising misinformation and other threats.

Tearful Adele pulls plug on Las Vegas show

A tearful Adele postponed her Las Vegas residency Thursday, a day before it was due to begin.

CIA sees no foreign effort behind 'Havana syndrome' cases

The CIA has concluded that no foreign government is likely behind hundreds of mysterious "Havana syndrome" afflictions reported by US diplomats and that nearly all have more conventional medical or environmental explanations, a senior official said Thursday.

World Sevens events in LA, Vancouver rescheduled

Upcoming World Sevens Series tournaments in Vancouver and Los Angeles have been rescheduled due to Covid-19 concerns, organisers said Thursday.

Nine evacuated as Covid-19 hits Antarctic research base

For the first time since the start of the pandemic the coronavirus has reached an Argentine research base in Antarctica, causing the evacuation of nine unvaccinated staff who tested positive for Covid-19, an official said Thursday.

Austria makes Covid vaccination mandatory in EU first

Austria's parliament on Thursday approved making Covid-19 vaccinations mandatory for adults from next month, becoming the first European country to do so despite a wave of protests opposing the measure.

In Lima, infirm get Covid jabs at home as Peru's cases surge

As night falls over a dusty neighborhood in Lima, a team of health workers hustle from home to home to vaccinate the old and infirm as a third coronavirus wave sweeps over Peru, the world's hardest-hit country per capita.

Austria parliament approves mandatory Covid vaccination