Apple Delays Office Return; Germany Rations Shots: Virus Update

(Bloomberg) -- The U.K. reported the most new daily coronavirus cases since the pandemic began as the omicron variant spreads. England expects hospitalizations to surge over the holiday period. 

Apple Inc. is delaying its return to office to a “date yet to be determined.”

Germany is rationing vaccines amid a surprise shortage of shots. A European official said omicron will likely be the dominant strain there by mid-January.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken scrapped the rest of his tour of Southeast Asia after a member of the press traveling with him tested positive. Princeton University moved final exams online after the school saw an increase in cases among undergraduates during the last 24 hours, including suspected cases of omicron.

• Virus Tracker: Cases pass 271.6 million; deaths top 5.3 million
• Vaccine Tracker: More than 8.53 billion shots given
• Unvaccinated patients push hospitals past the brink
• Will omicron oust delta is a question facing virus scientists
• Dimon’s disdain of Zoom falters as health conference goes online
• What we know about omicron, the new virus variant: QuickTake

Apple Delays Return to Office (5 p.m. NY)

Apple Inc. is delaying its return to the office indefinitely, a response to a resurgence in Covid-19 cases. 

The company’s corporate employees will return to offices at a “date yet to be determined,” according to a memo sent by Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook on Wednesday. The date had been set for Feb. 1.

Ghana’s Vaccination Target (4:30 p.m. NY)

Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo has called for the country’s citizens to take advantage of an inflow of Covid-19 vaccines and help avoid a new wave of infections.

“Getting the jab is the best route out of the pandemic,” Akufo-Addo said in a video message posted on his Facebook page late Wednesday. “It is for this reason that we have committed ourselves to vaccinating 20 million Ghanaians -- that is the entire adult population -- by the end of the year.”

U.S. Health Spending Tops $4.1 Trillion (4 p.m. NY)

National health expenditures jumped in 2020 by the most since 2002 even as many Americans deferred addressing their own medical needs during the pandemic, according to actuaries at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services who tally spending by government, businesses and households each year.

The U.S. government’s response to Covid-19 pushed up the country’s total health spending to $4.1 trillion last year, a 9.7% increase that was the biggest in almost two decades.

Germany Rations Shots (4 p.m. NY)

Germany is rationing Covid-19 vaccines through the rest of the year as the country seeks to implement a widespread booster campaign amid a surprise shortage of shots.

The country has about 3 million doses of the BioNTech SE vaccine and is allotting them for the next three weeks, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said late Wednesday on ZDF television. The country has about 10 million Moderna Inc. shots, which is likely sufficient to cover demand, he said. 

Canadians Advised to Avoid Travel (3:20 p.m. NY)

Justin Trudeau’s government is asking Canadians to avoid non-essential travel over the next month, as the spread of the omicron Covid-19 variant accelerates across the country.

“Our government is officially advising Canadians to avoid non-essential travel outside Canada,” federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said in a news briefing. “To those who are planning to travel, I say very clearly: Now is not the time to travel.”

The advisory will be in place for four weeks, meaning Canadians planning to celebrate Christmas outside the country will need to reconsider. The government is concerned about what could happen to citizens who choose to travel right now, Duclos said.

Met Opera to Mandate Boosters: NYT (2:25 p.m. NY)

The Metropolitan Opera said it would require all eligible adult employees and audience members to get Covid booster shots in order to enter the opera house, making its safety measures stricter than those on Broadway or at other venues, the New York Times reported.

Santander Requires Face Masks Again (1:10 p.m. NY)

Banco Santander SA is again requiring employees to wear face masks at all times while working on its premises in Spain. The country’s biggest lender has also advised employees not to organize Christmas lunches and dinners indoors, according to a bank spokesperson. 

Greece Requires Tests for Visitors (11:55 a.m. NY)

Greece will require all visitors traveling to the country, including those from fellow European Union countries, to present a PCR test taken within 48 hours of arrival, the country’s health ministry said Wednesday. The decision is part of the government’s efforts to control the Covid pandemic amid worries about the new omicron variant, the ministry said. The requirement enters into effect at 6 a.m. local time on Dec. 19 with the only exception of travellers who remained in other country for less than 48 hours.

Omicron May Be 13% of N.Y.-N.J. Cases (11:52 am. NY)

The omicron variant could represent 13% of New York and New Jersey coronavirus cases, says Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention.

Fauci Says Boosters Curb Omicron (11:52 a.m. NY)

Existing vaccine booster shots appear to protect against the omicron variant, and as of now there’s no need to develop specialized shots to guard against it, U.S. health officials say.

Anthony Fauci, who serves as a medical adviser to President Joe Biden, said on a briefing Wednesday that studies so far show strong antibody responses from existing boosters, though protections against omicron are weaker with just two doses.

U.K. Reports Record Number of New Cases (11:10 a.m. NY)

The U.K. reported 78,610 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, the most since the beginning of the pandemic, underlining the high transmissibility of the omicron variant.  

The previous record high of 68,053 came on Jan. 8, days after the U.K. entered a lockdown as it faced a wave of infections driven by the alpha variant. 

Scientific advisers warn that hospitalizations will rise as a result of what Prime Minister Boris Johnson called a “tidal wave” of omicron infections.

NYC to Fine Businesses for Defying Mandate (11:05 a.m. NY)

New York City will fine businesses $1,000 if they don’t comply with a Covid-19 vaccine mandate that starts on Dec. 27.

The city will also apply escalating penalties thereafter if violations persist, the city said in guidelines released Wednesday on how it will enforce the requirement, which covers roughly 184,000 private businesses with operations in the city.

NFL Quarterback Mayfield Tests Positive: AP (10:35 a.m. NY).

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield tested positive for Covid-19 and will likely miss Saturday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders as the team deals with a widespread virus outbreak, a person familiar with the situation told the Associated Press. The National Football League as well as the National Basketball Association are facing a surge in coronavirus cases.

Maryland Braces for Hospital Surge (10:30 a.m. NY)

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan ordered hospitals in the state to prepare for a further surge in admissions because of the convergence of the delta and omicron variants.

Portugal Reports Most Cases Since February (9:33 a.m. NY)

Portugal reported 5,800 new coronavirus infections on Wednesday, the most since February. The number of patients in intensive-care units stands at 150. 

The figures compare with the daily record of more than 16,000 cases reported at the end of January, when the country faced one of the world’s worst outbreaks. At that time, about 900 patients were in ICUs.

Blinken Cuts Short Asia Trip (8:46 a.m. NY)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken scrapped the rest of his tour of Southeast Asia and will return to Washington after a member of the press traveling with him tested positive, State Department spokesman Ned Price said. 

Blinken will skip planned visits to Thailand, where he was to meet Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, and to Hawaii, where he was scheduled to meet with U.S. Indo-Pacific forces. Blinken and other senior staff have tested negative for Covid, Price said.

Princeton, Cornell Move Finals Online (7:46 a.m. NY)

Princeton University moved final exams online after the school saw an increase in cases among undergraduates during the last 24 hours, including suspected cases of the omicron variant.

The move follows Cornell University’s decision on Tuesday to put finals online, cancel activities involving undergraduates and shut libraries after the school in Ithaca, New York, found evidence of the variant in a “significant number” of student samples.

English Soccer Fans Must Prove Covid Status (7:08 a.m. NY)

Soccer fans in England will have to provide proof of their vaccination status or of a negative test when arriving at stadiums starting Wednesday, or risk having to watch matches on television instead.

The move is in line with new rules introduced by the U.K. government to get the country through the omicron crisis, which also expand the use of face coverings, along with an accelerated vaccine booster program. 

Omicron Infects Faster, Is Less Severe: Study (6:46 a.m. NY)

The omicron variant infects around 70 times faster than delta and the original Covid-19 strain, though the severity of illness is likely to be much lower, according to a University of Hong Kong study that adds weight to the early on-ground observations from South African doctors.

France Sees Rise in ICU Patients (6:44 a.m. NY)

The French government expects to see 4,000 Covid-related patients in ICUs around the holidays, government spokesman Gabriel Attal told reporters. That compares with about 2,800 currently. France has reported about 50,000 new daily coronavirus cases on average in the past week, up 11%, he said. 

Even with early studies suggesting that vaccines are less effective against the omicron variant, “the vaccine remains our trump card,” Attal said. New border restrictions and measures around vaccinations could be unveiled in coming days.

EU Recommends J&J Booster (6:08 a.m. NY)

European Union health regulators recommended giving a booster dose of J&J’s vaccine to people 18 and above at least two months after the initial dose. The shot can also be used as a follow-up to two doses of the Moderna Inc. or Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE vaccines. The decision could allow European countries to speed up their booster drives. 

Singapore Air Passenger Count Jumps (6:57 p.m. HK)

Singapore Airlines carried 272,700 passengers in November, up from 165,500 the month before, as the city-state added more destinations to its list of quarantine-free vaccinated travel lanes.

Moderna to Begin Africa Vaccine Trial (6:18 p.m. HK)

Moderna will start a trial of its Covid vaccine across eight African countries to determine its efficacy in people who are HIV positive. The study, which will include about 14,000 volunteers, will also evaluate its effectiveness against the omicron variant. 

Person Traveling With Blinken Tests Positive (5:52 p.m. HK)

A person traveling alongside U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on his tour of Southeast Asia tested positive for Covid, the U.S. embassy in Malaysia said. The person didn’t participate in Blinken’s events today in Kuala Lumpur. All others in the traveling party tested negative when they arrived in Malaysia from Indonesia. 

Israel to Start Fourth-Jab Trial (5:50 p.m. HK)

Israel’s Sheba Medical Center will begin to vaccinate 100 volunteers from its medical staff with a fourth jab of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine early next week. Data from the study will be shared with Israel’s Health Ministry to help the government decide on approving a fourth dose for wider use.

Omicron Seen Dominant in EU by Mid-January (5:17 p.m. HK)

The omicron variant will likely be dominant in Europe by mid-January, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, adding that the case numbers appear to be doubling every two or three days.

Von der Leyen said that the current wave in Europe is still being driven by the delta variant, but it’s important to roll out more vaccinations and boosters to fight the new strain. She noted that Europe can now produce 300 million vaccine doses per month.

“We’re going to do everything possible to ensure that vaccination skepticism is overcome because the price that we’ll pay if people are not vaccinated continues to increase,” she told the European Parliament.

H.K.-China No-Quarantine Travel (4:05 p.m. HK)

Hong Kong will announce a quarantine-free travel plan with China as soon as Friday, local media outlet HK01 reported, citing politician Michael Tien. The daily quota will be around 3,000 people a day, more than the previously expected 1,000 people, the report added, citing Tien.

Poland Deaths at Highest Since April (3:57 p.m. HK)

Poland registered more than 660 Covid-19 deaths in last 24 hours, 17% more than a week ago and the highest daily toll in the current wave of the pandemic. The ruling party is avoiding strict restrictions, and the government is uncertain whether a plan to allow employers to ask workers for Covid tests will get backing in parliament.

Sinovac Shot Gives Little Omicron Shield (3:50 p.m. HK)

The vaccine made by Sinovac Biotech Ltd., one of the most widely used in the world, doesn’t provide sufficient antibodies in two doses to neutralize the omicron variant and boosters will likely be needed to improve protection, initial lab findings showed. 

While the first two studies to be released on the Chinese shot and omicron diverged on how much the vaccine’s immune response is degraded, they both indicated the standard two-dose course would not be enough. 

Germany Reveals Vaccine Shortage (2:47 p.m. HK)

Germany’s new health minister, Karl Lauterbach, said he’s in direct contact with manufacturers of vaccines to increase deliveries after an inventory revealed a shortage in supplies. The country may be lacking as many as 60 million doses, Business Insider reported, citing health ministry calculations.

The pace of vaccinations has picked up in recent weeks, with the focus shifting to boosters. Germany’s vaccine campaign has been less successful than in other developed nations, with just 69.8% of the population fully inoculated. 

Sanofi, Glaxo Results Delayed (2:43 p.m. HK)

Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline, the pharma giants that stumbled in the race to develop a vaccine, said their experimental shot works as a booster but suffered yet another delay with the main clinical trial results.

The candidate raised the antibody levels of people who’d already received other Covid shots such as Pfizer Inc.’s and AstraZeneca Plc’s, the drugmakers said in a statement Wednesday. Yet crucial study results for the underlying vaccine were delayed to the first quarter. 

Philippines Finds First Omicron Cases (1:40 p.m. HK)

The Philippines detected its first cases of the omicron variant, though the country is retaining its lenient restrictions on movement during the Christmas holidays.

The Department of Health detected omicron in a returning Filipino from Japan and a Nigerian national. They are isolating and their close contacts are being tracked. The entire nation will be placed under Alert Level 2 from Dec. 16 to Dec. 31, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said in a televised briefing.

BofA’s Quarantine Compensation (11:25 a.m. HK)

Bank of America Corp. followed U.S. rivals by rolling out compensation plans for Hong Kong staff burdened by mandatory hotel quarantine costs, helping its employees navigate the city’s strict zero-Covid policy.

The U.S. bank joins JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Morgan Stanley in rolling out compensation plans for Hong Kong staff. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. is reimbursing employees across Asia-Pacific. A stay at Hong Kong’s designated quarantine hotel can cost between HK$500 ($64) to HK$3,630 a night for a non-suite room.

Google’s Reported Vaccine Threat (10:49 a.m. HK)

Google has threatened to reduce pay or even fire staff who fail to comply with internal policies on vaccinations, CNBC reported, citing internal documents.

The Alphabet Inc. unit warned employees they had till Dec. 3 to declare and prove their vaccination status, or apply for exemptions. Those who hadn’t complied by Jan. 18 will be placed on “paid administrative leave” for 30 days, CNBC said. They could then be put on unpaid leave for up to six months, before finally getting dismissed, it added.

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