Omicron especially dangerous for unvaccinated, says WHO

The United States reported at least 1.13 million new coronavirus infections on Monday, according to a Reuters tally, the highest daily total of any country in the world as the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant showed no signs of slowing.

Amid a surge in Covid cases across the country and around 400 Parliament staff members testing positive for the infection, the Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday asked officials to chalk out measures for the upcoming Budget session.Naidu and Birla directed the secretaries general of both the Houses to examine in detail the prevailing scenario of the Covid pandemic and come up with proper measures, sources said. Usually, the budget session begins at the end of January and so preparations have to be made well in advance, they added.

The Rajasthan government on Monday capped the rate of Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) for COVID-19 detection in private labs at Rs 50 included of all taxes.Principal Secretary to the government Vaibhav Galaria informed that the rate has been fixed to provide easy and accessible test facilities to the general public at low prices.This rate has been fixed as per the proposal of the committee constituted by Sawai Man Singh Medical College, Galaria said. He said that the prescribed rates will be applicable with immediate effect.

An estimated 5.6% of the establishments across nine sectors had vacancies which totalled 4.3 lakh, according to the quarterly employment survey, reports Swati Mathur. About 65.8% of such vacancies were not due to retirement or resignation of the employees.

Amid a steep rise in Covid-19 cases across the country, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Monday issued a new advisory waiving off testing requirements for many categories including contacts of confirmed Covid-19 cases unless identified as “high-risk” based on age or comorbidities. Besides, it also exempted asymptomatic patients undergoing surgical or non surgical invasive procedures including pregnant women hospitalised for delivery, unless warranted or symptoms develop.

For the first time in 14 days, daily cases of Covid-19 in India decreased on Monday due to lower testing and detections over the weekend but deaths from the virus continued to creep up. India had recorded 1,66,497 fresh cases of the coronavirus on Monday, with data from Tripura yet to be made available till close to midnight. Monday’s cases are expected to be 7.5% lower than the previous day’s tally of 1,80,078, as per TOI’s Covid database. These results came out of a 14% fall in testing on Sunday as compared with the preceding day.

The rollout of the ‘precaution dose’ (booster) of Covid vaccine on Monday received a modest response on the first day with more than 10.5 lakh people getting their third shot till 10pm. This included around 7.4 lakh health and frontline workers, and around 3.2 lakh elderly above 60 years of age.

Leading Covid-19 task force members and health experts treating coronavirus patients across the country said on Monday that the Covid antiviral drug molnupiravir is reducing hospitalisation by 30-50 %, as well as the severity of the disease.

From delayed ambulances to police shortages, Canadian public agencies hit hard by COVID-19 worker absences have cut back on service, rearranged staff or warned the public that emergency responses may be disrupted.

All sports complexes, stadiums & swimming pools will remain closed. Bars & restaurants will be allowed to operate with 50% seating capacity