Covid-19 has infected more than 323M people and killed over 5.5M worldwide. Here are some of the latest coronavirus-related developments:
Google mandates tests for entering its US offices
Alphabet Inc’s Google is temporarily mandating weekly Covid-19 tests for any person entering Google offices or facilities in the United States, the tech giant said.
“To help prevent the further spread of Covid-19 during this period of heightened risk, we’re implementing new temporary health and safety measures for anyone accessing our sites in the US,” a Google spokesperson said.
Google provides free at-home and in-person testing options to its employees, their dependants and household members.
Dutch to ease restrictions but bars will remain shut
The Netherlands will relax some of the toughest Covid restrictions in Europe after hospitalisations dropped despite a surge in Omicron variant cases, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said.
Shops, gyms, hairdressers, sports clubs will be allowed to do business until 5 pm daily from Saturday, nearly a month after they were shut down over the Christmas and New Year period.
But bars, restaurants, cafes and cultural locations will however remain closed until at least January 25, Rutte told the first press conference since a new government was sworn in earlier this week.
Brazil vaccinating children despite president’s objection
Brazil began vaccinating children aged five to 11 against Covid-19 after the move was approved, despite objections from President Jair Bolsonaro.
Davi Seremramiwe Xavante, an Indigenous eight-year-old boy, was the first child to be vaccinated during an official ceremony at a Sao Paulo hospital, with the state governor Joao Doria in attendance.
The first Covid vaccine dose administered in Brazil was also in Sao Paulo, in January 2021.
The new age group was approved for vaccination by Anvisa health authorities a month ago.
More than 20 million children are eligible for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, as long as they have parental consent.
Source: TRTWorld and agencies
Google mandates tests for entering its US offices – latest updates
Source: Pinay Pop Showbiz
