Morning news brief: WHO warning about Omicron, Kazakhstan's state of emergency and more
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Good morning! Start your day with WION's daily news brief
Here are some of the top stories to start off your day: Read about WHO's warning regarding the "milder" Omicron variant, what a top UK scientist who helped create Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine has to say about booster shots and their feasibility. Additionally, find out the latest CDC Covid guidelines and the scientific rationale behind them as per the agency.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the rise in Omicron cases-which has quickly become the dominant variant-could pave the way for a new, more dangerous variant.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explained the scientific reasoning behind shortening the isolation and quarantine guidelines for COVID-19, which apply to children as well. In the guidance released on Dec. 27, isolate restrictions were reduced for people with COVID-19 from 10 to five days if they do not have symptoms or a fever.
Kazakhstan's president declared states of emergency in Almaty and an oil-rich part of the country as protests over a regional price increase of energy swept the country. Since late Tuesday, Almaty, Kazakhstan's financial capital, has been in chaos after police fired tear gas and stun grenades to quell protests over a spike in LPG prices.
A top UK scientist who helped develop the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine have spoken out against the need for booster shots, saying that inoculating everyone multiple times would not be feasible.
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