Some European countries are tightening restrictions to tackle the new Covid variant Omicron. They based these restrictions on a constant stream of information coming every day, but what is the real deal? 

Compared to Christmas 2020, we are in a much brighter place. Back then, we had the rise of the Alpha variant, plus the vaccination programme was in its diapers. 

Omicron is in charge now. It replaced Delta as the dominant variant since it is more contagious and seems to evade the immune system more effectively, albeit less severe. 

Most of the reduced severity is down to immunity as a result of vaccination or previous bouts of Covid, a previous infection if you will.

The symptoms are similar to those of a cold - sore throat, runny nose, and headache.

But all of this doesn’t mean that Omicron will be mild for everyone – some will still be severely ill.

Omicron spreads very fast, way faster than Delta and other variants. And the situation here is hospital capacity.

The European Centre for Disease Control said that Christmas get-togethers may need to be downsized, as Omicron is very likely to increase the death toll in Europe – even if it proves to be less severe. Less severe doesn’t mean ‘not deadly’. Omicron is more transmissible than Delta by far, meaning more people are forecast to be admitted to hospital or killed this winter – even more than previously projected. The health agency advises governments to reintroduce Covid restrictions, with one of them being to recommend families and friends to avoid mixing over the festive season. The director of the ECDC Dr Andrea Ammon said that the probability of further spread of the Omicron variant in the European Union is very high, increasing hospitalisations and fatalities – higher than expected from earlier forecasts considering only the Delta variant.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention CDC has warned that a wave of Omicron is surging in America and could peak as early as January, hence some states are preparing for overloaded hospitals. A week before, Omicron cases accounted for 0.3% of Covid cases. As of Saturday, it raises to 3%. Just one week later. The spread of Omicron is alarming, and it’s expected to continue rising rapidly, based on experiences of other countries, and might become the dominant strain within weeks.  In the next couple of months, health officials anticipate an increase in hospitalisations, deaths, and in the burden on the health care system. 

The World Health Organisation chief said that the variant has been detected in 77 countries, however, it’s probably present in most countries, even if it hasn’t been detected yet.

Denmark and Norway have announced the implementation of new Covid measures to battle soaring infection numbers – the new Omicron variant is spreading fast and perhaps would become the dominant variant in several European countries within weeks or days. Both governments said they expect daily infections would soon exceed all previous records as the highly transmissible Omicron is combined with the wave still driven by Delta.

In the UK, scientists have discovered that the booster shot, the third vaccine, prevents around 75% of people getting any Covid symptoms. With a booster shot, the protection you're left with after the third dose is bigger and more memorable than you had before. Fighting coronavirus is something your immune system has to learn. Vaccines are more like a school. With every dose of the vaccine, another round of antibodies is triggered within the immune system. It seeks out better antibodies that attach themselves more firmly to the virus. And it's not just about the quality of antibodies, the quantity goes up with an extra dose of the vaccine too. On top of that, boosting is giving our bodies the upper hand against future variants too.

The plan of the Austrian government is to fine those who don’t want to get the Covid-19 vaccine. Fines could reach $4,000 for people 14 and above every month once the vaccine mandate gets the green light. The vaccine mandate, which must be approved by parliament, is due to start on 1 February and last through January 2024. There's a great chance to approve it as two opposition parties are supporting it, so it could pass easily. This move would make Austria the first European country to do so.

In theory, future pandemics could be more lethal than Covid-19. All the lessons we are learning about the current pandemic must not be lost and the world and health organisms must ensure everybody is prepared for the next viral onslaught. 

The UK drugs watchdog approved a new treatment for Covid: Xevudy. This new monoclonal antibody is produced by GlaxoSmithKline. In clinical trials, Xevudy cut risk of hospitalisation and death by 79%. 

Europe is again the epicentre of the pandemic. Last Thursday, German authorities announced a nationwide lockdown for the unvaccinated, banning them from accessing everything but the most essentials such as supermarkets and pharmacies. This move is intended to stop the spread of the coronavirus which has wreaked havoc in the last few weeks in Germany.