The Indian state of Kerala imposes a nighttime curfew from December 30 to January 2 in order to reduce the spread of the Omicron variant. (Khaleej Times)
The health ministry reduces the interval between the second dose and booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to three months, citing concerns about the spread of the Omicron variant. (The Times of Israel)
South Korea authorizes the emergency use of the anti-viral oral drug Paxlovid manufactured by Pfizer for high-risk patients over the age of 12 years, becoming the first drug to be approved for use in the country. (Yonhap News Agency)
Swissmedic approves the use of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine as a booster dose for people over the age of 18 years, which can be administered two months after the first dose, or six months after a person receives mixed vaccinations with mRNA-based vaccines. (Reuters)
Frenchprime ministerJean Castex announces that, for the next three weeks, all public gatherings will be limited to 2,000 people indoors and 5,000 people outdoors. Work from home will be mandated where possible, and outdoor mask wearing will be mandatory in city centres. The interval between the second dose and the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will also be reduced to three months in response to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant. (The Guardian)
The Greekgovernment announces new restrictions that will be in effect from January 3 until at least January 16, which include mandatory high-protection or double mask wearing in supermarkets and on public transport, closure of entertainment and hospitality venues at midnight, reinstating work from home policies for up to 50% of employees, and reducing the capacity of sports stadiums to 10%. This comes after the country reported a record 9,284 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (Kathimerini)
Sydney's St. Vincent's Hospital incorrectly issues premature negative COVID-19 test results to 1,395 people who had actually tested positive in the past 48 hours. (ABC News)
South Australia reports a record 842 new cases in the past 24 hours. The state also reports their first death from COVID-19 since April 2020 in a 92-year-old woman. (ABC News)