Coronavirus Outbreak

In UK, minister calls for "return to some degree of normalcy," says time has come to treat pandemic as endemic. Meanwhile, Beijing shortens Olympic torch relay amid Omicron concerns.

All students up to the age of 18 will perform two tests a week at home, one on Sunday morning and one on Wednesday morning before going to school. If the child is negative, they can go to school as usual. If they test positive, they must be tested at a supervised test station and undergo quarantine for five days.

The booster would be administered to immunocompromised children and others in that age group who have serious co-morbidities so long as three months have passed since their second dose.

Health Ministry data indicates children and adolescents vaccinated against COVID-19 are better protected against the Omicron variant than the unvaccinated. Infection rate hits 17% as nearly 72,000 Israelis test positive for the virus.

Education Ministry is pushing for lawmakers to change the current self-isolation guidelines that have confined thousands of children – and their parents – to their homes.

British leader says if data supports it, he may end the legal requirement for people to self-isolate if they test positive for the coronavirus.

Government approves millions in aid for cultural institutions impacted by the Omicron wave. Under pressure, PM Bennett weighs ending weeklong quarantine for unvaccinated students exposed to confirmed carriers.  

Despite claims by Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton that 90% of Israeli students are going to school per normal, just 27% of parents say their children have been in school over the past week.

Dr. Michael Ryan tells World Economic Forum that if vaccines and other tools aren't shared fairly, the "tragedy" of the virus, which has so far killed more than 5.5 million people worldwide, will continue.

Antibody cocktail by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals was also given to former President Donald Trump when he contracted the disease. Technical problem of Health Ministry's coronavirus data website persists. Sheba Medical Center research shows a fourth vaccine dose provides only limited defense against the Omicron variant.