(Reuters) – Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus right now:
Australians told to get boosters to be considered fully vaccinated
Australian residents will need to receive booster shots to be considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19, although authorities said foreign travellers will continue to need only two shots to enter the country.
A person’s vaccination status will be considered “overdue” if they have not received a booster within six months of their second dose, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.
China pledges support for Hong Kong
China will fully support Hong Kong with its “dynamic zero” coronavirus strategy, its office overseeing matters in the city said, as the territory is expected to hit a new record for daily infections on Friday.
The Chinese government will help improve Hong Kong’s testing capability and set up another quarantine facility, the South China Morning Post reported, citing a Beijing-based source. The mainland is also preparing to send thousands of medical and lab workers and millions of testing kits to Hong Kong, with the daily coronavirus screening capacity to be increased from 100,000 tests to 3000,000 tests.
Amazon to allow work without face masks
Amazon.com Inc on Thursday informed staff at its U.S. warehouses and logistics sites that they must report being fully vaccinated by March 18 if they wish to receive paid leave due to COVID-19.
The company also said fully vaccinated operations staff could work without a face covering starting on Friday as local regulations allow, according to a message to workers that Amazon shared with Reuters.
Netherlands aims to drop most COVID measures this month
The Dutch government on Thursday said it aims to drop most of its coronavirus restrictions by the end of the month, as record levels of infections in recent weeks have only had a limited effect on hospital numbers.
Bars and restaurants will be allowed to stay open until 1 a.m. (midnight GMT) as of Feb. 18, instead of the current order to close at 10 p.m., health minister Ernst Kuipers said in a letter to parliament. Social distancing measures will be dropped in public places by the end of the month, but visitors will need to show proof of either vaccination, a recent recovery from COVID-19 or a negative coronavirus test.
GSK-Vir therapy has neutralising activity against Omicron sub-variant, data shows
An antibody-based COVID-19 therapy developed by GSK and Vir Biotechnology retains neutralising activity against the emerging BA.2 form of the Omicron coronavirus variant, according to data from a laboratory study cited by Vir on Thursday.
Based on data using a pseudovirus engineered to resemble the variant and extensive pharmacokinetic data, the company said it believed the 500-milligram dose of sotrovimab is sufficient to retain activity against BA.2, which is in line with findings on all other variants of concern and interest.
(Compiled by Karishma Singh. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
