Herald section
The latest health reporting from The Belfast Herald.
China imposed stay-at-home orders on hundreds of thousands in Yan'an due to a rise in COVID-19 cases, contributing to a broader lockdown in Xi'an, which became the largest in the country since the previous year.
France reported a record 179,807 new confirmed cases in 24 hours, with ICU admissions at 3,400 and a seven-day average of 87,500. The figure is the highest in Europe and among the world's highest daily totals since the pandemic began.
France implements tighter restrictions on public gatherings and reduces the interval between second and booster doses to three months due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.
The Greek government announced new measures effective from 3 January to at least 16 January, including mandatory high-protection masks, venue closures at midnight, reduced stadium capacity, and remote work for up to half of employees, following a record 9,284 new cases reported on 27 December 2021.
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 Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv, Israel, begins the world's first clinical trial of fourth doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, involving 150 medical personnel, in order to determine if a fourth dose can provide extra immunity against COVID-19.
Swissmedic has authorised the monoclonal antibody cocktail Ronapreve, developed by Roche and Regeneron, for use in treating severe COVID-19 in patients at high risk of progression.
New restrictions in Northern Ireland include closing nightclubs, banning indoor seating at events, limiting social gatherings to three households, and reintroducing the rule of six at venues offering table service.