Soaring infections rattle Europe

LONDON (AP):

Soaring infections in Britain driven in part by the Omicron variant of the coronavirus rattled Europe on Thursday, prompting new restrictions on the continent and fuelling a familiar dread on both sides of the Atlantic about entering a new phase of the pandemic just in time for the holidays.

Much remains unknown about Omicron, but officials increasingly warn that it appears more transmissible than the Delta variant, which has already put pressure on hospitals worldwide. With so many questions unanswered, uncertainty reigned over how quickly and how severely to crack down on Christmas travel and year-end parties.

After the UK recorded its highest number of confirmed new COVID-19 infections since the pandemic began, France announced on Thursday that it would tighten entry rules for those coming from Britain. Hours later, the country set another record, with a further 88,376 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported on Thursday, almost 10,000 more than the day before.

In England, the chief medical officer urged people to limit who they see in the festive period. Pubs and restaurants said many people were heeding that advice by cancelling Christmas parties though there has been much debate about what’s OK to do. In the US, the White House insisted that there was no need for a lockdown despite signs that Omicron was gaining ground there.