Health News Roundup: Vaccine pass better than a mandatory order, says French govt spokesman; Relying on more home COVID tests, Israel looks to lower costs and more

Nearly 60% of the 28,707 cases came from the capital region, which has seen a steady increase in admissions in recent days, although hospital capacity in the area was still below critical levels, government data showed. UK minister backs reduced COVID isolation period to ease workforce pressures Reducing the self-isolation period for people who test positive for COVID-19 from seven days to five would help British employers that have been hard hit by absences, education minister Nadhim Zahawi said on Sunday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Germany assessing reliability of antibody tests for Omicron - minister

Germany will study how reliable rapid antigen tests are in detecting the fast-spreading Omicron variant of COVID-19, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said on Sunday. "We do not know exactly how well these tests work for Omicron," Lauterbach said on public broadcasting channel ARD, adding the results of the assessment would become available within the next few weeks.

Vaccine pass better than a mandatory order, says French govt spokesman

A mandatory order would not be the most efficient way to encourage those not vaccinated against COVID-19 to get the shot and that plans to toughen health pass conditions were already yielding results, government spokesman Gabriel Attal said. People in France already have to show either proof of vaccination or a negative test to enter restaurants and bars and use inter-regional trains. But with Omicron infections surging, parliament is debating legislation that will drop the test option.

Relying on more home COVID tests, Israel looks to lower costs

Israel sought on Sunday to ease access to home COVID-19 tests after a decision to allow most vaccinated people to use the kits to decide whether or not to quarantine led to shortages in shops and complaints about high prices. "We are mindful of the public's distress," Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said at the weekly cabinet meeting, announcing that every child in kindergarten or elementary school in Israel would be issued will three free kits in the coming days.

Australia's New South Wales marks its highest COVID-19 death count

Australia's most populous state, New South Wales, recorded its highest number of daily COVID-19 deaths on Saturday as the Omicron variant sweeps the country and lawmakers face pressure to close widening supply chain gaps. The home to Sydney and a third of Australia's 25 million people reported 16 deaths from the coronavirus in the previous day. New South Wales reported 30,062 new infections, near record levels.

Philippines prepares more hospitals beds with record COVID-19 cases

The Philippines ordered an increase in hospital beds and medical resources in and around the capital Manila, a senior government official said on Sunday, as the country set another record for new COVID-19 infections. Nearly 60% of the 28,707 cases came from the capital region, which has seen a steady increase in admissions in recent days, although hospital capacity in the area was still below critical levels, government data showed.

UK minister backs reduced COVID isolation period to ease workforce pressures

Reducing the self-isolation period for people who test positive for COVID-19 from seven days to five would help British employers that have been hard hit by absences, education minister Nadhim Zahawi said on Sunday. The Omicron variant is still spreading in Britain and many businesses, schools and hospitals are struggling with staff shortages, fuelling calls for the rules on isolation after a positive test to be reduced further.

U.S. bases in Japan to come under tighter COVID-19 controls

The United States has agreed to impose stricter COVID-19 measures at U.S. military bases in Japan, a U.S.-Japan joint statement said on Sunday, amid concerns that outbreaks at bases have fuelled infection in local communities. For two weeks starting Monday, the movement of U.S. forces personnel outside base facilities will be restricted to essential activities, said the joint statement by the Japanese government and U.S. forces in Japan.

Italy to receive 40,000 Merck antiviral drug doses next week - official

Italy will receive around 40,000 doses of Merck & Co's COVID-19 antiviral drug next week, which will add to nearly 12,000 already distributed to hospitals, the special COVID-19 commissioner said on Sunday. "They are intended for clinical cases that risk a serious outcome of the disease," Commissioner Francesco Figliuolo told a television program on Italy's RAI 3 channel.

U.S. administers over 519 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines -CDC

The United States has administered over 519.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the country as of Sunday morning, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those figures are up from the total of 518 million vaccine doses the CDC said had gone into arms by Saturday.

UK records 141,472 new COVID-19 cases, 97 deaths

Britain reported 141,472 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, down from 146,390 cases on Saturday, while the number of new deaths reported fell to 97 from 313, official figures showed. Britain has seen a surge of cases linked to the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in recent weeks, though death rates have been lower than during previous waves of the disease.