A reminder for travellers to wear a face mask at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. The Netherlands and other nations temporarily banned most travellers from South Africa after a new variant of Covid-19 named Omicron was discovered. Getty
A reminder for travellers to wear a face mask at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. The Netherlands and other nations temporarily banned most travellers from South Africa after a new variant of Covid-19 named Omicron was discovered. Getty
Dr Manjul Shukla transfers a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine into a syringe at a mobile clinic in Worcester, Massachusetts. As the US recorded its first confirmed case of the Omicron variant, doctors across the country are experiencing a surge in infections and the number of people being admitted to hospital in New England and the Midwest. AP
Dr Manjul Shukla transfers a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine into a syringe at a mobile clinic in Worcester, Massachusetts. As the US recorded its first confirmed case of the Omicron variant, doctors across the country are experiencing a surge in infections and the number of people being admitted to hospital in New England and the Midwest. AP
Jehna Kottori, 10, of Worcester, Massachusetts, prepares to receive a shot of the Covid-19 vaccine. AP
Jehna Kottori, 10, of Worcester, Massachusetts, prepares to receive a shot of the Covid-19 vaccine. AP
A mobile Covid-19 vaccination and booster shot site operates out of a bus on 59th Street, south of Central Park, in New York. AP
A mobile Covid-19 vaccination and booster shot site operates out of a bus on 59th Street, south of Central Park, in New York. AP
Kyna Bigornia receives her booster injection at a vaccination site in Romford, east London, as the UK government accelerates its Covid-19 booster programme to help slow down the spread of the new Omicron variant. PA
Kyna Bigornia receives her booster injection at a vaccination site in Romford, east London, as the UK government accelerates its Covid-19 booster programme to help slow down the spread of the new Omicron variant. PA
Passengers, some wearing masks, queue to board a taxi in Soweto, South Africa, a week after the Omicron variant was first detected in the country. AP
Passengers, some wearing masks, queue to board a taxi in Soweto, South Africa, a week after the Omicron variant was first detected in the country. AP
A vast quarantine centre with more than 2,000 beds, in Mumbai, India, a country that reported its first case of the coronavirus Omicron variant in the state of Karnataka. The government increased security measures and issued fresh guidelines for airport authorities, intensifying PCR tests for international passengers and visitors from other states. EPA
A vast quarantine centre with more than 2,000 beds, in Mumbai, India, a country that reported its first case of the coronavirus Omicron variant in the state of Karnataka. The government increased security measures and issued fresh guidelines for airport authorities, intensifying PCR tests for international passengers and visitors from other states. EPA
A vaccine dose is prepared in Massachusetts. AP
A vaccine dose is prepared in Massachusetts. AP
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson receives his booster jab of the coronavirus vaccine at St Thomas Hospital in London, where he was treated for Covid-19 last year. AP
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson receives his booster jab of the coronavirus vaccine at St Thomas Hospital in London, where he was treated for Covid-19 last year. AP
Hope springs eternal in Sydney, Australia. New South Wales health authorities have confirmed six cases of the Omicron variant in the state. EPA
Hope springs eternal in Sydney, Australia. New South Wales health authorities have confirmed six cases of the Omicron variant in the state. EPA
Dr Anthony Fauci, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director, answers the media's questions on the Omicron variant in the White House briefing room in Washington. The US will tighten testing for air travellers entering the country to try to mitigate the spread of the Omicron variant. EPA
Dr Anthony Fauci, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director, answers the media's questions on the Omicron variant in the White House briefing room in Washington. The US will tighten testing for air travellers entering the country to try to mitigate the spread of the Omicron variant. EPA
A resident receives a dose of Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at a rural village in Aringay, La Union province, Philippines. The archipelago is rushing to vaccinate its population as it considers making vaccination mandatory to deal with the looming threat of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. The country, which has just approved booster shots for its adult population, launched a three-day national vaccination holiday on November 29 to December 1 with the goal of vaccinating at least nine million additional people. Getty Images
A resident receives a dose of Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at a rural village in Aringay, La Union province, Philippines. The archipelago is rushing to vaccinate its population as it considers making vaccination mandatory to deal with the looming threat of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. The country, which has just approved booster shots for its adult population, launched a three-day national vaccination holiday on November 29 to December 1 with the goal of vaccinating at least nine million additional people. Getty Images

Coronavirus

WHO warns Covid-19 vaccines will likely need adapting for Omicron variant

Early evidence suggests Omicron may be more transmissible and resistant to the current drugs for inoculation

Jamie Prentis
Jamie Prentis

December 03, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

Live updates: follow the latest news on Covid-19 variant Omicron

Covid-19 vaccine makers will likely need to alter their inoculations to counter the Omicron variant, the World Health Organisation said.

Spokesman Christian Lindmeier said he was not aware of any deaths related to the mutation, the recent discovery of which has led many countries to tighten border restrictions and reintroduce measures to limit its spread.

Early evidence suggests Omicron may be more transmissible and resistant to the vaccines currently available.

Read More

US pushes Covid boosters and at-home tests while extending mask requirements for travel

“It is very recommendable that vaccine manufacturers already start planning ahead and plan for the likelihood for having to adjust the existing vaccine,” Mr Lindmeier said. “That's good not just to wait until the final alarm bell rings.”

He said he had “not seen reports of Omicron-related deaths yet”.

“We're collecting all the evidence and we will find much more evidence as we go along," he said.

“The more countries … keep testing people, and looking specifically into the Omicron variant, we will also find more cases, more information and, hopefully not, but also possibly deaths.”

Experts say it could take three to four months to approve an adjusted vaccine.

Manufacturer BioNTech said it expects that fully vaccinated people may become infected with omicron but will still have a high level of protection against serious forms of Covid. A modification for boosters will probably help prevent severe disease and fend off illness in general.

"Even if a booster dose of the current vaccine provides a high level of protection against omicron, an adaption might be needed to increase the duration and level of the immunisation,” the vaccine development firm said on Friday.

Even if the variant is able to elude antibodies in vaccinated people, it will probably still be targeted by other components of the immune system that are activated by shots, BioNTech chief executive Ugur Sahin said earlier this week as he urged the acceleration of booster shots.

Germany says it will block unvaccinated people from public activities except for essential business, while legislation to make vaccination mandatory will be drafted for early next year.

Countries such as the UK and US have brought forward plans to offer booster shots.

Takeshi Kasai, the WHO's western Pacific director, said border restrictions “can buy time” but “every country and every community must prepare for new surges in cases”.

“People should not only rely on border measures," he said. "What is most important is to prepare for these variants with potential high transmissibility. So far the information available suggests we don't have to change our approach.”

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
How to help

Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.

Account name: Dar Al Ber Society

Account Number: 11 530 734

IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734

Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank

To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Vaccine Progress in the Middle East
A cheaper choice

Vanuatu: $130,000

Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.

Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.

Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.

Benefits:  No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries

• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.

• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.

• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.

• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.

• For more information visit the library network's website.

On Women's Day
Honeymoonish
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The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

Gremio 1 Pachuca 0

Gremio Everton 95’

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg

Tottenham 0-1 Ajax, Tuesday

Second leg

Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm

Game is on BeIN Sports

What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

Updated: December 04, 2021, 4:13 PM`
Coronavirus