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News Scientific Council warns of spread of new covid variant - France's Scientific Council has warned that the new covid variant Omicron, is spreading "extremely fast". In its latest opinion the council said that the variant could experience a "rapid growth" in France "in the coming weeks". The Council also expressed its position on the obligation to vaccinate 5 to 11-year-olds in France, saying that it had, for the time being reservations and was awaiting further validation on a European level. Concerning Christmas and family gatherings, the Council advised to limiting the number of people around a table at Christmas time, as was the case last year. It also expressed the need to wear a mask at large gatherings and insisted on a return to working from home and for companies to refrain from holding Christmas parties or receptions. Meanwhile it was on Monday that the United Kingdom became the first country to declare at least one death from the new variant. Hard hit by the pandemic with more than 146,000 deaths and around 50,000 daily covid infections the UK government on Monday announced a return to working from home in an attempt to avoid hospitals becoming submerged. Strike action announced for the region's rail network - The SNCF has announced strike action for the first weekend of the Christmas holidays from the 17th to 19th December. The action is expected to affect the southeast rail service. The action comes as employees dem |
