The US reported nearly 1 million new coronavirus infections on Monday, the highest daily tally any country has seen in the world. The cases are nearly double the previous US peak that was set a week back with the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant.
President Joe Biden urged concern, not alarm as he emphasised that vaccines, booster shots and therapeutic drugs have lessened the danger for the overwhelming majority of Americans who are fully vaccinated.
Meanwhile, Texas officials on Tuesday indicated that about 40 per cent of its Army National Guard members are refusing to inoculate themselves against Covid in the latest challenge to the Biden administration order which requires all members of the military to get jabbed.
In the UK, prime minister Boris Johnson has said he will stand by the implementation of Plan B restrictions currently in force in England despite the UK recording a further 218,724 cases of Covid on Tuesday. The prime minister also announced that 100,000 critical workers would be given rapid tests for the virus every day.
Speaking to a virtual Downing St press conference, he said: “Anyone who thinks our battle with Covid is over is profoundly wrong. This is a moment for the utmost caution.”
