Global travel chaos that convulsed the Christmas weekend spilled into yesterday with major flight cancellations impacting millions returning from holiday break, as Covid-19 cases surge to record levels in Europe and half a dozen U.S. states.

Some 11,000 flights have been scrapped worldwide since Friday, and tens of thousands more delayed, during one of the year’s busiest travel periods — with multiple airlines saying spikes in cases of the Omicron variant have caused staffing shortages.

The highly transmissible Omicron strain has sent cases skyrocketing, once again disrupting lives and a global economy battered by almost two years of the pandemic — with England’s Premier League the latest to announce that a record 103 players and staff had tested positive in the past week.

As several countries revive unpopular lockdowns, France’s President Emmanuel Macron was set to announce new measures to combat the surge after nationwide infections hit record-high figures — in line with Denmark and Iceland which also reported record daily cases.

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Governments worldwide are scrambling to boost vaccination — stressing that the overwhelming majority of hospitalisations and deaths are occurring among the unvaccinated.

But in the United States, cases are already on track to reach record highs in January, fueled by large pockets of unvaccinated residents as well as lack of access to quick and easy testing.

President Joe Biden said yesterday that some U.S. hospitals could be “overrun,” but that the country is generally well-prepared to meet the latest surge and Americans need not “panic.”

In a virtual meeting hosted by the White House with a couple dozen state governors and top health advisors, Biden stressed that the rapid spread of the Omicron variant would not have the same impact as the initial outbreak of Covid-19 a year ago or the Delta surge this year.

“Omicron is a source of concern, but it should not be a source of panic,” he said.

Biden’s administration vowed to ramp up the availability of tests in coming weeks — and the president repeated that pledge yesterday.

No further restrictions on parties, crowds or nightclubs are expected in England in the New Year as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson continues to resist health officials’ calls for tougher new measures to combat high rates of Omicron infections.

British Health Minister Sajid Javid, who gave this indication yesterday, ruled out any further changes to current settings, as the government waits for more evidence on the impact of the new variant on health services.

While Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have introduced new social distancing rules, closed nightclubs and capped crowd numbers, England has had a lighter approach, making masks compulsory on public transport and in retail and indoor venues.

While Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have introduced new social distancing curbs, England will not crack down on crowds or parties this week.

Johnson, who is reeling from a series of damaging leaks of video and photographs of his own administration ignoring previous tough lockdown laws, is reluctant to bring in edicts that would be unpopular within his party.

Many Conservative MPs are sceptical that the benefits of new restrictions would outweigh their economic costs.

Instead, the Prime Minister and his health minister has emphasised personal responsibility.

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“We won’t be taking any further measures. Of course, people should remain cautious as we approach New Year celebrations and take a lateral flow test if that makes sense, celebrate outdoors if you can, have some ventilation indoors if you can,” Javid said.

Partial figures reported by the government yesterday showed 98,515 new cases of COVID-19 in England. Once data for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is added to the English figures, it is likely to show cases for Britain as a whole only slightly below a December 24 peak of 122,186.

Many in England do appear to be acting cautiously. The numbers of shoppers and diners in London’s West End on December 26 – historically one of the busiest shopping days of the year – were down week on week, and only just above half their pre-pandemic levels.

Javid did not rule out tougher restrictions after January 1: “When we get into the new year, of course we will see then whether we do need to take any further measures.”

Britain’s health minister Sajid Javid said there were a disproportionate number of unvaccinated people being admitted to hospital.

He said the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the virus now accounted for around 90 per cent of cases across England.

The government’s attention is focused on the number of patients being hospitalised with Omicron after early data last week suggested the variant carried a lower risk of admission.

Nevertheless, Britain has reported a total of 148,003 deaths within 28 days of a positive COVID test, and 12.2 million positive tests during the pandemic so far.

Johnson met with his top scientific and medical advisers yesterday to discuss the latest data.

THE House of Representatives unanimously passed into law the controversial Infectious Disease bill, at its last legislative day of the year.

The Bill, which was introduced into the House at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, was aimed at controlling infectious diseases in Nigeria.

The Bill, which is sponsored by the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, and two other lawmakers is titled: “Bill for an Act to Repeal the Quarantine Act and Enact the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill, make Provisions Relating to Quarantine and make Regulations for Preventing the Introduction into and Spread in Nigeria of Dangerous Infectious Diseases; and for Related Matters”.

It went through first and second reading on April 28, 2020 and was to be passed for third reading without public hearing, but was later referred to the Committee on Healthcare Services, which conducted a public hearing on June 12.

The Nigeria Governors Forum and the Nigeria Inter religious Council were among those who opposed the passage of the bill, arguing that it accorded enormous powers to the President and Director-General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) amongst other issues.

This is as Nigeria recorded a 500 per cent increase in COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks across the country.

Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, in a statement in Abuja, attributed the 500 per cent increase in infections to the COVID-19 Delta and Omicron variants.

“As of Dec. 19, Nigeria reported 223,887 cases and 2,985 deaths in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

“The country is now in a fourth COVID-19 wave.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, the Federal Ministry of Health, as well as NCDC and its partners, are therefore intensifying risk communication efforts to remind Nigerians of the risk we face and need to take collective responsibility to reduce transmission of the virus,” Adetifa said.

Also yesterday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) also said there is now “consistent evidence” that the Omicron variant was outpacing Delta, as COVID-19 continues to account for around 50,000 deaths worldwide every week.

President Muhammadu Buhari has received his booster dose of Pfizer Biontech vaccine at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Like the first two original jabs, the booster shot was administered on the President by his Chief Personal Physician, Dr. Suhayb Rafindadi.

His vaccination card was thereafter signed by the Director-General of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib.

Also yesterday, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde received the COVID-19 booster shot to further protect him against ravaging pandemic.

The governor, while kicking off the state COVID-19 mass vaccination campaign at the Aleshinloye Market, called on residents to take advantage of the free service to get vaccinated.

He said the vaccination campaign was another logical step taken by the state to curtail the spread of the virus.

He added that the step was based on data and the scientific position that vaccines are safe in protecting people against the worst effects of the virus.

Speaking on the significance of President Buhari’s action, Shuaib said the president was leading by example, being one of the first to receive the booster shot, at the same time passing a message to Nigerians that the vaccines are safe and efficacious.

He called out to Nigerians who are still hesitant about taking the vaccines, pointing out that more than eight million Nigerians had been vaccinated successfully and that vaccinated persons are not likely to die of COVID-19.

Shuaib said: “The evidence is there; over eight million Nigerians have taken the vaccines safely. They are well, they are going about their normal businesses and what we’re seeing from the data is that COVID-19 is now mostly a disease of the unvaccinated. Out of every 10 people that have died, the data shows that eight of them are unvaccinated. So, there’s a greater likelihood of dying from COVID-19, if you’re unvaccinated.

“What Mr. President has done today is again to indicate to all Nigerians that the Federal Government does everything to make sure that only safe and efficacious vaccines are brought into Nigeria, and that when they are brought into Nigeria, we’ll double check to make sure that it fits the very high standards that have been set by NAFDAC.”

PLATEAU State Governor Simon Bako Lalong has appealed to the state residents to embrace vaccination against COVID-19 and other diseases to ensure that the healthcare of the state is fortified against preventable diseases.

Lalong, who also took his booster jab for COVID-19, made the appeal while inaugurating the task force on Integrated Vaccination and Flagging off the Mass Vaccination at the Banquet Hall of the new Government House Rayfield, Jos.

Lalong said the inauguration of the task force became necessary to ensure that there is consistent and coordinated vaccination in the state against both COVID-19 and other diseases.

Commissioner for Health Dr. Nimkong Lar said the vaccines are safe and not harmful contrary to conspiracy theories, reiterating that no one will be forced to take the vaccine.

He emphasised that the ministry was also concerned about other diseases aside COVID-19, which need more sensitisation for vaccination.

The Long Gamai of Shendam Miskoom Martins Shaldas, Chairman JNI, Chairman CAN, and other stakeholders assured that they will do their best to sensitise and mobilise their people to cooperate with the government towards achieving desired goals.

THE Osun State Government yesterday commenced the administration of booster doses.

A statement by the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs. Funke Egbemode, after the State Executive Council meeting, noted that those eligible for the booster dose include persons who are 18 years and above, those who took the second doses of AstraZeneca, Moderna or Pfizer Bio-N-Tech in the last six months.

Also eligible are those who took the first dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine in the last two months.

Also, Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr. Siji Olamiju, confirmed to our correspondent that the state government yesterday commenced administering the booster shots.

Highlighting the advantage of the booster shot, the state government said: “It strengthens the immune system better and gives greater protection against the virus.

The government, while urging eligible citizens to take advantage of the opportunity being offered, said the doses are free of cost to prospective recipients.

“The doses are available at the various local government headquarters,” it was added.

The statement also urged residents, citizens and those who are in the state for the Christmas celebrations to visit health care facilities across the state to take their Covid-19 vaccines.