Now playing Next world news Demand for COVID-19 self-test kits skyrocket in Europe In France, the leader in rapid diagnostic tests, Biosynex, has hired 200 temporary staff to meet soaring demand, amid record case numbers and end-of-year holidays. 30/12/2021
Now playing Next Culture news Greek government bans music on New Year's Eve The spread of the omicron measurement has prompted the measure, the latest in a raft of restrictions introduced across Europe this winter. 30/12/2021
Now playing Next France COVID-19: Staff shortages stoke fears at hospital near Paris "There are currently 20% of intensive care beds in the Ile-de-France region that are closed due to lack of personnel," revealed Paris hospital's deputy director, Yohann Mourier. 30/12/2021
Now playing Next Italy Italian police suspend online profiles selling fake COVID passes The prices of the health certificates ranged from €100 to €500, with discounts offered for those purchasing multiple certificates, such as the "family package". 29/12/2021
Now playing Next Destinations Italy's tourism industry pleas for more aid as visitor numbers fall Only 60 million tourists visited Italy this year compared to over 100 million in 2019. 28/12/2021
Now playing Next Health Omicron may enhance immunity against Delta, new study suggests The study, which has not been peer-reviewed, found that those infected with Omicron developed an enhanced immunity to Delta. 28/12/2021
Now playing Next Culture news 'No culture, no future': Belgian cultural workers appeal COVID rules After meeting Tuesday with sector representatives, Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke told state broadcaster RTBF that “there’s no possibility to immediately revise the (government’s) decision.” 26/12/2021
Now playing Next Destinations COVID-19: Austrian resorts concerned over new tourist entry rules From December 25, restrictions on people entering Austria from the UK, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway will be tighter, as the countries will be classified as "virus variant areas", which means that a quarantine of ten days will be mandatory. 24/12/2021
Now playing Next United Kingdom UK PM Boris Johnson urges public to get vaccinated in Xmas address The Prime Minister has rejected harsher virus restrictions in England over Christmas despite the UK setting a new record on Thursday of almost 120,000 cases in 24 hours. 24/12/2021
Now playing Next China Winter Olympics: Beijing 'strongly advises' Olympians to get booster The organisers also "regret" the decision by the National Hockey League (NHL) not to send players to the Beijing Winter games. 23/12/2021
Now playing Next Nigeria Nigeria destroys more than one million expired COVID-19 vaccines Officials blamed "vaccine nationalism" in developed countries for hoarding vaccines until they "were about to expire" before donating them. 23/12/2021
Now playing Next world news Get vaccinated even if you've had COVID before, urges WHO Europe It comes with Europe in the midst of another wave of COVID, driven in some countries by the more transmissible Omicron variant. 22/12/2021
Now playing Next Israel Israel says it's world's first country to rollout a fourth COVID jab "The world will follow in our footsteps," said Israeli PM Naftali Bennett 22/12/2021
Now playing Next USA President Biden to outline measures to tackle Omicron surge Omicron has already become the dominant strain in the US, accounting for nearly three-quarters of new infections last week. 21/12/2021
Now playing Next Health COVID vaccines are not enough for Omicron variant, warns BioNTech CEO "We must be aware that even triple-vaccinated are likely to transmit the disease’” Ughur Sahin said, the CEO of the German company behind the mRNA vaccine produced with Pfizer. 20/12/2021
Now playing Next United Kingdom UK pleas for out-of-work teachers to return amid 'Omicron tidal wave' Education workers are 26% more likely to contract COVID-19 than the general population, according to a union. 20/12/2021
Now playing Next world news WHO: Omicron found in 89 countries According to WHO, the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus has spread to 89 countries to date, continuing to spread at a rapid pace. 18/12/2021
Now playing Next Denmark Denmark closes theatres and museums as Omicron cases surge The Danish government said they would close theatres, cinemas and other areas of public gathering after registering a record-high number of COVID-19 cases. 17/12/2021
Now playing Next Work No jab, no job: Google gets tough on employee COVID vaccine policy “Anyone entering a Google building must be fully vaccinated or have an approved accommodation that allows them to work or come onsite,” the tech giant said in a leaked memo. 16/12/2021
Now playing Next Travel News Brits should urgently check their vaxx certificate under this new rule Half-term travellers whose second jab was more than nine months ago will be deemed ‘unvaccinated’ in the EU. 15/12/2021
