Netherlands 'going into lockdown again' to curb omicron
London, Dec 18: Nations across Europe moved to reimpose tougher measures to stem a new wave of COVID-19 infections spurred by the highly transmissible omicron variant, including a new nationwide lockdown introduced by the Dutch government.
Schools, universities, and all non-essential stores, bars and restaurants in the Netherlands will be closed until January 14 starting Sunday, caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Saturday night.
Residents only will be permitted two visitors except for Christmas and New Year's, when four will be allowed, he said.
The Netherlands is going into lockdown again from tomorrow, Rutte said, adding that the move was unavoidable because of the fifth wave caused by the omicron variant that is bearing down on us.
Before the Dutch announcement, alarmed ministers in France, Cyprus and Austria tightened travel restrictions. Paris cancelled its New Year's Eve fireworks.
Denmark closed theaters, concert halls, amusement parks and museums. Ireland imposed an 8 pm curfew on pubs and bars and limited attendance at indoor and outdoor events.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan underscored the official concern about the climbing cases and their potential to overwhelm the health care system by declaring a major incident Saturday, a move that allows local councils in Britain's capital to coordinate work more closely with emergency services.
Irish Prime Minister Miche l Martin captured the sense of the continent in an address to the nation, saying the new restrictions were needed to protect lives and livelihoods from the resurgent virus.
None of this is easy, Martin said Friday night.
We are all exhausted with COVID and the restrictions it requires. The twists and turns, the disappointments and the frustrations take a heavy toll on everyone. But it is the reality that we are dealing with.
The World Health Organisation reported Saturday that the omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected in 89 countries, and COVID-19 cases involving the variant are doubling every 1.5 to 3 days in places with community transmission and not just infections acquired abroad.
Major questions about omicron remain unanswered, including how effective existing COVID-19 vaccines are against it and whether the variant produces severe illness in many infected individuals, WHO noted.
Yet omicron's substantial growth advantage over the delta variant means it is likely to soon overtake delta as the dominant form of the virus in countries where the new variant is spreading locally, the UN health agency said.
In the Netherlands, anticipation a government meeting Saturday would result in tougher restrictions caused shoppers to swarm commercial areas of Dutch cities, fearing it would be their last chance to buy Christmas gifts.
Rotterdam municipality tweeted that it was too busy in the center of the port city and told people: Don't come to the city.
Amsterdam also warned that the city's main shopping street was busy and urged people to stick to coronavirus rules.
In the UK, where confirmed daily cases soared to record numbers this week, the government has reimposed a requirement for masks to be worn indoors and ordered people to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative coronavirus test when going to nightclubs and large events.
But the moves are causing anger.
Critics of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's latest coronavirus restrictions flooded Oxford Street, a popular London shopping area, on Saturday.
The maskless protesters blew whistles, yelled Freedom! and told passersby to remove their face coverings.
Hundreds of people blocked traffic as they marched with signs bearing slogans such as Vaccine passports kill our freedoms and Don't comply. Other signs had the faces of Johnson or UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid and read, Give them the boot.
Scientists are warning the British government it needs to go further to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed.
Leaked minutes from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies suggested a ban on indoor mixing and hospitality, the BBC reported.
Britain and other nations are also accelerating the pace of booster shots after early data showed that two doses of vaccine were less effective against the omicron variant. Shopping centers, cathedrals and soccer stadiums in Britain have been converted into mass vaccination centers.
During a visit to a mass vaccination pop-up clinic at London soccer team Chelsea's stadium on Saturday, Khan said the running of public services could be impeded by the rapidly spreading variant.
The big issue we have is the number of Londoners who have this virus and that's leading to big issues in relation to staff absences and the ability of our public services to run at the optimum levels,'' he told the BBC.
I'm incredibly worried about staff absences in the (National Health Service), in the fire brigade, in the police service, in our councils across London.''
Omicron is now the dominant coronavirus variant in London and efforts were stepped up to reach people who haven't yet been vaccinated or boosted.
I want to make a direct appeal to the more than 1 million Londoners who are yet to come forward for any COVID-19 vaccinations it's never too late to get your first or second dose,'' the mayor said.
It will help to protect you, your loved ones and our NHS.
In France, the government announced that it will start giving the vaccine to children in the 5 to 11 age group beginning Wednesday. Prime Minister Jean Castex said Friday that with the omicron variant spreading like lightning, the government proposed requiring proof of vaccination for those entering restaurants, cafes and other public establishments. The pending measure requires parliamentary approval.
Demonstrations were planned in Paris to oppose the vaccine pass proposal and ongoing government restrictions.
Thousands of opponents of vaccine requirements and mask mandates protested Saturday in Hamburg, Berlin, D sseldorf and other German cities. In Austria, local media reported the crowds swelled to tens of thousands.
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Vartha Bharati–Sankalp predictions align closely with Karnataka bypoll results
Bengaluru: The Vartha Bharati–Sankalp election analysis has shown a high level of accuracy in predicting the outcome of the recent Karnataka Assembly by-elections held in May 2026, correctly calling winners in both constituencies and closely estimating vote share trends.
The by-elections were held in Bagalkot and Davanagere South, drawing significant political attention as both seats were seen as key tests for the ruling Congress and opposition BJP.
According to the analysis, Vartha Bharati–Sankalp had made three major projections ahead of the results the winning party, vote share percentages, and margin of victory.
In both constituencies, the platform accurately predicted that the Congress would emerge victorious. The outcome matched the projections, with Congress candidates winning in Bagalkot and Davanagere South.
In terms of vote share, the predictions were largely in line with the final results. In Bagalkot, the BJP’s vote share was forecast in the range of 40 to 46 per cent, while the actual figure stood at 42.9 per cent. The Congress vote share, however, exceeded expectations, with the party securing 55.4 per cent against a projected range of 43 to 48 per cent.
The margin of victory in Bagalkot turned out to be significantly higher than anticipated. While the projection had placed the margin between 2,000 and 3,500 votes, the final margin was around 22,332 votes.
In Davanagere South, the predictions also remained largely accurate. The Congress vote share was projected between 43 and 51 per cent, and the final figure stood at 43.9 per cent. The BJP was expected to secure between 42 and 50 per cent but ended with 40.3 per cent.
The analysis had also identified the role of SDPI as a potential spoiler in the constituency. While its vote share was estimated around 6 per cent, the party eventually secured around 12 per cent of the vote.
The margin of victory in Davanagere South was predicted to be between 1,500 and 2,600 votes. The actual margin was higher at around 5,708 votes, though the contest remained relatively close as anticipated.
Overall, the performance of Vartha Bharati–Sankalp stood out for correctly identifying the winning parties in both seats and maintaining close accuracy in vote share estimates, with only limited deviations in specific cases.
