# Germany, U.S. agree to new COVID curbs as Omicron spreads across globe
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2021-12-02
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Germany Bars Unvaccinated, US Announces Travel Curbs Amid
Meta Description: Germany's new measures restrict unvaccinated individuals from most businesses amid global efforts to combat the Omicron variant.
URL: https://financedigest.com/germany-u-s-agree-to-new-covid-curbs-as-omicron-spreads-across-globehtml

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By Joseph Nasr and Alessandra Galloni

BERLIN/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Germany decided on Thursday to bar the unvaccinated from all but the most essential businesses and the United States was due to announce further travel curbs as countries around the globe scramble to keep out the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the variant showed the [pandemic could be around for “some time,” as countries](https://www.financedigest.com/as-who-pandemic-pact-talks-begin-poor-countries-on-back-foot.html "As WHO pandemic pact talks begin, poor countries on back foot") including the United States, India https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-says-it-detects-two-cases-omicron-variant-2021-12-02 and France https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/french-govt-science-adviser-covid-delta-variant-is-main-fight-right-now-looking-2021-12-02 reported their first cases.

In an interview https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/us-treasurys-yellen-says-ready-retire-transitory-describe-inflation-2021-12-02 with Reuters, Yellen said she [hoped the pandemic would not completely stifle economic](https://www.financedigest.com/gazprom-gas-cut-tempers-economic-hopes-after-ukraine-grain-deal.html "Gazprom gas cut tempers economic hopes after Ukraine grain deal") activity, adding that the U.S. [stimulus at the start of the pandemic had helped fuel a very strong recovery](https://www.financedigest.com/european-shares-rally-as-china-stimulus-lifts-recovery-hopes.html "European shares rally as China stimulus lifts recovery hopes").

The new measures agreed in Germany focus on the unvaccinated, who will only be allowed in essential businesses such as grocery stores and pharmacies, while legislation to make vaccination mandatory will be drafted for early [next year](https://www.financedigest.com/novartis-to-spin-off-generics-business-sandoz-next-year.html "Novartis to spin off generics business Sandoz next year").

“We have understood that the situation is very serious and that we want to take further measures in addition to those already taken,” Chancellor Angela Merkel told a news conference.

A nationwide [vaccination mandate could take effect from February 2022 after it is debated in the Bundestag and after guidance from Germany’s](https://www.financedigest.com/first-foreign-covid-vaccines-head-to-china-from-germany.html "First foreign COVID vaccines head to China from Germany") Ethics Council, she said.

Eager to [avoid derailing a fragile recovery of Europe’s biggest](https://www.financedigest.com/top-ten-biggest-mistakes-by-novice-investors-and-how-to-avoid-them.html "TOP TEN BIGGEST MISTAKES BY NOVICE INVESTORS – AND HOW TO AVOID THEM") economy, Germany kept businesses open to the almost 69% of the population that is fully vaccinated as well as those with proof of having recovered from the virus.

Much remains unknown about Omicron, which was first detected in [southern Africa](https://www.financedigest.com/recognising-the-surprise-pe-investment-potential-in-southern-africa.html "Recognising the surprise PE investment potential in southern Africa") last month and has been spotted in at least two dozen countries, just as parts of Europe were already grappling with a wave of infections of the Delta variant.

But the European Union’s public health agency said Omicron could be [responsible for more than half of all COVID](https://www.financedigest.com/pfizer-biontechs-updated-covid-shot-shows-strong-response-against-bq-1-1.html "Pfizer/BioNTech’s updated COVID shot shows strong response against BQ.1.1") infections in Europe within a few months, lending weight to preliminary information about its high transmissibility.

In the United States, the Biden administration was expected to [announce steps included extending requirements](https://www.financedigest.com/thomson-reuters-announces-suite-of-reference-data-capabilities-to-help-financial-industry-meet-mifid-ii-transparency-and-reporting-requirements.html "Thomson Reuters Announces Suite of Reference Data Capabilities to Help Financial Industry Meet MiFID II Transparency and Reporting Requirements") https://www.reuters.com/world/us/exclusive-us-extend-transit-mask-mandate-through-mid-march-sources-2021-12-01 for travellers to wear masks through mid-March.

By early [next week the United States will require inbound international travellers to be tested](https://www.financedigest.com/china-arrivals-in-uk-next-week-will-not-face-compulsory-covid-tests-independent.html "China arrivals in UK next week will not face compulsory COVID tests -Independent") for COVID-19 within a day of departure, regardless of vaccination status.

It will also require private health [insurance companies to reimburse customers](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-banks-and-insurers-told-to-step-up-help-for-struggling-customers.html "UK banks and insurers told to step up help for struggling customers") for at-home COVID-19 tests, a senior administration official said.

Biden is due to spell out the measures at 1840 GMT.

[TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-to-restrict-travel-rules-for-russians-split-on-how-far-to-go.html "EU to restrict travel rules for Russians, split on how far to go")

South Africa said it was seeing an increase in [COVID-19 reinfections in patients contracting](https://www.financedigest.com/factbox-world-leaders-who-contracted-covid-19.html "Factbox-World leaders who contracted COVID-19") Omicron – with people who have already had the illness getting infected again – in a way that it did not see with other variants.

The first known U.S. case https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-reports-first-case-omicron-variant-2021-12-01, announced late on Wednesday, was a fully vaccinated person in California who had travelled to [South Africa](https://www.financedigest.com/ancs-failed-foreign-policy-hurting-south-africa.html "ANC’s failed foreign policy hurting South Africa"). The two French cases, in the greater Paris region and in eastern France, were passengers arriving respectively from Nigeria and [South Africa](https://www.financedigest.com/south-africa-printing-inks-market-to-reap-excessive-revenues-by-2021-2031.html "South Africa Printing Inks Market to Reap Excessive Revenues by 2021-2031 ").

Global shares fell on Thursday, reversing gains from the previous session as a lack of information about Omicron left markets volatile, while crude [oil futures extended](https://www.financedigest.com/oil-prices-extend-gains-with-falling-supplies-in-focus.html "Oil prices extend gains with falling supplies in focus") losses.

[Russia has imposed a two-week quarantine for travellers from some African countries including South](https://www.financedigest.com/ukraine-asks-for-south-korea-cybersecurity-aid-amid-russia-invasion.html "Ukraine asks for South Korea cybersecurity aid amid Russia invasion") Africa, the Interfax news agency said, quoting a senior official. [Hong Kong](https://www.financedigest.com/screening-of-winnie-the-pooh-horror-film-cancelled-in-hong-kong.html "Screening of ‘Winnie the Pooh’ horror film cancelled in Hong Kong") extended a travel ban to more countries.

Amid all the new restrictions, [Europe’s largest budget](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-travel-europe-on-a-budget.html "How to travel Europe on a budget") airline, Ryanair, said it expected a challenging time at Christmas, although it was still optimistic about summer demand.

In the Netherlands, health authorities called for pre-flight COVID-19 tests for all travel from outside the European Union, after it [turned out that most of the passengers who tested positive after arriving on two flights from South](https://www.financedigest.com/setsquared-helps-turn-basingstoke-into-the-souths-next-tech-and-innovation-hub.html "SETsquared helps turn Basingstoke into the South’s next tech and innovation hub") Africa on Nov. 26 had been vaccinated.

In France, the [country’s top](https://www.financedigest.com/china-us-india-among-the-top-36-countries-for-marketplace-expansion-in-2018.html "China, US, India among the top 36 countries for marketplace expansion in 2018") scientific adviser, Jean-Francois Delfraissy, said the “true enemy” for now was still the more familiar Delta variant of the virus, spreading in a fifth wave.

Laboratory [analysis of the antibody-based COVID-19](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-of-covid-19-crisis-driven-growth-opportunities-in-glyoxylic-acid-market.html "Analysis of COVID-19 Crisis-driven Growth Opportunities in Glyoxylic Acid Market") therapy GlaxoSmithKline is developing with U.S. partner Vir has indicated the drug is effective against Omicron, the British drugmaker said.

[(Reporting by Reuters](https://www.financedigest.com/thomson-reuters-report-reveals-risk-compliance-staff-expect-to-see-significant-benefits-from-artificial-intelligence-ai-and-distributed-ledger-technologies.html "Thomson Reuters Report Reveals Risk & Compliance Staff Expect to See Significant Benefits from Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Distributed Ledger Technologies") bureauxWriting by Ingrid MelanderEditing by Nick Macfie and Frances Kerry)


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