Dozens of nations are dealing with the rapid spread of the variant, with infections like “nothing we’ve seen before” in the U.K., according to the country’s Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who said yesterday that it could be spreading to up to 200,000 people each day and become the dominant strain in just weeks.

Some governments are waiting for more evidence to emerge about the severity of Omicron before acting but others - mainly in Europe - have chosen strict vaccine-based restrictions on socializing and employment as booster shots get rolled out at an unprecedented speed.

The takeup of the booster has been rapidly increasing in recent weeks following the discovery of the Omicron variant - detected in at least 30 states so far.

She is expected to outline her plans - among other restrictions - to MSPs in the Scottish Parliament this afternoon.

It is the first of the U.K. nations to announce any type of restrictions to gatherings at Christmas - something unlikely and politically challenging for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to enact in England.

Speaking in advance of the statement, Sturgeon warned that there may be “targeted and proportionate” measures introduced in the coming week.

She joins at least two other MPs, according to the Yorkshire Post, who have tested positive today.

The worker, a fully-vaccinated woman in her 20s at Academia Sinica’s Genomics Research Center, became infected last week following the incident.

Authorities have since confirmed that the woman had been bitten twice by mice that had been infected with the virus.

FULL STORY: COVID Lab Leak Probe After Scientist Bitten by Infected Animal

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said the recent lab test “underscores the treatment candidate’s potential to save the lives of patients around the world” - including those with the Omicron variant.

Thousands of delegates attended the conference but a spike in Scotland’s infection rate around the same time was “primarily driven by rising cases among children”, the report said.

Despite this, the news outlet reports that Smestad school in Oslo closed from today due the COVID spike, as well as 30 teachers who have called in sick at a single school in Viken. The country’s infection rate has soared in recent weeks, with a rolling seven-day average of over 4,000 cases a day - up from the hundreds in late October.

Despite this, over a third of the respondents said they are very or extremely worried about themselves or a loved one contracting COVID - a nine percent increase from October.

FULL STORY: 57 Percent of Americans Still Wear Masks Around Others When Leaving Home - poll

The U.K. has chosen to cut the time in half to three months, while Australia has cut it to five - but what difference does it make?

Virologist Professor Lawrence Young told the Guardian has was “a bit worried” about the British tactic, citing studies that show a longer wait for a follow-up shot is generally more effective.

But largely the effects are not overly noticeable, with a booster shot delivered three months and above showing above-average levels of protection so far.

The study was based on over 200,000 positive COVID test results from the three weeks to December 7 - around 78,000 of which were the variant.

The government’s website currently lists the number of new infections, hospitalizations, ventilator uses, and deaths, but does not break down the numbers by area or provide any visual tools such as graphs and maps.

Journalist Illes Szurovecz told the Associated Press it would be “virtually impossible” to track the spread of the virus if it was not being reported extensively in the media, while immunologist and emeritus professor at Semmelweis University, Andras Falus, said that the country’s pandemic response “would have been much more effective” if more thorough data had been published.

FULL STORY: Hungary’s Lack of Transparency Hurting Pandemic Recovery, Media and Health Officials Say

It is unclear whether the target will be met, however, with almost one million vaccines needing to be delivered each day until the end of December.

Further restrictions in the U.K. are not being ruled out depending on the latest evidence about Omicron and its potential impact on the country.

The deputy PM claimed numbers were “in the low hundreds” to one broadcaster, then suggested only nine were hospitalized with Omicron - but officials soon after clarified that in fact 10 people were currently being cared for.

Follow Newsweek’s liveblog throughout Tuesday for all the latest updates.