Dec 22, 2021: Singapore has said it will freeze sales of all new tickets for flights and buses under its quarantine free travel scheme for four weeks from Thursday.

Citing the various threats posed by the new Omicron corona virus, the government said the move would give it time to strengthen its defenses against COVID-19. Australia rejected the idea of a Christmas lock-down and renewed its vaccination push, as growing cases of omicron led authorities to impose new sanctions and speed up COVID-19 booster shots.

Malaysia has temporarily suspended the sale of air and ground travel tickets under the Vaccinated Travel Lane scheme with Singapore until January 20, amid concerns over the spread of various types of Omicron corona virus, the health ministry said.

The move follows a similar move by Singapore to freeze all new ticket sales during the same period. Under the Vaccinated Travel Lane program, both countries allow quarantine-free entry for fully vaccinated travelers, who have to undergo multiple screenings.

The program covers about two dozen countries, including Australia, India, Malaysia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Passengers who already have tickets on flights or buses and who meet all other requirements can still travel under the program. Singapore has confirmed imported omicron cases and several local infections.

Meanwhile in the US, California healthcare workers will need to take corona virus booster shots to make sure hospitals are prepared to deal with the increase in cases as more and more transmitted Omicron spreads across different states. Governor Gavin Newsom announced the order on his personal Twitter account on Tuesday and planned to provide more details at Wednesday’s news conference.

Healthcare workers in California already need to be vaccinated against the corona virus, a directive that went into effect in September and thousands have been fired or suspended since.

New cases of COVID-19 in Australia’s most populous state reached an pandemic record on Wednesday, when Prime Minister Scott Morrison discussed preventive measures with state leaders. Morrison once again appeared at the National Cabinet meeting rejecting the lockdown and mask mandate imposed by the federal government. He said masking policies were left to state governments and Australians who should follow “common sense behavior measures”.

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