Omicron arrives to our shores, Harbour Bridge cycle lane ruled out and a bouncy castle tragedy in the latest NZ Herald headlines. With so many questions outstanding, uncertainty reigned over how quickly and how severely to crack down on Christmas travel and end-of-year parties. In the US, meanwhile, the White House insisted there was no need for a lockdown, despite signs that Omicron was gaining ground there. Authorities in the 27-nation European Union say Omicron will be the dominant variant in the bloc by mid-January. French Prime Minister Jean Castex said the measures are being imposed "in the face of the extremely rapid spread of the omicron variant in the UK".

Source: New Zealand Herald December 16, 2021 19:14 UTC