Covid live: boosters may protect against Omicron, says Israel’s health minister, as US checks vaccine effectiveness

Nitzan Horowitz says already room for optimism' that vaccines will cover new variant; US Food & Drug Administration checking if tweaks needed

• Omicron Covid variant present in Europe at least 10 days ago'
• Moderna boss predicts current jabs may be less effective against Omicron
• Germany's chancellor-to-be Olaf Scholz backs mandatory Covid jabs'
• All UK adults to be offered third jab by end of January, says Johnson

Stock markets in Asia have bounced back again as investors' concerns about the new Omicron Covid variant eased. In Australia the ASX200 was up more than 1%, while in Japan the Nikkei was up 0.75%.

It followed a stronger showing on Monday on Wall Street, where the Dow Jones industrial average closed up 0.6% and the broader S&P500 was up 1.2% after some hefty losses on Friday, when news of the new strain shook confidence.

There are so many unknowns about Omicron and the market has been jumping at shadows.

After such a strong run and with elevated valuations, the market will always be susceptible to the odd shakeout on news that could bring risk.

Hong Kong's very stringent system of boarding, quarantine and also testing requirements has successfully stopped the transmission of the three Omicron cases, that we have identified in our designated quarantine hotel, from going into the community.

Non-Hong Kong residents from these four places will not be allowed to enter Hong Kong.

The most stringent quarantine requirements will also be implemented on relevant inbound travellers from these places.