The coronavirus has reached remote Antarctica, striking most of the 25 Belgian staffers at a research station, despite all of them being fully vaccinated, passing multiple PCR tests, and quarantining before arrival.
Two thirds of the researchers working in Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth Polar Station have caught Covid, the Daily Telegraph reported, “proving there is no escape from the global pandemic.”
None of the cases are severe, according to the Telegraph. There are two emergency doctors at the station monitoring the situation.
All 25 researchers were fully vaccinated and one had a booster shot. Before leaving for the station, they underwent a PCR test in Belgium two hours before flying to South Africa.
In South Africa, they quarantined for ten days and took another PCR test. A further test was needed when leaving Cape Town for Antarctica and a final one five days after that.
One person tested positive seven days after arriving at the station on December 14. The person was isolated but tests revealed two others had caught the virus. The three were evacuated on December 23 but the virus has continued to spread.
Belgium’s Polar Secretariat will not allow any new arrivals until the virus dissipates, and has decided the research season will be shortened, the Telegraph reported.
Staff will reportedly remain at the station until around January 12, when new expeditions will arrive.
Data continues to come in showing that the vaccines are not only powerless against the highly transmissible, but mild Omicron variant—the new strain appears to favor the fully vaccinated.
In Canada, 76.87 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, and 81.1 percent of recent cases are amongst the fully vaccinated, Dr. Ezra Kahan reported on Twitter.
A Robert Koch Institute report released on Thursday found that that 95.58 percent of the Omicron cases in Germany are fully vaccinated, including 28 percent who had received a “booster.” Only 4.42 percent of the Omicron cases in Germany are unvaccinated.
Reportedly, 71.1 percent of the total population is fully vaccinated in Germany.
In Israel, 61 percent of the cases for the week ending on Dec. 25 were boosted. Another 18 percent were fully vaccinated. Only 19 percent were unvaccinated.
With nearly all adults full vaccinated and the majority of adults boosted, Israel has seen a new seasonal wave begin with infections almost exclusively found amongst the vaccinated.
This is not what was promised one year ago when vaccines were approved. pic.twitter.com/oypNvPNn39
— PLC (@Humble_Analysis) December 30, 2021
The same pattern is being seen all over: Florida, Iceland, UK, Germany, Denmark …
Miami-Dade county claims to have 93% of anyone 18 and older vaccinated and 83% of the ENTIRE population vaxxed up. Dr. Fauci told us in May: "If you're vaccinated you won't get infected." and the vaccines "work very well against all the variants."
OK. pic.twitter.com/VtT8FxukgM— Justin Hart (@justin_hart) December 30, 2021
Iceland is the most boosted nation (58%) and has the 4th highest covid case rate on Earth.
Time to relinquish the illusion of control and admit that infections can not be prevented (at best, delayed).
Maybe focus on treatment, now? pic.twitter.com/WLMMobxMaq
— PLC (@Humble_Analysis) December 30, 2021
Page 2 of Omicron report from UK shows that only 26% of omicron hospitalizations in England are from unvaccinated. And remember omicron is hitting younger people from who more are unvaccinated. https://t.co/UdezjzgY2F pic.twitter.com/OEAikRPaB7
— Daniel Horowitz (@RMConservative) December 30, 2021
https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1476958517869395969?s=20