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The law, enacted by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi last month, adds more red tape to existing abortion restrictions, bars public health-care providers from offering free contraception, prohibits voluntary sterilization and offers more benefits to childbearing families, among other measures. The law also expands the role of security agencies in surveilling who accesses what services — adding to the ways the Iranian state can control the private lives of citizens. (Berger, 12/1)

As the world responds to newly emerged Omicron variant, the battle against Delta (B1617.2)-driven surges continues, with activity showing signs of a plateau last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday in its weekly snapshot of the pandemic. With the Omicron variant adding a new wrinkle to a pandemic about to enter its third year, the World Health Assembly (WHA)—meeting in a special session for only the second time in its 73-year-old history—today agreed to begin drafting and negotiating an international agreement to boost pandemic preparedness and response. (Schnirring, 12/1)

Long lines for getting vaccines have returned to Portugal and Spain, two neighboring European Union nations that, despite having inoculation figures that are the envy of the world, are stepping up efforts to close the gap on the few residents still unvaccinated. Both nations have reported cases of the omicron variant. The Iberian neighbors were rocked by the first waves of the pandemic that left tens of thousands dead. Since then, the two have become models for international health experts, who have applauded their populations’ trust in COVID-19 vaccines. (Parra, Alves and Wilson, 12/1)

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday said member nations should consider making COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for citizens, the Associated Press reported. “It is understandable and appropriate to lead this discussion now - how we can encourage and potentially think about mandatory vaccination within the European Union,” Von der Leyen, who leads the European Union's executive arm, told reporters. (Oshin, 12/1)

Britain's drug regulator on Thursday approved GSK (GSK.L) and Vir Biotechnology's (VIR.O) antibody based COVID-19 treatment, Xevudy, for people with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk of developing severe disease. The approval comes as GSK separately announced the treatment has shown to work against the Omicron variant. (Aripaka, 12/2)

South Africa’s new cases of COVID-19 nearly doubled in a day, authorities reported Wednesday, signaling a dramatic surge in the country where scientists detected the omicron variant last week. New confirmed cases rose to 8,561 Wednesday from 4,373 a day earlier, according to official statistics. Scientists in South Africa said they are bracing for a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases following the discovery of the new omicron variant. (Meldrum, 12/1)

A South African music festival was halted after dozens of COVID-19 tests conducted on-site came back positive, The Toronto Sun reported. The Ballito Rage music festival began on Tuesday in the town of Ballito, which is located on South Africa’s eastern coast. Within the first eight hours of the festival, 940 people in attendance took COVID-19 tests and 32 festival-goers and four staffers tested positive, according to the Sun. (Oshin, 12/1)

South Korea broke its daily record for coronavirus infections for a second straight day on Thursday with more than 5,200 new cases, as pressure mounted on a health care system grappling with rising hospitalizations and deaths. The rapid delta-driven spread comes amid the emergence of the new omicron variant, which is seen as potentially more contagious than previous strains of the virus, and has fueled concerns about prolonged pandemic suffering. South Korea confirmed its first five omicron cases Wednesday night linked to arrivals from Nigeria, prompting the government to tighten its border controls. (Tong-Hyung, 12/2)

The travel bans and border closures prompted by the Omicron variant likely won't fully prevent its spread, but that won't stop countries from leaning on the measures. The rapid speed at which countries turned to travel bans with the emergence of Omicron indicates border controls will increasingly become a weapon against infectious disease — whether or not public health experts agree they are effective. (Walsh, 12/1)