The new variant, dubbed Omicron right now, seems to be more infections. It has multiple mutations. Little else is known about it now.
It's appeared in Hong Kong.
New York has declared a state of emergency in anticipation of the new Omicron variant of the disease arriving there.
The US has banned flights from a collection of southern African nations.
The Dow dropped 800 points in a day and oil plummeted.
By the end of the day, I suspect a lot of global travel restrictions will be in place. Having said that, my suspicion is twofold; 1) it's already broken out of Africa, as supported by reports of it having made its way into Belgium, Hong Kong and the UK; and 2) the US will be slow to really restrict travel in a way that will address the problem, justifying New York's reaction.
My added prediction is that it will turn out the vaccines are in fact effective at preventing it and/or reducing its severity in break through cases. Nonetheless, this will have no impact on getting people to accept getting vaccinated.
Only 35% of South Africans are vaccinated. Not because they don't want to be, but because distribution of vaccines in the Third World in general, and Africa in particular, is poor.
This points something out, however. As long as this is the case, and South Africa's percentages are higher than most of Africa's, these mutations are going to keep on keeping on and sooner or later it will be the case that there will be a variant that vaccinations are ineffective as to, assuming that this isn't the case for this variant, and we'll be taking a big step backwards.
In other words, there needs to be a full scale effort to address the situation in the developing worlds.
Secondly, without even checking it, and even as we are all at the point where we know of people who have died, there will be those in the first world who are going to claim that the Omicron variant is proof of some giant conspiracy. It isn't. Rather, we don't have this beat yet.
Japan has barred entry to all non-resident foreigners.
Anthony Fauci appeared on all three weekend news shows and stated that the Omicron variant will get into the US eventually, but current measures are buying time, which can be used to figure out how to react to it.
Very little is actually known about the new variant, other than it appears highly infectious.
All National Guard and Reserve members have been ordered to be vaccinated.
The disease is now in the US, which I predicted, FWIW, that it already was. The first person to be diagnosed with it was fully vaccinated and has a mild case. The Californian had travelled to South Africa.
The day prior, the first identified case in Canada had been reported. It's undoubtedly fairly far spread in North America by now.
How effective vaccinations are against this variant is not yet known, but the suspicion is that they are at least somewhat effective. They may be as effective as with prior variants, or less so, it's just not known. With this being the case, this entry is interesting:
It should be noted that the caption has a typographical error in it. It should be "Governors'", not "Governor's"
Numerous Omicron cases have popped up around the country, including a case in Colorado.
It's almost inevitable that Omicron is going to spread around the country. Early reports have it as more infective than other variants or at least as infective as Delta and early studies suggest, but don't yet prove, that it is likely to be able to break through with the vaccinated more easily. It does seem that break through cases are "mild".
The origin of the multiple mutation Omicron remains a mystery, but a leading theory is that it mutated in a single individual over a long period of time, as that individual was likely immune compromised and couldn't clear the disease. The suggestion is that the person was likely HIV infected, which is leading some to point out the need to address HIV in southern Africa.
There were mixed messages on the weekend shows about the new Omicron variant.
There has been some suggestion that its less severe in its infections than prior variants, but that message is tampered by the fact that the observed cases have included a lot of breakthrough cases in South Africa. It seems to be more infectious.
A Moderna representative on This Week termed its emergence "the worst possible scenario".
Modern and Pfizer are expected to have vaccines developed within three months.
Everyone is urging that the unvaccinated get vaccinated and that those who have not been boosted receive boosters.
It's also abundantly clear at this point that until that point at which a high percentage of the population is vaccinated the disease will continue to mutate, and the pandemic will continue on. This also makes it clear that populations in less developed parts of the world need to be vaccinated.
Pfizer announced that with the booster, its three shot (now) vaccine provides good protection against the Omicron variant.
New York and Maine have deployed some National Guard medics to facilities to deal with Delta outbreaks in those locations.
Mask mandates are now in effect in Denver.
1% of all US seniors have died from COVID 19.
The United States Supreme Court has turned away challenges of state mandates from three states.
40% of new cases in the UK are the Omicron variant.
27 members of the Air Force have been discharged for failing to follow the vaccination order. While I didn't see it in the article, this would presumably be a bad conduct discharge.
Frankly, as a former National Guardsman, I find the Governor's actions here simply appalling.
The National Guard is a reserve of the Army and Air Force, and are part of it. You surrendered your liberty on this when you signed up, and that's just the way it is.
Canadians have been urged not to engage in non-essential international travel.
The University of Wyoming is keeping its mask mandate until mid-February.
Slightly over 100 Marines have been separated from the service for failing to receive vaccinations per orders.
Omicron has appeared in Albany County, Wyoming. No doubt it's all over the state by now.
The Netherlands have entered a month long lockdown.
Harvard will be remote again for January.
The State of Wyoming is joining in a multi state appeal to the United States Supreme Court to resolve the legality of OSHA Coronavirus mandates.
President Trump, who earlier indicated he probably wouldn't get a booster, admitted before a crowd when asked by a Fox news personality if he had, that he did. This elicited boos from the crowd.
The NHL is not going to the Winter Olympics due to COVID in an attempt to salvage the rest of its professional season, which is suffering due to ongoing Pandemic related cancellations.
Bill Gates cancelled his travel plans for the holidays.
The longer the virus is around, the more likely variants
form that may be deadlier than the ones that have come before.THE
PRESIDENT: Good afternoon. I promised when I got elected that I’d
always give it to you straight from the shoulder — the good, the bad, the
truth.
So, as we head into Christmas weekend, I want to answer your questions
about the rising number of COVID cases — COVID-19 cases.
And I want to start by acknowledging how tired, worried, and frustrated I
know you are. I know how you’re feeling.
For many of you, this will be the first or even the second Christmas where
you look — across the table will be an empty kitchen chair there.
Tens of millions have gotten sick, and we’ve all experienced an upheaval
in our lives.
But while COVID has been a tough adversary, we’ve shown that we’re tougher
— tougher because we have the power of science and vaccines that prevent
illness and save lives, and tougher because of our resolve.
So, that — let me answer some questions that lay out the steps the Vice
President and I are taking to prepare for the rising number of cases experts
tell us we could expect in the weeks ahead.
First, how concerned should you be about Omicron, which is now the
dominant variant in this country and it happened so quickly?
The answer is straightforward: If you are not fully vaccinated, you have
good reason to be concerned. You’re at a high risk of getting sick.
And if you get sick, you’re likely to spread it to others, including friends
and family. And the unvaccinated have a significantly higher risk of
ending up in a hospital or even dying.
Almost everyone who has died from COVID-19 in the past many months has
been unvaccinated. Unvaccinated.
But if you’re among the majority of Americans who are fully vaccinated,
and especially if you’ve gotten the booster shot — that third shot — you’re
much — you have much, much less reason to worry. You have a high degree
of protection against severe illness.
And because Omicron spreads so easily, we’ll see some fully vaccinated
people get COVID, potentially in large numbers. There will be positive
cases in every office, even here in the White House, among the unv- — among the
vaccinated — among the vaccinated — from Omicron.
But these cases are highly unlikely to lead to serious illness.
Vaccinated people who get COVID may get ill, but they’re protected from
severe illness and death. That’s why you should still remain vigilant.
According to our doctors, even if you’re fully vaccinated, you should wear
a mask when indoors in public settings.
Wearing a mask provides extra protection for you and those around
you. And I know some Americans are wondering if you can safely celebrate
the holidays with your family and friends.
The answer is yes, you can, if you and those you celebrate with are
vaccinated, particularly if you’ve gotten your booster shot.
If you are vaccinated and follow the precautions that we all know well,
you should feel comfortable celebrating Christmas and the holidays as you
planned it.
You know, you’ve done the right thing. You could enjoy the holiday
season.
And thanks to the progress on vaccinations this fall, we’ve gone from
nearly 90 million adults in July who had not even started their vaccination
process to fewer than 40 million today. Still too many, but down from 90
to 40.
All these people who have not been vaccinated, you have an obligation to
yourselves, to your family, and, quite frankly — I know I’ll get criticized for
this — to your country.
Get vaccinated now. It’s free. It’s convenient. I
promise you, it saves lives. And I, honest to God, believe it’s your
patriotic duty.
Another question folks are asking is: What can you do to make yourself and
your family feel safer and be safer? The answer is simple: Get your
booster shot. Wear a mask.
Our doctors have made it clear: Booster shots provide the strongest of
protections. Unfortunately, we still have tens of millions of people who
are eligible for the booster shot who have not yet gotten it. They’ve
gotten the first two shots, but they’ve not gotten the booster.
Folks, the booster shots are free and widely available. Over 60
million Americans, including 62 percent of eligible seniors, our most vulnerable
group, have gotten their booster shots.
I got my booster shot as soon as they were available. And just the
other day, former President Trump announced he had gotten his booster
shot. It may be one of the few things he and I agree on.
People with booster shots are highly protected. Join them.
Join us. It’s been six months or more since my second shot. If it’s
been six months or more for your second shot — when I got my booster — you can
get yours today if you’ve been six months or more since your second shot.
Another question that folks are asking is: Are we going back to March 2020
— not this last March 2021, but March 2020 — when the pandemic first hit?
That’s what I keep getting asked.
The answer is absolutely no. No.
Here are three big differences between then and now: One — number one —
the first one — more than 200 million Americans have been fully
vaccinated. In March of 2020, no one was fully vaccinated. What
that means is, today, as cases — a case of COVID-19 for a fully vaccinated and
boosted person will most likely mean no symptoms or mild ones similar to the
common respiratory viruses.
Over 200 million Americans should have the peace of mind that they did not
have in March of 2020: They’re protected from hospitalization, and they’re
protected from death.
Second point: We’re prepared today for what’s coming. In March of
2020, we were not ready. Today, we’ve spocktiled [sic] enough — we’ve
stockpiled enough gowns, masks, and ventilators to deal with the surge of
hospitalizations among the unvaccinated.
Today, we’re ready.
And as I’ll explain in a few minutes, we’re going to be reinforcing our
hospitals, helping them.
Number three, we know a lot more today than we did back in March of
2020. For example, last year, we thought the only way to keep your
children safe was to close your — close our schools.
Today, we know more and we have more resources to keep those schools
open. We can — you can get 5- to 11-year-olds vaccinated — a tool we
didn’t have until last month.
Today, we don’t have to shut down schools because of a case of
COVID-19. Now, if a student tests positive, other students can take the
test and stay in the classroom if they’re not infected rather than closing the
whole school or having to quarantine.
We can keep our K-through-12 schools open, and that’s exactly what we
should be doing.
So, folks, let me summarize: We should all be concerned about Omicron but
not panicked. If you’re fully vaccinated, and especially if you got your
booster shot, you are highly protected. And if you’re unvaccinated,
you’re at higher risk of getting severely ill from COVID-19, getting
hospitalized, and even dying.
So, the best thing to do is get fully vaccinated and get your booster
shot.
And, no, this is not March of 2020. Two hundred million people are
fully vaccinated. We’re prepared. We know more. We just have
to stay focused. So that’s where we stand.
Now, let me tell you about the additional steps I’m ordering today to take
on what is coming. I know you’ve heard a lot of this in the news already
this morning.
Three weeks ago, I laid out a COVID-19 Action Plan for this winter that
prepared us for this moment. Today, we’re making the plan even stronger.
First, we’re setting up our vaccination and booster efforts — we’re
stepping it up significantly. In the past two weeks, we’ve seen the
highest vaccination rates since last spring. And we aren’t as vaccinated,
as a country, as we should be, though. That’s why we have added 10,000
new vaccination sites on top of the 80,000 sites that are already we had — we
already had in place, and even more will open in January.
I know there are some parts of this country where people are very eager to
get their booster, where it’s harder to get an appointment. Excuse
me. (Coughs.)
So starting this week, I’ll be deploying hundreds more vaccinators and
more sites to help get the booster shots in people’s arms.
I’ve ordered FEMA — the Federal Emergency Management Agency –- to stand up
new pop-up vaccination clinics all across the country where you can get that
booster shot.
We’ve opened — (coughs) — excuse me — we’ve opened FEMA vaccination sites
in Washington State and New Mexico recently as cases have increased. And
today, I’m directing FEMA to stand up new sites in areas where there is high
demand.
These steps are going to help us add more — more and more booster
appointments in over — just over the next few weeks.
I also want to say a word to parents: If your children are not vaccinated,
please get them vaccinated. If you’re a parent -– understandably — who
waited to see how the first shots went with other kids before getting your own
kid vaccinated, you can stop waiting. Six million children in our country
ages 5 to 11 are vaccinated. Get your children protected today — now.
And for those parents out there who have a child that’s too young to be
vaccinated — that is under the age of five — I know this can still be a scary
time. But one thing — one thing you can and must do while we await
vaccines for children under five: Get yourself fully vaccinated and boosted, as
well as those around you — your children, your caregivers, your siblings.
It’s critical to mask up in public indoor places.
We know that our youngest children have only rarely been impacted by
serious COVID cases — COVID-19 cases, but they can be further protected if
they’re surrounded by vaccinated people.
And again, to folks who are not vaccinated: You may think you’re putting
only yourself at risk, but it’s your choice. Your choice is not just a choice
about you; it affects other people. You’re putting other people at risk —
your loved ones, your friends, neighbors, strangers you run into. And
your choice can be the difference between life or death.
The longer the virus is around, the more likely variants form that may be
deadlier than the ones that have come before.
Let me say again and again and again and again: Please get
vaccinated. It’s the only responsible thing to do. And those who
are not vaccinated are causing hospitals to overrun — become overrun again.
I just spoke to the governor of New York. Every COVID-19 hospital [hospitalization] means
someone with a heart attack, cancer, or other serious illness may not get that
bed and that lifesaving care they need in the hospital.
Look, let me give it to you straight again: Omicron is serious,
potentially deadly business for unvaccinated people.
Let me be clear: Thanks to the prior administration and our scientific
community, America is one of the first countries to get the vaccine. And
thanks to my administration and the hard work of Americans, we led a rollout
that made America among the world leaders in getting shots in arms.
But uptake slowed this summer as vaccine resistance among some
hardened. Look, the unvaccinated are responsiblefor their own choices. But those choices have been fueled by
dangerous misinformation on cable TV and social media.
You know, these companies and personalities are making money by peddling
lies and allowing misinformation that can kill their own customers and their
own supporters.
It’s wrong, it’s immoral, and I call on the purveyors of these lies and
misinformation to stop it. Stop it now.
One of the other things that we know that has to be done is more
testing. Because Omicron spreads easily, especially among the
unvaccinated, it’s critically important that we know who’s infected. That
means we need more testing.
And on that score, we are now [not]
where we should be.
Yes, we have over 20,000 free testing sites. Yes, we’ve used the
Defense Production Act and spent $3 billion to greatly expand the number of
at-home tests available for purchase online and at your local pharmacy.
And, yes, we’ve made sure insurance covers the PCR tests you get in a hospital
or at your doctor’s office.
But, starting next month, private insurance will all cover — also cover
at-home testing so you can order a test online and get reimbursed. We’re
providing access to free at-home tests for those who may have insurance as well
— may not have insurance, I should say, as well.
But it’s not enough. We have to do more. We have to do better,
and we will.
Starting this week, the federal government will set up emergency testing
sites in areas that need additional testing capacity. Before Christmas,
the first several of these federal testing sites will be up and running in New
York City with many more to come.
This free testing is going to help reduce the waiting lines — the time you
have to stand there and — and sometimes it’s an hour or more.
We’re going to continue to add federal testing sites where needed so that
if you want an immediate test, there will be a place where you can go get it.
We also need to do better with at-home testing. So, I’m announcing
today: The federal government will purchase one half billion — that’s not
million; billion with a “B” — additional at-home rapid tests, with deliveries
starting in January.
We’ll be getting these tests to Americans for free. And we’ll have
websites where you can get them delivered to your home.
We have arranged for it to be easier for you to find a free COVID testing
site near you on Google. Just enter “COVID test near me” in the Google
search bar and you can find a number of different locations nearby where you
can get tested.
And we’re going to continue to use the Defense Production Act as we did
earlier this month to make sure we’re producing as many tests and as quickly as
possible.
The bottom line is it’s a lot better than it was, but we’re taking even
more steps to make it easier to get tested and get tested for free.
Next, we are preparing hospitals for what’s coming. Those 40
[million] unvaccinated adults have a good chance of getting COVID-19, and some
of you will get very sick. That will mean hospitals are going to get
extremely stressed — extremely stressed again, both in terms of equipment as
well as personnel to care for those who get sick.
That’s why my administration has stockpiled and pre-positioned millions of
gowns, gloves, masks, and ventilators. We used to call it PPP [PPE]. We’re ready to send
them immediately to any state that needs more.
In addition, I have directed the Pentagon to mobilize an additional 1,000
troops to be deployed to help staff local hospitals and expand capacity.
That’s 1,000 military doctors, nurses, and medics. We’ve already started
moving — military — excuse me, medical teams. They’ve already landed in
Wisconsin and Indiana this week.
And this is on top of 300 federal medical — medical personnel that are now
on the ground, having deployed since we learned about Omicron.
Look, while we know staffing is the biggest need for our hospitals, some
may need more beds as well. We’re prepared. I’ve directed FEMA to
activate the National Response Center and begin deploying teams now to provide
additional hospital beds. We’ll begin to construct emergency capacity
near hospitals, in parking garages, and nearby buildings to be ready if needed.
And the fuderal [sic] — the federal government is paying for all of this —
period — all of it.
Further, FEMA will deploy hundreds of ambulances and EMS crews so that if
one hospital fills up, we can transport patients to beds elsewhere.
This week, we will send dozens of ambulances to New York and Maine,
because of the — because the COVID is spreading very rapidly, to help transport
patients.
Our doctors, nurses, hospital staffs have gone above and beyond during
this pandemic. The strain and stress is real. I really mean
it. It’s real. And we’ll have their backs though. We have to
let them know we have their backs.
Finally, we’re making sure that COVID-19 no longer closes businesses or
schools. Last week, the federal court reinstated my administration’s
vaccination-or-test — the vaccination-or-test rule for businesses with more
than 100 employees.
The rule requires employers with 100 or more employeesto protect their workers who are on site and indoors with a requirement
that they be vaccinated or tested each week or go home.
These rules are going to keep workers safe. And keep workers safe
will help keep businesses open. If people are vaccinated or tested, they
are much less likely to get sick and less likely to spread it to others.
Customers are more likely to come in and shop because they know it’s a safe
environment.
I know vaccination requirements are unpopular for many. They’re not
even popular for those who are anxious to get them.
But my administration has put them in place not to control your life, but
to save your life and the lives of others. Over 400,000 Americans died
from COVID this calendar year — and almost all were unvaccinated, almost all
were preventable.
The rule is legal and effective, and it’s going to save thousands of
American lives.
We must also keep our K-12 schools open. Look, the science is clear
and overwhelming. We know how to keep our kids safe from COVID-19 in
school. K-through-12 schools should be open. And that safety is
increased if schools require all adults who work in the schools to get
vaccinated and take the safety measures that CDC has recommended, including
masking.
I got Congress to pass billions of dollars in school improvements,
ventilation, and social distancing. Schools should be safer than ever
from COVID-19.
And just Friday, the CDC issued test-to-stay guidelines, so schools can
stay open and kids can stay in class even if a classmate tests positive.
COVID-19 is scary. But the science is clear: Children are as safe as
— are — as safe in school as they are anyplace, assuming the appropriate
precautions have been taken, and they’ve already been funded.
Let me close with this: I know you’re tired — I really mean this — and I
know you’re frustrated. We all want this to be over. But we’re
still in it, and this is a critical moment. But we also have more tools
than we’ve ever had before.
We’re ready. We’ll get through this.
As we head into the holidays, I want us to all keep the faith.
I want to sincerely thank you for your perseverance, your courage, your
countless acts of kindness, love, and sacrifice during these last two years.
Throughout our history, we’ve been tested as a people and as a nation.
Through war and turmoil, we had to ask whether we’d be safe, whether we’d be
okay, whether we’d be — get back to who we are.
We’ve always endured because we remember there is no challenge too big for
America — I mean this from the bottom of my heart — no challenge.
We’ve come through better and stronger because we stay together as the
United States of America.
That’s what we have to keep doing today. We can do this together, I
guarantee you.
May God bless you all, and may God protect our troops. And happy
holidays. God love you all. Thank you.
Q Mr. President, on testing, sir, you said, “We have to do
better.” But public health officials have been saying, for months, you
need to surge rapid test for just this moment.
Is it a failure that you don’t have an adequate amount of tests for everyone to
be able to get one if they need one right now?
THE PRESIDENT: No, it’s not, because COVID is spreading so rapidly, if
you notice. It just — just happened almost overnight, just in the last
month. And —
Q What’s your message —
THE PRESIDENT: I’m going to answer his question.
Q Mr. Pres- —
THE PRESIDENT: And so, no, it’s not a failure, but the alarm bell went
off. I don’t think anybody anticipated that this was going to be as
rapidly spreading as it did.
And so, the question is: We had a lot of people who have access to a test, who
could order them, could — could have their insurance pay for them, et cetera.
But it all started — all of a sudden, it was like everybody rushed to the
counter. There was a big, big rush. And I knew that was coming, so
what I tried to do is meet with the companies and use the Defense Production
Act to get a half a billion more tests and figure out how to get them to their
homes, get them on the shelves in the store.
I mean, so that — that’s what it’s all about.
Yes?
Q Mr. President, what’s your message to Americans who are
trying to get tested now and who are not able to get tested and who are
wondering what took so long to ramp up testing?
THE PRESIDENT: Come on. What took so long?
Q That’s what — I’m hearing that from people who are trying
to get tested now before the holidays.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, what took so long is — it didn’t take long at
all. What happened was the Omicron virus spread even more rapidly than
anybody thought.
If I had told you four weeks ago that this would spread by — a day-to-day basis
it would spread by 50, 100 percent, 200 percent, 500 percent, I think you would
have looked at me and say, “Biden, what are you drinking?” But that’s
what it did.
Now, we don’t know what’s going to happen from here. It looks — there’s
some evidence that, in South Africa where a lot of this started, that it’s
dropping off quickly, too. We don’t know.
But I do know that we’re not going to be in a position, like I said when we —
remember we were having a problem with masks and gowns and the like? I
said, “I promise you.”
Remember the critici- — I got questions from some of you. “Why are you
still paying for all these masks and gowns? Why you stockpiling
this?” Because we don’t know. It turns out we’re going to need them.
In the back, and then —
Q Do travel bans work, sir, and will you reverse the travel
ban now that Omicron is so prevalent here in the U.S.?
THE PRESIDENT: I’m considering reversing. I’m going to talk with my
team in the next couple of days.
Look, remember why I said we put the travel ban on: It’s to see how much time
we had before it hit here so we could begin to decide what we needed by looking
at what’s happening in other countries.
And — but we’re past that now. And so, it’s something that is being
raised with me by the docs, and I’ll have an answer for that soon
