Tom Howell Jr.

States see increasing cases of omicron; ‘community spread’ found in Hawaii

Hawaii reported an omicron case in an Oahu resident who hadn't left the state, as states grapple with the likelihood that the new variant is circulating within their communities instead of coming in piecemeal on planes, and might be reinfecting people who recovered from the coronavirus.

December 3, 2021

Biden vows no more lockdowns or new mandates, pushes vaccines in winter COVID plan

President Biden said Thursday he will launch hundreds of "family" clinics to get children vaccinated and older Americans boosted against COVID-19 while requiring private insurers to reimburse Americans for at-home virus tests.

December 2, 2021

Minn. reports omicron case in traveler to NYC convention

Minnesota on Thursday reported an omicron case in a person who recently traveled to New York City for an anime convention, marking the second known instance of the variant first detected in South Africa and another sign the strain is probably lurking in several corners of the U.S.

December 2, 2021

EU agency: Omicron variant could overtake delta, cause majority of cases within a few months

European authorities on Thursday said preliminary data from South Africa and mathematical modeling suggest the omicron variant might outcompete the delta strain and will account for more than half of coronavirus infections in the European Union within the next few months.

December 2, 2021

Biden to mandate insurers reimburse for at-home rapid test for COVID; travelers must be screened

President Biden will announce a sweeping plan Thursday to combat the coronavirus this winter, requiring all U.S.-bound travelers to present a negative test within a day of departure and forcing private insurers to reimburse enrollees for the cost of rapid at-home tests.

December 2, 2021

Biden: Winter virus strategy won’t include lockdowns

President Biden said Wednesday his forthcoming plan to fight the COVID-19 this winter will not include the type of economic restrictions that marked the early response to the pandemic.

December 1, 2021

Biden to roll out new travel rules after first case of omicron found in U.S.

The first case of the omicron variant has been detected in the U.S. in a Californian who returned from South Africa on Nov. 22 and tested positive on Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.

December 1, 2021

‘Ah-mic-ron?’ ‘Oh-mic-ron? New variant becomes a tongue-twister

There are many unknowns about the omicron variant of the coronavirus, including whether it spreads faster than other strains or is more deadly. But here's another puzzler: How to pronounce it.

December 1, 2021

Former FDA chief: Omicron is definitely here, but don’t rearrange your life

Former Food and Drug Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said Wednesday it is a "foregone conclusion" that the omicron variant of the coronavirus is present in the U.S. but that doesn't mean vaccinated persons should rearrange their lives.

December 1, 2021

Biden considering new travel rules to deal with omicron variant: Report

President Biden is looking to impose a more stringent requirement for travelers entering the U.S. as he preps a Thursday speech on his plan to stave off a winter spike in COVID-19 cases and deal with the omicron threat.

December 1, 2021

Nigeria finds samples of omicron variant from October

Nigeria on Wednesday said it found a coronavirus sample with the omicron variant from October, suggesting the strain was circulating far before it burst into view last week in a cluster within South Africa.

December 1, 2021

Omicron variant spooks Wall Street; Dow takes a tumble

Financial markets reeled Tuesday after vaccine-maker Moderna predicted the omicron variant would inflict a "material drop" in their COVID-19 shots' power and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the viral strain could produce "downside" risks to in-person work and supply chains.

November 30, 2021

Fauci: Too early to conclude omicron causes mild illness

The White House said Tuesday that people should not leap to conclusions about the severity of illness from the omicron variant amid widely circulated reports about early patients who had mild symptoms.

November 30, 2021

FDA to the public: We will be nimble in response to omicron

The Food and Drug Administration assured the public Tuesday it is "actively working" with drugmakers and global partners to understand whether the omicron variant of the coronavirus can puncture existing defenses and if updated products are needed.

November 30, 2021

Justice Breyer refuses to block COVID-19 vaccine mandate at Mass. hospital

Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer on Monday rejected a request by health workers to block a large Massachusetts hospital system's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

November 30, 2021

Moderna CEO predicts drop in vaccines’ power due to omicron variant

The chief executive of Moderna, a key COVID-19 vaccine maker, predicted a "material drop" in the shots' efficacy against the omicron variant, spooking investors in early Tuesday trading amid new fears about the trajectory of the pandemic.

November 30, 2021

China’s Xi pledges 1 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to Africa in wake of omicron variant

China pledged late Monday to provide 1 billion doses of its COVID-19 vaccines to Africa amid fears of the omicron variant and jockeying with the U.S. to be viewed as a responsible nation doing its part to battle the pandemic on the world stage.

November 30, 2021

Omicron variant spreading fast, but scientists call it mild, warn not to panic

Omicron, the latest coronavirus variant with a Greek name, features a buffet of mutations suggesting it will spread faster, stiff-arm vaccines to some degree and bind tighter to human cells, but scientists aren't hitting the panic button yet.

November 29, 2021

Biden: Omicron cause for ‘concern’ but not ‘panic’

President Biden said Monday the omicron variant first detected in South Africa is "cause for concern" but "not a cause for panic."

November 29, 2021

WHO: It’s not just quantity — COVID-19 vaccine shipments to Africa must be coordinated

Vaccine donations to Africa must be more predictable and include vials with a shelf life of at least 10 weeks, the World Health Organization and partner groups said Monday, saying "ad hoc" shipments from wealthy nations with little notice make it difficult for the continent to use the shots it receives.

November 29, 2021