The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed coronavirus booster injection guidelines on Monday following the emergence of a new COVID-19 omicron variant, now recommending that all adults get a booster shot.
Previous CDC Guidelines states that everyone over the age of 50 or living in a long-term care facility “should” get a booster shot, while all other adults “can” get a booster shot at least six months after their first dose. their previous injections. The CDC says all adults should now get a booster shot.
Omicron, discovered last week in South Africa, could drive a global increase in COVID-19 cases The World Health Organization said.
The WHO says there is currently no information to suggest that symptoms associated with omicrons are different from those associated with other variants. There have been no deaths associated with the omicron variant, the WHO added. However, it said preliminary evidence raises the possibility that the variant has mutations that could help it evade an immune system response and make it more transmissible.
President Joe Biden addressed the threat of the variant Monday, once again urging Americans to get vaccinated and booster shots.
“This variation is a cause for concern, not a cause for panic,” Biden said. “We have more tools to combat variation than we’ve ever had before.”
According to CDC data, about 20% of people who are fully immunized have received a booster shot.
Also in the news:
►Pfizer and BioNTech are expected to ask the Food and Drug Administration to authorize additional injections for 16- and 17-year-olds over the next few days, Washington Post reported.
► Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the omicron variation could exacerbate supply chain disruptions and inflation in a testimony released Monday.
📈Today’s Number: The United States has recorded more than 48 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 778,000 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Global total: More than 262 million cases and 5.2 million deaths. Nearly 196 million Americans – about 59.3% of the population – are fully immunized, According to CDC.
📘What we are reading: American travelers line up planes to new pandemic heights over the Thanksgiving holiday. Will the recovery continue amid the omicron variation?
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Unvaccinated federal worker won’t be fired during holiday despite missed deadline
Most federal workers fail to meet November 22 deadline to get vaccinated against coronavirus there will be no risk of suspension or loss of employment until next year, the Biden administration said in its enforcement guidance Monday.
Instead, regulators will continue “with strong counseling and education efforts through this holiday season as the first step in enforcement,” according to the guidance.
Ninety-two percent of federal workers received at least one dose of the vaccine ahead of time, the administration announced last week. Those who remained either failed to comply with the president’s duties or requested exemptions for religious or medical reasons.
While some agencies may need to expedite enforcement if there are workplace safety or performance issues, agencies are encouraged not to take actions that go beyond education. , advice or at most a letter of reprimand until January.
The next step after a letter is suspended for a period of 14 days or less.
Workers who remain unvaccinated and have not been exempted may eventually be fired.
– Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY
Defense Secretary Says Oklahoma National Guard Must Vaccinate
Members of the Oklahoma National Guard must be vaccinated against COVID-19 Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told Governor Kevin Stitt on Monday.
The Governor of Oklahoma sent a letter to the Secretary of Defense earlier this month requesting that members of the Oklahoma National Guard be excused from the Department of Defense’s immunization duty, including active-duty personnel, ” Guards, Reserves and civilian personnel.
Austin rejected the governor’s proposal and told him in a letter that unvaccinated members of the guard could be barred from participating in drills and training, and that their status on the Guard could may be threatened.
“To maintain a ready and healthy military capable of protecting the American people, immediate vaccination against COVID-19 is an essential military readiness requirement for all members of the public. and units of the military, including the Oklahoma National Guard,” Austin said in a letter to Stitt on Monday.
– Chris Casteel, Oklahoman
Contribution: Associated Press
