there is a tidal wave of omicron. there is a tidal wave of omicron coming _ omicron. there is a tidal wave of omicron coming and _ omicron. there is a tidal wave of omicron coming and i _ omicron. there is a tidal wave of omicron coming and i am - omicron. there is a tidal wave of omicron coming and i am afraidl omicron. there is a tidal wave of| omicron coming and i am afraid it omicron. there is a tidal wave of. omicron coming and i am afraid it is now clear that two doses of vaccine are simply not enough to give the level of protection we all need. a wave of omicron through a population that was not boosted would risk a level of hospitalisation that could overwhelm our nhs and lead, sadly, to very many deaths. so, we must act now. ., ., ., ., , ., now. the original target was to offer a booster _ now. the original target was to offer a booster to _ now. the original target was to offer a booster to all _ now. the original target was to offer a booster to all over - now. the original target was to offer a booster to all over 18 i now. the original target was to offe

the latest on the omicron variant of covid-19. the highly mutated strain has now been found in six u.s. states. the first in california, followed by minnesota, colorado, new york, hawaii, and nebraska. the first case confirmed late tuesday night in san francisco. a traveler who flew back to sfo from south africa on november 22 notice mild symptoms on november 25, got tested on november 28, got the positive result november 29. after that, things were set in motion resulting in the confirmation that it was omicron less than 48 hours later. the scientist whose lab made that discovery is dr. charles schumer of u.s. -- ucsf. thank you for your time. >> thank you. you >> got the sample on november 30. what was it, and what form did it come in? >> i received a phone call and email at about 3:00 p.m. that afternoon directly from the san francisco department of public health. they had found a potential case of omicron from a returning traveler from south africa. we immediately made an effort to reach out to our partner that does the testin

to be omicron. that seeing 80,000 cases today but only 12,000 seem to be omicron.- 12,000 seem to be omicron. that is 'ust 12,000 seem to be omicron. that is just because — 12,000 seem to be omicron. that is just because of _ 12,000 seem to be omicron. that is just because of how— 12,000 seem to be omicron. that is just because of how that _ 12,000 seem to be omicron. that is just because of how that data - 12,000 seem to be omicron. that is just because of how that data is - just because of how that data is collected. the number of cases known to be omicron is a vast underestimate of the true number. obviously it requires special genomic sequencing to be 100% sure a case is omicron. but we have much quicker turnaround methods for calculating whether a case is likely to be omicron. that is where we get those figures of omicron being dominant. the number of concerned on the growing cases is always much smaller because it has to go through extra checks. 50 smaller because it has to go through extr

and then, secondly, given the rapid spread of omicron and the data on protection against omicron from a booster shot versus a two-dose regimen that dr. fauci just presented, isn't it time to change the definition of “fully vaccinated” to three doses? and if not, what more data are you waiting on to make that decision? thank you. mr. zients: so, dr. walensky, on the acip, and then on the definition of “fully vaccinated.” dr. walensky: yeah, thank you for that question, jeremy. so, the acip team meets intermittently to review the safety data of all of their vaccines. and i will look forward to their discussions tomorrow, to review those data, and to any recommendations that come thereafter. in terms of the definition of “fully vaccinated,” as you know, the definition right now is two doses of an mrna vaccine or a single dose of the j&j vaccine. certainly, as dr. fauci has demonstrated, and even our cdc data have also demonstrated, we are continuing to follow that science, and it is literally evolving daily. and as that science evolves, we will continue to review the data and

suddenly, given the rapid spread of omicron and the data on production against omicron from the booster shot versus two does recommend that dr. fauci just presented, isn't it time to change the definition of fully vaccinated to three doses? if not, what more date are you waiting to make that decision? thank you. >> dr. walensky? dr. walensky: thank you for that question, jeremy. that team meets intermittently to review the safety data of other vaccines. i look forward to their discussions tomorrow and review those data and to any recommendations come thereafter. in terms of the definition of fully vaccinated, as you know, the definition now is two doses of an mrna vaccine or a single dose of the j&j vaccine. certainly, as dr. fauci terminated -- demonstrated, we are continue to follow the science. it is literally evolving daily. as the science evolves, we will continue to review the data. and, to update our recommendations if necessary. >> next question. >> we will go through a few more. joshua bloomberg. -- josh at bloomberg. >> can you give us a sense of what employers and schools sho

fauci: i think you meant to say omicron. yes, omicron is more transmissible. everything we know about it from not only south africa but the distribution throughout the world as well as in our own country, we see what is going on in new york city. we are getting beyond double digits of omicron being the primary variant. with the seriousness of infection, it is still up in the air because there are a lot of compounding issues as to whether or not it is less severe. it does not look like it is more severe, but we have to withhold judgment about the severity the last. with regard to long covid, we don't have enough information with omicron with regard to long covid. i don't expect it will be any different than delta but we have to wait until we get more experience. >> next question. >> my first question for dr. fauci, you showed data showing how little protection people have after two doses. should americans who are not eligible for their booster be concerned that they are not well acted against omicron and get boosted after -- earlier than six months? the booster

omicron. means, this is from the cdc's website, showing that omicron, as of last week, made up over 73% of new covid cases in the united states. that is the projection from the week of december the 11th through december the 18th. you can see the purple line on this chart showing the omicron variant and how much spread there is over the past three weeks, surging across the united states. it was jeff, talking about omicron spread in the united states. this is what he had to say. >> due to omicron, we expect a significant rise in cases. fully vaccinated people, particularly those with the boost, are highly protected. but, due to omicron's highly transmissible nature, we will see fully vaccinated people get covid. they will likely be asymptomatic or feel under the weather for a few days. let's be clear, unvaccinated people are at a higher risk of getting severely ill from covid, getting hospitalized, and dying. we are prepared for this moment. the president announced new actions the administration

omicron has thrown a curveball. i think omicron will blow its way through the population probably very quickly, when you look at what is happening in south africa and the u.k. i think it is prudent, especially for people who are going to be around vulnerable individuals, to take added precautions heading into the holidays. try to use testing. make sure your boosted. take precautions in your settings and social settings as well. use high-quality masks when you go out. a lot of people don't want to be linked in a train of transmission that could get to a vulnerable person. so we should be prudent over the next four to six weeks. >> brennan: being prudent means testing before you go into those family settings. you heard dr. collins say stay tuned, we'll tell you which tests work. do you have any indication which once do? >> doctor: f.d.a. is testing the tests, evaluating them against live virus this weekend, and so are the manufacturers. they've gotten ahold of patients who have been infected with omicron. every indica

people asking questions about omicron. i was asked the question around should we continue to find variant specific vaccines or approach it from a much broader way, anticipating that for future variance may emerge. so what is your thought on that? >> with respect to updating vaccines as we have more variance? i think one of the promises of the mrna vaccines is that theoretically they are easier to update. you really talking about updating the genetic sequence specifically for the spike protein and once you're able to seek its -- sequence a new variant you are able to update the code for your vaccine fairly quickly. it is perhaps more straightforward than for other vaccines, but it is still a time-consuming endeavor, where you do have to switch out manufacturing capacities to now manufacture an updated vaccine. there are regulatory steps that you need to go through. with the fda, for example, although the fda has said this would be more of an expedited process, where just like the flu vaccine, does not have to go through a p

omicron. abs, answers to the questions still many of them about omicron.— answers to the questions still many of them about omicron. a good parent halfway step- — of them about omicron. a good parent halfway step- we _ of them about omicron. a good parent halfway step. we were _ of them about omicron. a good parent halfway step. we were watching - halfway step. we were watching tonight the announce gloomily some nightclubs are shutting. numbers of people that can meet indoors as being severely reduced in your own home up to four household restrictions with the ball the old restrictions with the ball the old restrictions about it can't stand at the bar any more, you've got to be seated, all that stuff. lateralflow test could be a relatively, certainly cheap but relatively convenient for want of a better word way of managing the problem in the short term until things are a lot clearer. i short term until things are a lot clearer. ~' ,., ~' short term until things are a lot clearer. ,, ,, , c

yet, and consider a different worry: omicron hysteria. it is a potential distraction for new york -- >> we have a much bigger current challenge with the delta variant. >> reporter: to washington state. >> it would be really sad if people lose their lives today because they've been killed by the delta variant while they're worrying about omicron. >> reporter: delta is dominating the u.s. now. 99.9% of this country's current case load. in 47 states, cases trend up. roughly 76% of u.s. counties considered high transmission areas. hotspots: iowa, wednesday saw a 2021 record for covid patients hospitalized. three in four of them unvaccinated. massachusetts averaging more than 3,000 new cases a day. for the first time since january. and michigan, covid hospitalizations almost doubled in one week. a possible storm of community spread because of thanksgiving. all those travelers and family get togethers with covid uninvited but present. it will be a week, maybe two, before data starts quantifying the infection impact. also ahead, our second covid

as of december or is it b, two studies came out this week suggesting omicron was -- omicron causes less severe disease than delta or is it c, the best day is to test before how -- ha is true. it is either a or c. i think san francisco's hospitalizations from covid is lower than 36. and i think that the best time to test for omicron is either the day before a gathering or the day of, in fact day of could be best. it is a or c and because you are so tricky that way, our viewers, betty says c, carla says c but a lot of smart people are also saying a including lisa, betty. oh my goodness. i'm going with a is the lie because i think it is fewer than 36 hospitalizations in san francisco. >> everyone said c. and you said a. kristen: half the people said a. as of december hospital capacity still looks ok and we are always looking at the rise in cases to see if that translates into hospitalizations because that could tip our health care system into dangerous areas. this is great news. two studies out of europe show that omicron causes a less severe disease than delta. and experts, especially tho

and severity of omicron disease. i know it's focus on omicron but we should remember 99.9% of cases in the country right now are from the delta variant. doctor continues to drive cases across the country, especially in those were unvaccinated so here is what is important to know. our recommendations for protecting against covid remain the same regardless of the variance. our best protection against covid is our proven layer prevention strategy this includes getting vaccinated if you've not already in getting a booster dose if you're eligible along with wearing a mask in public indoor areas, frequently washing hands, improving ventilation, physical distancing and increased testing to slow transmission of the virus. i want to take a moment to emphasize the importance of staying vigilance. there still a lot to learn about omicron and we will be transparent and share the updated science with you as soon as it becomes available. she heard me say earlier this week, we are in a better position now than we were this time mas

currently, over 8500 have detected omicron. on monday, we will release updated data for the united states which estimates that the omicron variant represents approximately 73% of covid-19 cases in the united states. in some areas of the country, omicron has increased even further, accounting for an estimated 90% of cases in the eastern atlanta states, parts of the midwest, and parts of the northern and pacific states. this rapid increase in the proportion of omicron circulating around the country is similar to what we have seen around the world. all this is a reminder of continued threats of covid-19 variance, the increase in proportion is what we anticipate and what we have been preparing for. i know there are a lot of questions about the omicron variant and how to protect yourself and your loved ones. how to safely gather with our families and friends over the holidays. you have heard me say before that we know what works against covid-19. it is critically important that we implement our ruben multi-prevention strategy. let m

uncertainties about omicron, this is the right. about omicron, this is the right approach — about omicron, this is the right approach to— about omicron, this is the right approach to take. _ about omicron, this is the right approach to take.— approach to take. both of the medics, approach to take. both of the medics. can _ approach to take. both of the medics. can i _ approach to take. both of the medics, can i ask _ approach to take. both of the medics, can i ask you - approach to take. both of the medics, can i ask you very i medics, can i ask you very straightforwardly, do you think it would be better if there were now more restrictions immediately? i more restrictions immediately? 1 just think a lot of this is people following sensible rules for prioritising the things that really matter to them and do prioritising other things. this is a very serious threat at the moment, but how big a threat, there are several things we don't know, but all the things we do know are bad, the principal one being the speed at which this is moving, it is moving at an absolutely phenomenal pace. bori

omicron accounts for an estimated 80% of cases in london now. people are trying to protect themselves and their family christmas plans. i would prefer to have it done before christmas. i have an elderly grandfather who is 90 years old so i want to be able to see him and get this over and done with. as soon as i heard that they have an event here where they are giving the boosters out, so i decided to book one immediately for myself. it feels really good. but the virus is spreading so rapidly, the health secretary didn't rule out new restrictions even for next week. there are no guarantees in this pandemic. i think at this point we have to keep everything in review. he urged people across the country to be cautious in the days ahead. if i'm going to see my mum for example, who is very elderly, like most older people, she's more vulnerable than younger people, i will take a test and i mightjust not have the usual amount of hugs i get from my mum. you just take a little bit of caution and i think that's a sensible response but the most important th

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was an 80% reduced chance of being admitted to hospital if you had omicron versus not having omicron. kasia: the professor also said our data sugge a positive story of a reduced severity of omicron compared to other variants. but scientistsautioned they don't know why this is the case. they say it could be because omicron is less severe, or could be connected to the young population in south africa, where the median age is under 30, or it could be due to high levels of prior immunity through either infection or vaccination. in the last few hou, two early studies on omicron in the u.k. have been published. early data from edinburgh university suggests two thirds reduction in the risk of hospitalization from omicron, although the sample of patients studied was small. the second study, imperial college of london, has found people are 40% to 45% less likely to spend the night in hospital compared to the delta variant. peter is an immunologist at imperial college london. i know that you did not work on this particular study, but you can talk us through the findings. what is the message we

the cdc says that omicron now accounts for 73% of new covid cases. and medical experts are saying it's alarming how quickly it's spreading and how quickly it's outstripped what was the dominant strain of delta overnight, health officials in texas announce what they believe is the first known omicron-related death. this was a man who was more than 50 years old, he was unvaccinated, and we're told he had underlying health conditions the unvaccinated part, that is the key that health officials are stressing. they do still believe if you have your original vaccine doses and if you have a booster shot, that you're going to be very well protected against omicron in fact, moderna just came out with its new data showing similarly to pfizer that its booster dose does a really good job of protecting against omicron and health officials say so far the breakthrough infections they've seen have been mild, even those in the older population as you noted, president biden was exposed to someone with a breakthrough ninfection, but because of cdc protocols he doesn't

the first major omicron travel restriction inside europe. france is banning all essential -- non-essential travel to and from prison. is -- from britain. germany's new chancellor says he is committed to protecting ukraine's borders but what exactly does that mean? more expensive food, more expensive fuel and less consumer demand. inflation is hitting people hard and the european central bank has begun winding down pandemic support. the latest spider-man adventure hits the big screen to rave reviews. will spider-man really be the hero to bring audiences back into the cinemas? i'm brent goff. to all of you around the world, welcome. the omicron coronavirus variant is spreading across europe like never before. the u.k. has just reported another record number of daily infections. more than 88,000 new cases this thursday. france has responded by banning non-essential travel to and from the u.k.. travelers arriving in france from the u.k. will have to self-isolate for several days or provide negative tests after 48 hours of isolation. charlotte ha

variant. >> 77 countries have now reported countries of omicron, and the reality is that omicron is probably in most countries, even if it has not been detected yet. we're concerned that people are dismissing omicron as mild. surely, we have learned by that we underestimate this virus at our peril. kristen: joining us now to talk more about this and answer all your covid-19 questions is dr. john swarts berg from uc berkeley school of public health. thank you so much for coming back. >> thank you for inviting me. kristen: you heard the director general saying we are underestimating omicron. is it a myth or not a myth that omicron causes milder illnesses? john: we don't know the answer to that. there is some very, very preliminary data suggesting that it may be a little less severe in terms of the illness it causes compared to delta, but that's very preliminary evidence. and i do not think we can count on that at this point. tge -- the bottom line is we know it can cause severe illness, and we know from the united kingdom it has caused at least one death. kristen: if omicron does turn

there is a i 6596 increase in omicron cases over 65% increase in omicron cases over 24—hour period leading to saturday and then sunday, but does that mean the realfigures? 65% sounds terrifying. the realfigures? 6596 sounds terri inc. ~ the realfigures? 6596 sounds terrifying-— the realfigures? 6596 sounds terri inc. ~ ., ., ., , terrifying. we know that omicron is now increasingly _ terrifying. we know that omicron is now increasingly spread _ terrifying. we know that omicron is now increasingly spread very - terrifying. we know that omicron is | now increasingly spread very rapidly across the uk so every two or three days the number of people with omicron essentially doubles so what we had today was confirmed cases. up to a total of 3137. so another 1200 odd cases today.— to a total of 3137. so another 1200 - odd cases today._ that odd cases today. added the 6596. that has 'ust odd cases today. added the 6596. that has just confirmed _ odd cases today. added the 6596. that hasjust confirmed cases. _ odd cases today. added the 6596. that hasjust confirmed cases. there - hasjust confir

~ ., have on omicron at the moment, are we? . . ., have on omicron at the moment, are we? ~ ., ., , have on omicron at the moment, are we? ~ ., .,, ., have on omicron at the moment, are we? ., ., , we? we are not sure about the impact of two doses — we? we are not sure about the impact of two doses of— we? we are not sure about the impact of two doses of vaccine _ we? we are not sure about the impact of two doses of vaccine on _ we? we are not sure about the impact of two doses of vaccine on severe - of two doses of vaccine on severe disease outcomes. with the the booster dose, we have very good evidence that it is highly protective compared to people who have not had a vaccine and much more protective, so it if his stopping illness it is stopping severe disease and the issue is, what about all of the others who have had just two doses or have not had any dose but have had a covert, which will also provide some degree of protection, but we don't quite know how well that protection will work against severe disease and covid and we hope it will still be maintained to a l

to have died with omicron. reporter: to combat what he called a tidal wave in cases, the prime minister announced a booster blitz, promising anyone aged 18 and up could get a third vaccine dose before the new year. it is part of a range of measures to combat a surge in the more transmissible omicron variant. people must now wear and most public places and work from home one possible. as part of the government's can be. -- so-called plan b. the government has announced measures in anticipation of an omicron fueled sixth wave of covid. the first closures and months came into force this weekend, with my club started until at least january -- nightclubs shuddered until at least january. in austria, the mood is much more festive. after a three-week nationwide lockdown, shops and cultural venues like theaters and museums have reopened. the unvaccinated will still have to stay home. covid cases here have plummeted, paving the way to a brighter christmas. but with the omicron variant spreading rapidly around the world,

but there's also the omicron wave. but there's also theissue the omicron wave. but there's also the issue of people getting this cold like illness with omicron, getting a mild illness. so many people now are isolating at home, that that is going to have an impact on public services and on the nhs in the weeks ahead.— on public services and on the nhs in the weeks ahead. fergus walsh, our medical editor— the weeks ahead. fergus walsh, our medical editor thank— the weeks ahead. fergus walsh, our medical editor thank you. _ and the bbc has launched an nhs tracker, so you can find out how your local services are coping in england, wales and scotland. it'll run throughout the winter. you can find out more at bbc.co.uk/nhstracker. russia's president has again insisted that the west must give russia guarantees that nato won't expand eastwards and admit ukraine as a member. vladimir putin rejected accusations that russia is preparing to invade ukraine, after amassing thousands of troops on the border between the two countries. during his annual press conference, h

although every day we are following more studies about omicron, early data is promising against omicron, especially when people are boasted. -- when boosted. covid-19 vaccines when accompanied by a booster dose are likely to protect against severe disease, hospitalization and death. still, we know we will continue to hear more about people who get infected who are vaccinated. these people may get mild or a symptom at the confections and could unknowingly spread those infections to others. this means it is important for everyone, regardless of vaccination status, to wear a mask in public indoor settings in communities of substantial or high transmission. and i would encourage people to take an at-home covid-19 test ahead of time to help protect you and your family and friends who may be at greater risk of covid-19 or severe outcomes. evidence has repeatedly shown that these prevention measures, when layered together, work. again, if you are wondering how to stay healthy and protect your loved ones this winter, please get vaccinated, get boosted, wear a mask and take a covid-19 test befor

they were delta cases, not omicron cases. you mentioned 5,000 people took to the streets against a restriction -- >> all right. we seem to have lost -- i think we may have lost our correspondent there. our thanks to scott mclane and barbie nadeau in rome. >>> well, despite the explosion of omicron around the world, there is encouraging news out of south africa where new covid cases appear to be declining. a top researcher says the worst of omicron may be over. other global health experts are saying, not so fast. cnn's larry weighs in. >> reporter: despite the drip-drip of good news showing the omicron variant has been less severe in south africa, a caveat, a warning from the head of the africa cdc. the doctor cautioning the world not to extrapolate the south african experience to the rest of the world. it pointed out the uk appears to see more severe cases of the omicron variant compared to south africa. that said, a new study from respected scientists in south africa add to the dose of good news out of south africa. it found

but omicron won't have it any less hard. >> many times across the world with omicron. the only thing we can hope for, that the severity of the disease will be mild enough that the health systems are not being everhelp with. >>> still to come, jury deliberations have begun in ghislaine maxwell's trial. ququick, the quicker picker upp! bounty picks up messes quicker and is 2x more absorbent, so you can use less. bounty, the quicker picker upper. ho ho ho! not again. oh no. for the gifts you won't forget. the mercedes-benz winter event. get a credit toward your first month's payment on select models. thanks for coming. now when it comes to a financial plan this broker is your man. let's open your binders to page 188... uh carl, are there different planning options in here? options? plans we can build on our own, or with help from a financial consultant? like schwab does. uhhh... could we adjust our plan... ...yeah, like if we buy a new house? mmmm... and our son just started working. oh! do you offer a complimentary retirement plan for him? as in free? just like schwab. s

helped to bolster protection against omicron. and we should remember that still over 99% of cases in this country right now are caused by the delta variant. which is driving increases in cases and hospitalizations. vaccination was primary and boosting with an additional dose for those eligible will keep people out of the hospital and save lives. new data published this week that demonstrates the power of booster doses. two studies from israel were published in the new england journal of medicine. both studies looked at people who received their primary two-dose series of an mrna vaccine at least five months earlier and compared those who received a booster dose with those who had not yet been boosted. in one study, for those who were boosted, and over the age of 50, there was a 90% decrease in mortality from covid-19 compared to those who did not receive a booster. in the other, across all age groups evaluated, rates of covid-19 infections and severe disease were substantially lower in those who had received a booster dose. was n

omicron is not impacting them. not the delta wave, not the threat of omicron, which leads me to wonder, should the administration and health officials kind of take this number to heart and start shifting the goal away from full vaccination to something else? >> i think they've already taken this number and tried to move beyond it. you know, they put executive orders in place around mandating large businesses, health care facilities to have their workers get vaccinated. that's because they recognize that more information is not going to shift behavior, man day mandates do. those mandate orders are being held up in the court which limits their effectiveness. i think that's why we're also seeing an emphasis on rapid testing, some supplies, and now after the announcement yesterday on shoring up the health care system that is crumbling under the weight of unvaccinated covid cases, recognizing that they can only do so much. the last thing that i think they can and should and are doing is working with community leaders. i

the omicron variant confirmed in the bay area. we are going to take you inside the san francisco lab that detected it. also talking to a covid expert about what you should know if the omicron virus continues to spread. >>> by the time i looked back, somebody was shattering the window. >> a gutsy smash-and-grab robbery in san francisco. tourists were inside their car when thieves broke the window and took their stuff. >>> good evening. i'm jessica aguirre. so, we knew it was coming and now we know it's here. the first confirmed case of the omicron variant is in the u.s. found right here in the bay area. this is what we know. the patient is a san francisco resident who arrived from south africa on monday november 22nd. they started feeling minor stock markets on thanksgiving, then got a covid test on sunday. that test came back positive monday. and just yesterday a ucsf lab confirmed it is the omicron variant. that patient is now self-quarantining. all close contacts have been notified and so far no one close to that person has test

now we have omicron. when you think about the first six weeks of 2022, i don't know how the biden administration focuses on anything else. >> you're absolutely right, chuck. this latest news from senator manchin, this latest statement is a massive blow. we know the president wanted build back better done as quickly as possible. we know the senate democrats have been saying we wanted it done by christmas. even if you look in the last few days, none of those self-imposed deadlines made a difference to senator manchin, not the holiday deadline, not the imminent expiration of the child tax credit even though some experts sai it could push children back into poverty. senator manchin's concerns, to be clear about this, have been consistent over time. it's the size of the package. it's inflation which has only gotten worse. the president has been clear, they wanted negotiations to continue, even as recently as last night white house officials were saying this is a president biden who knows how to get big histori

omicron is here. it is changing the outlook for health officer dr. sarah cody, fully masked. dr. cody with a concerning warning after seeing cases rise worldwide. >> when i look around the corner ahead, what i see is the day lucia of omicron. -- at deluge of omicron. perhaps one of the most challenging moments we have had yet. >> omicron is present at some level throughout the county, according to -- 10 confirmed cases, four on vaccinator, five vaccinated. >> what we think is going to happen is a big omicron we've surge on top of delta. >> what can we do? >> be recommend booster shots are everybody eligible. >> only 44% are -- and e data shows

transmission and severity of omicron. i know that the news is focused on omicron but we should remember that 99.9% of cases in the country right now are from the delta variant. delta continues to drive cases across the country, especially in those who are unvaccinated. so here's what's important to know. our recommendations for protecting against covid remain the same regardless of the variant. our best protection against covid-19 is our proven layered prevention strategies. this includes getting vaccinated if you have not already and getting a booster dose if you are eligible, along with wearing a mask in public indoor areas, frequently washing your hands, improving ventilation, physical distancing and increase testing to slow transmission of the virus. i want to take a moment to emphasize the importance of staying vigilant. there's still a lot to learn about omicron, and we will be transparent and share the updated science with you as soon as it becomes available. as you have heard me say earlier this week, we are in a

wen raises, which is what is omicron going to show us? will there be a decoupling between infections and hospitalizations? the data out of south africa just highlighted in the "washington post" today is really interesting, right, that they're saying the surge that they saw in omicron cases is now completely dwindling, they might be going down the other side of the mountain, but the qualifier is they know 70% of people in south africa have had some variant of covid, so maybe protected and their immune systems built up from that. so does that mean we cannot exactly read good news out of south africa as good news for us here? >> well, i think we can be hopeful about that news. you brought up one point is the fact that a lot of people there have already come into contact with some form of covid, and may have a natural immunity to it. i want to caution people not to take too much heed in sort of so solace from that. south africa is not the united states. they're more homogeneous in their population, and in their politics, if you will, which n

it's only been identified, omicron, about ten days ago. it only got a name — omicron — last friday. so incredibly early, very good research from the south african authorities, and as a result of that, we have seen this very swift action. and we have been reporting not only on what the scientists have said, and they are genuinely concerned that this could be the worst variant yet — but you also have to look at what governments have done. the uk government imposing travel restrictions, dramatically changing the booster programme from the over 40s getting a booster now down to everybody over the age of 18, and in england, the aim to offer everyone a boosterjab by the end of january. and then, in terms of the length of time between a second dose and a booster being reduced from six months to three months. so, it has dramatically focused attention on getting the population in the best possible immunological state before omicron really hits. fergus, we have also had the opposite point of view from some viewers who think the coverage has actually not taken the risk of omicron seriously e

all omicron. a, those cases will be omicron, they are not all omicron. a lot to unpack _ they are not all omicron. a lot to unpack there, _ they are not all omicron. a lot to unpack there, so _ they are not all omicron. a lot to unpack there, so i- they are not all omicron. a lot to unpack there, so i take - they are not all omicron. a lot| to unpack there, so i take your point about the two variants, but in terms of the actual figures, you are making the point that lots of countries around the world are suffering similarly, but if we see 100,000 or so cases a day, and i think your phrase was, that is really quite high, we know that omicron, with your caveats about the two variants, omicron is a lot more transmissible. so is a lot more transmissible. so is that going to keep climbing, in your estimation? it is that going to keep climbing, in your estimation?— in your estimation? it doesn't look as though _ in your estimation? it doesn't look as though that _ in your estimation? it doesn't look as though that is - in your estimation? it doesn't look as

fauci: i think you meant to say omicron. yes, omicron is more transmissible. everything we know about it from not only south africa but the distribution throughout the world as well as in our own country, we see what is going on in new york city. we are getting beyond double digits of omicron being the primary variant. there in that percentage. with the seriousness of infection, it is still up in the air because there are a lot of confounding issues as to whether or not it is less severe. it does not look like it is more severe, but we have to withhold judgment about the severity the being blessed -- bless. less. with regard to long covid, we don't have enough information with omicron with regard to long covid. i don't expect it will be any different than delta but we have to wait until we get more experience. >> next question. >> my first question for dr. fauci, you showed data showing how little protection people have after two doses. a few months after getting it. should americans who are not eligible for their booster be concerned that they are not well ac

— variance of the coronavirus, omicron? . , ,. ,, omicron? we actually discuss this with our _ omicron? we actually discuss this with our virologist. i omicron? we actually discuss this with our virologist. we i this with our virologist. we thought, yes, but then in the data, we are on the way to test delta and omicron. we hope to have data on delta and omicron from but because we're using a physical method to the virus, quite general and to covid—19, they can cure against the delta and the omicron, we could see that it could work, but we still need data to prove it. thank you. still need data to prove it. thank vom— still need data to prove it. thank ou. ., ~ thank you. professor mingxin huan: , thank you. professor mingxin huang. thank— thank you. professor mingxin huang, thank you _ thank you. professor mingxin huang, thank you so - thank you. professor mingxin huang, thank you so much i thank you. professor mingxin | huang, thank you so much for joining us on newsday, on your latest findings. ukraine has called for more western sanc

we - omicron. nick early in the lobby of. the house of commons. we believe omicron. nick early in the lobby of- the house of commons. we believe you now if i may, perhaps we will have a chance to talk to again just before seven o'clock. you will be routed to that spot for hours to come. looks like the search has been on for drivers in remote villages of the constituency for people not to be there, but quite a few mps are there, but quite a few mps are there, and it will be interesting to see how many people stuck to their guns on this. savage job see how many people stuck to their guns on this. savagejob —— sajid javid gave this update on how omicron is spreading. the javid gave this update on how omicron is spreading. the first thin . omicron is spreading. the first thin his omicron is spreading. the first thing his these _ omicron is spreading. the first thing his these are _ omicron is spreading. the first thing his these are things - omicron is spreading. the first thing his these are things that | omicron is spreading. the first i thing his these are things

that's the omicron epicenter. health officials are planning to treat some covid patients at home to free up bed spaces. and the head of the health service in england says one in five health workers in london could be out sick with the virus by christmas. the good news is that the uk is putting booster shots into arms at a record pace, just not faster than omicron, which is spreading exponentially. wolf? >> scott mcclain in london, thank you very much. >>> new precautions in israel, including tighter travel restrictions and a new elliot? >> wolf, israel is adding ten more countries including the united states and canada to its red no fly list taz braces itself for the full force of a fifth covid wave. from 5:00 p.m. eastern time tuesday, these countries will be off limits to israelis unless they get special her mission. travelers returning from those country lfs to go through seven days of quarantine. easier israel has been steadily adding upon countries to its red list in its bid to reduce the spread of the omicro

it only got a name — omicron — last friday. so incredibly early, very good research from the south african authorities, and as a result of that, we have seen this very swift action. and we have been reporting not only on what the scientists have said, and they are genuinely concerned that this could be the worst variant yet. but you also have to look at what governments have done. the uk government imposing travel restrictions, dramatically changing the booster programme from the over 40's getting a booster now down to everybody over the age of 18, and in england, the aim to offer everyone a booster jab by the end of january. and then, in terms of the length of time between a second dose and a booster being reduced from six months to three months. so, it has dramatically focused attention on getting the population in the best possible immunological state before omicron really hits. fergus, we have also had the opposite point of view from some viewers who think the coverage has actually not taken the risk of omicron seriously en

the omicron variant is continuing to spread globally. worries over that and hawkish comments coming from the fed sent the s&p 500 to its worst two day loss in 14 months feeding into european markets, which are sharply lower so far at the open. let's dig into some of those key market drivers. it does seem surprising in some respects that a headline about a new omicron case in the u.s. was able to do this damage considering it should not be that surprising that a case exists in the u.s. >> absolutely, it was no surprise it would reach the u.s. , but i think the markets were waiting for a trigger and the headline provided that trigger for the markets. at the end of the day, you've got to look at valuations. whether you take the s&p 500 or the nasdaq. depending on the index you take. those are not sustainable valuations in the long term. perhaps twice next year raising rates, then there has got to be -- that will mean that stocks will have to [indiscernible] they have to head down lower and that is what we saw yesterday, a taste of things to

now we have omicron. when you think about the first six weeks of 2022, i don't know how the biden administration focuses on anything else. >> you're absolutely right, chuck. i mean, this latest news from senator manchin, this latest statement, is a massive blow. we know the president wanted build back better done as quickly as possible. we know the senate democrats have been saying we wanted it done by christmas. but, look, even if you look in the last few days, none of those really self-imposed deadlines made a difference to senator manchin, not the holiday deadline, not the imminent expiration of the child tax credit, even though some experts say it could push children back into poverty. senator manchin's concerns, to be clear about this, have been consistent over time. it's the size of the package. it's inflation which has only gotten worse. the president has been clear, they wanted negotiations to continue. even as recently as last night white house officials were saying this is a president biden who

first, early lab studies have found omicron may not attack the lungs like other variants. >> omicron replicates, multiplies in the upper airway and less well in the lung >> reporter: second, in south africa where omicron first took off, the headlines this weekend are stoking optimism hospitalizations are down 91% >> we can say one thing, it's not more severe what they have seen in south africa is they have had lower rates of hospitalization almost 1/3 less hospitalization than with the delta wave. >> reporter: south africa is a young population with a lot of built in immunity from vaccinations or previous infection when will we know more about the affect of omicron on the vulnerable population? >> we don't have a breakdown, but we know in general, people who are older and immuno compromised can have a greater number of severe cases >> reporter: for many this confusing data could not come at a worse time with christmas a week away. should you be getting on an airplane this christmas? >> get on the airplane but keep the mask on >> reporter: should people be gathering for the holidays >

. — omicron is going to be? there is not much sequencing, the _ omicron is going to be? there is not much sequencing, the number- omicron is going to be? there is not much sequencing, the number of. much sequencing, the number of sequences with omicron found so far is something like in the order of a few hundred. i think you probably have to multiply that by four, because one test in four is not being sequenced, but tested with a pcr test that lead to suspicion of omicron. we have not very good estimations but it is increasing fast and it is going to be dominant in a few weeks, i think.— in a few weeks, i think. catherine hill, epidemiologist _ in a few weeks, i think. catherine hill, epidemiologist list, - in a few weeks, i think. catherine hill, epidemiologist list, thank i in a few weeks, i think. catherine | hill, epidemiologist list, thank you forjoining us. the nhs in england says booster jabs will be available at nearly three—thousand locations across the country this weekend, in response to the spread of the omicron variant. our reporter, ben boulos, is at a