Maybe the key story this week is Dhruv Khullar’s short essay in The New Yorker summarizing what we know and don’t know about Omicron.
This variant appears to be much more transmissible than Delta, which of course was more transmissible than the original variant.
Omicron also may cause more people to get ill but with milder symptoms and fewer deaths. This would be a good thing, presumably, although it’s too early to draw conclusions. It would be ideal if the disease has mutated to the extent that its impacts would be more like the flu — seasonal and largely preventable by shots — but we don’t know that yet.
In fact we don’t know much — which is the point of Khullat’s essay — and that it a bummer given the imminent holiday gatherings we’re looking forward to. Because we aren’t going to know what we are dealing with Omicron until Christmas has passed.
For now the best policy is to get vaccinated — only 60 percent of Americans have done that to date — as well as to get the booster, which only a quarter of adults have done. We still have so many unvaccinated people in the U.S. and overseas that the virus can and will continue generating new variants and therefore dominate our lives as it has over the past two years.
In this context, the ongoing politicization of the vaccines is a pity and contributes to the overall sense of confusion about what we are facing and what we can do about it. That most certainly is something to not celebrate the holiday season.
Rather it is something to regret. How great our collective regret become may not be known until this Christmas is a distant memory.
***
In better news, 48 Hills is reporting that the judge whose remarks had been taken out of context to smear San Francisco D. A. Chest Boudin in his recall fight, more recently has praised Boudin for his transparency and his ethics.
The reform-minded D.A., who is committed to attacking the root causes of crime and reforming the criminal justice system, has been targeted by right-wing extremists nationally and faces a tough recall election as a result.
Street crime in the city and elsewhere may be up or it may be down — the statistics are confusing, but to hold a D.A. responsible for short-term variations in street crime is absurd. Those trends have more to do with economic conditions, drugs and poverty than long-term initiatives to reduce cash bail, increase restorative justice and reform the overall system.
In any event, the judge’ comments are reprinted in the 48 Hills piece, which is a refreshing update to Boudin’s record.
TODAY’s HEADLINES:
The U.S. Faces Another Covid Christmas as Omicron Fuels a Rise in Cases (NYT)
How to Think About the Risks of Omicron (New Yorker)
Omicron could bring a massive wave of infections as early as January, CDC warns (WP)
Biden to expand access to free home tests, send resources to aid hospitals in need (WP)
The Omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading faster than the Delta variant and is causing infections in people already vaccinated or who have recovered from the COVID-19 disease, the head of the World Health Organization said. (Reuters)
Omicron accounted for 73% of new infections last week, a nearly sixfold increase in only seven days. Los Angeles called off its New Year's Eve celebration, the NHL paused the hockey season, and the world's super rich will not be mingling in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum. [AP]
With omicron now dominant, depleted U.S. hospitals struggle to prepare for the worst (NPR)
Education Department considers extending student loan relief amid Omicron surge (Politico)
WHO warns of coming Covid storm in Europe (BBC)
Portugal to close bars and nightclubs; hospital bosses in England brace for ‘dangerous situation’ (Guardian)
We Learned Our Lesson Last Year: Do Not Close Schools — The Omicron surge is scary. But schools must stay open. (NYT)
School threats and social media hoaxes are forcing closures, time-consuming investigations (WP)
Feeling powerless, families bring elderly home in pandemic (AP)
Countries across Europe were considering new curbs on movement as the fast-moving Omicron variant swept the world days before Christmas, throwing travel plans into chaos and unnerving financial markets. (Reuters)
Omicron casts a new shadow over economy’s pandemic recovery (AP)
NHL is first U.S. sport to halt schedule amid coronavirus surge, with stoppage starting Wednesday (WP)
US population growth at lowest rate in pandemic’s 1st year — U.S. population growth dipped to its lowest rate since the nation’s founding during the first year of the pandemic as the coronavirus curtailed immigration, delayed pregnancies and killed hundreds of thousands of U.S. residents, according to figures released Tuesday. (AP)
American Workers Are Burned Out, and Bosses Are Struggling to Respond (WSJ)
EPA Tightens Fuel Economy Standards — The new rule will require automakers to achieve an average of at least 55 miles per gallon fleetwide by 2026, a sizable increase over the standard of 40.4 mpg set during Donald Trump’s presidency. [HuffPost]
California lawmakers are preparing countermeasures to expand access to abortion, focusing first on resurrecting a bill that would eliminate costly co-pays. (Los Angeles Times)
Democrats not yet ready to trim climate ambitions despite Manchin blow (Politico)
A Plan Forms in Mexico: Help Americans Get Abortions — Mexican activists plan to provide women in Texas and other U.S. states with information, support — and abortion-inducing pills. (NYT)
No pay for staff. No patient supplies. No heat. This is health care in Afghanistan (NPR)
Japan to offer $100 mil. aid to Afghanistan (NHK)
When’s the Last Time You Felt Truly Happy? (Atlantic)
Dozens of states are restricting Americans' right to protest, some with laws so extreme that they protect motorists who run over demonstrators and kill them. [HuffPost]
NASA’s Webb Telescope to See to the Edge of the Universe (WSJ)
A refinery rained oil on thousands of St. Croix homes. Now it could reopen. (WP)
Pentagon Updates Its Rules on Extremism in the Military (NYT)
Largest-ever millipede fossil found on Northumberland beach (BBC)
A lost eagle from Asia has been traveling around North America for more than a year (NPR)
Well-Preserved Embryo Found in Fossilized Dinosaur Egg (WSJ)
High praise for Boudin from judge whose words have been used to attack him (48 Hills)
Robotic Fish Frighten Aquatic Pests To Death (The Onion)
LYRICS
“I'm Over You”
Songwriters: Tim Nichols / Zack Turner
Where there's a cloud, don't mean there's rain
Tears in my eyes, don't mean there's pain
Don't flatter yourself
I'm over you
Things aren't always what they seem
You can't believe everything you read
On my face
I'm over you
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