BREAKING NEWS. WHITEHOUSE TO ANNOUNCE STRONGEST COVID RESTRICTIONS TODAY

[Goldy]

just a heads up. wh today is expected to announce more COVID restrictions.  It’s mostly around international travel testing and quarantine even for US citizens. 
 

keep an eye on the news ticker today. 

[pakalolo]

Anything to make life miserable for a many people as possible by imposing their will on the people, **** joe biden

[DMacLeod]

[Goldy]

Please tell me how you enforce mandatory 7 day quarantine for US citizens

[NonTypical]

6 mins ago, Goldy said:

Please tell me how you enforce mandatory 7 day quarantine for US citizens

The home quarantine is just a start. Before you know it, it will be a mandatory quarantine at a government facility. 

[flyangler]

Doctor who discovered Omicron says world is 'panicking unnecessarily'

The doctor who discovered the new variant of Covid-19 says Omicronappears to produce “extremely mild” symptoms and has accused countries of “panicking unnecessarily” by tightening restrictions.

 

There have been fears the highly-mutated new strain is more infectious than others as scientists scramble to learn more about it. It was reportedly first detected in Botswana last month.

 

However, Dr Angelique Coetzee, the first South African doctor to flag cases of Omicron, says there has been no indication it is any worse than Delta.

Omicron symptoms in first detected case

 

During an interview on The Andrew Marr Show on BBC, the chair of the South African Medical Association said she first spotted the variant in a male patient in his 30s who had “unusual” symptoms.

 

“He said to me that he's just [been] extremely tired for the past few days and he's got these body aches and pains with a bit of a headache,” she said.

 

Omicron was first detected in southern Africa last month. Source: AP

The man had a “scratchy throat” rather than a sore throat and no cough or loss of smell and taste, Dr Coetzee added.

 

A rapid antigen test confirmed the patient was ill with Covid-19, as was the rest of his family, but all were suffering from “very, very mild symptoms”.

 

“For the rest of the day I saw more patients coming in with the same sort of symptoms,” Dr Coetzee told BBC, adding it prompted her to alert South Africa’s advisory committee for Covid vaccines.

 

“Listen, something is wrong, I have seen a picture that doesn’t fit in with Delta,” she told the experts.

 

The cases were later revealed to be Omicron

[Shipwreck]

We are rapidly getting into the 'not one inch' territory.

[Goldy]

2 mins ago, flyangler said:

Doctor who discovered Omicron says world is 'panicking unnecessarily'

The doctor who discovered the new variant of Covid-19 says Omicronappears to produce “extremely mild” symptoms and has accused countries of “panicking unnecessarily” by tightening restrictions.

 

There have been fears the highly-mutated new strain is more infectious than others as scientists scramble to learn more about it. It was reportedly first detected in Botswana last month.

 

However, Dr Angelique Coetzee, the first South African doctor to flag cases of Omicron, says there has been no indication it is any worse than Delta.

Omicron symptoms in first detected case

 

During an interview on The Andrew Marr Show on BBC, the chair of the South African Medical Association said she first spotted the variant in a male patient in his 30s who had “unusual” symptoms.

 

“He said to me that he's just [been] extremely tired for the past few days and he's got these body aches and pains with a bit of a headache,” she said.

 

Omicron was first detected in southern Africa last month. Source: AP

The man had a “scratchy throat” rather than a sore throat and no cough or loss of smell and taste, Dr Coetzee added.

 

A rapid antigen test confirmed the patient was ill with Covid-19, as was the rest of his family, but all were suffering from “very, very mild symptoms”.

 

“For the rest of the day I saw more patients coming in with the same sort of symptoms,” Dr Coetzee told BBC, adding it prompted her to alert South Africa’s advisory committee for Covid vaccines.

 

“Listen, something is wrong, I have seen a picture that doesn’t fit in with Delta,” she told the experts.

 

The cases were later revealed to be Omicron

Yup i read that.  Its about control. 

[55555s]

Here's a litmus test to determine if someone is a dim drone.   

 

Listen to whether or not they mention Omicron in conversation.   If so, they are sheep. 

 

Thats it.  

[Shipwreck]

You get a mail in ballot, You get a mail in ballot, and YOU get a Mail In Ballot!!!! 

 

Rheeeeeeeee!!!!!

[DMacLeod]

7 mins ago, Goldy said:

Yup i read that.  Its about control. 

It has been from the start.

[Steve_in_PA]

11 mins ago, Shipwreck said:

You get a mail in ballot, You get a mail in ballot, and YOU get a Mail In Ballot!!!! 

 

Rheeeeeeeee!!!!!

And if you are a really lucky d you get two.

[Heron25]

40 mins ago, Goldy said:

Please tell me how you enforce mandatory 7 day quarantine for US citizens

Your phone will snitch on you.  

[Goldy]

Joe Biden to announce nationwide Covid battle plan

[Goldy]

Joe Biden to announce nationwide coronavirus battle plan

Plans include a drive to encourage vaccine boosters, expansion of at-home tests and tighter restrictions on international travel

David Smith in Washington

@smithinamerica

Thu 2 Dec 2021 05.00 EST

Joe Biden is set to announce new actions to combat the coronavirus, including a nationwide campaign encouraging vaccine boosters, an expansion of at-home tests and tighter restrictions on international travel.

Buffeted by the emergence of the Omicron variant and a political backlash from Republicans, the US president will visit the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, on Thursday and lay out a pandemic battle plan for the winter months.

US expected to require stricter testing protocols for international travelers

Read more

Biden will announce steps to ensure that the nearly 100 million eligible Americans who have not yet received their booster shot do so as soon as possible, the White House said. There is new urgency to the effort after the first US case of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 was identified in California on Wednesday.

The president will pledge to expand pharmacy availability during December while pharmacy partners send millions of texts, calls, and emails to eligible customers with information on how to schedule an appointment or walk in for a booster shot.

President Joe Biden speaks about authorization of the Covid vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 on 3 November. Photograph: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

There will also be a public education campaign to encourage adults to get boosters, with a particular focus on the elderly. It will feature paid advertising across multiple channels, engagement with community organisations and media campaigns.

Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to Biden on Covid-19, told reporters at the White House on Wednesday that boosting was “very important” particularly when considering the rise in antibodies following a third dose.

He added: “Even though we don’t have a lot of data on it, there’s every reason to believe that kind of increase that you get with the boost would be helpful at least in preventing severe disease of a variant like Omicron.”

The emergence of Omicron has demonstrated the tenacity of the virus, which continues to drag down Biden’s political fortunes. Voters are divided on his handling of the pandemic, with 47% approving and 49% disapproving, according to a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll.

But the White House defended his record, for example by pointing out that when he came into office more than half of schools were closed, where today 99% are fully open and in person. On Thursday, the president will unveil actions to get more children aged five and older vaccinated.

These include the launch of hundreds of family vaccination clinics across the country, offering a “one-stop shop” of first shots for parents, teenagers and children, and boosters for those eligible. There will be “family vaccination days” with hundreds of community health centres across the country hosting family vaccination clinics throughout December.

Biden will also set out a plan to ensure that Americans have access to free at-home testing. More than 150 million people with private insurance will be able to get at-home tests reimbursed; for those not covered, at-home tests will be distributed through health centres and rural clinics.

A traveler wearing a hazmat suit walks through the arrivals area at Los Angeles international airport on 30 Nevember.Photograph: Jae C Hong/AP

With the threat posed by the Omicron variant still uncertain, early next week the US will tighten pre-departure testing protocols by requiring all inbound international travellers to test within one day of departure, regardless of nationality or vaccination status.

In a briefing call with reporters, a senior administration official said: “We have really strengthened our international travel system pretty dramatically over the last month or so.

“We believe that tightening that testing requirement for pre-departure will help catch more potential cases of people who may be positive when they fly into the country and so now is the right time to do it, and we can implement it very quickly.”

On domestic flights, the official added, “the masking requirement is in place already and in fact we will be extending that requirement from January all the way until mid-March”.

The pandemic has killed almost 780,000 people in the US. Nearly 60% of Americans are fully vaccinated. This week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued updated guidance recommending that every adult get a booster.