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December 2, 2021 - Brief Issue 267

The Coronavirus Daily Brief is a daily news and analysis roundup edited by New America’s International Security Program and Arizona State University.

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Top Headlines

U.S. Reports First Omicron Case; Biden to Announce Stricter Rules for Travelers Today (Health & Science)

WHO Blasts Blanket Travel Bans (Health & Science)

British Drugmaker Says its Newly-Approved Antibody Therapy is Effective Against Omicron (Health & Science)

Cases in South Africa Double (Around the World)

Cuba to Upgrade Homegrown Vaccine Against Omicron (Around the World)

South Korea Sees Record Covid Cases, Stops Quarantine Exemptions (Around the World)

Sweden Could Impose New Restrictions Next Week (Around the World)

Democrats Scramble to Avoid Government Shutdown, As GOP Revolts Over Covid Policy (U.S. Government & Politics)

Massachusetts’ Republican Governor Won’t Run for Re-Election, Cites Pandemic (U.S. Government & Politics)

Former Chief of Staff: Trump Tested Positive for Covid Before First Presidential Debate, Went Anyways (U.S. Government & Politics)

Stocks Open Higher But Wane Over Omicron Concerns (U.S. Economy)

Exxon to Continue Leaner Spending (U.S. Economy)

Omicron Variant Could Widen Partisan Economic Divide (U.S. Society)

Credit Card Applications Reach a Pandemic High (U.S. Society)

American Miners Are the Most Vaccine Hesitant Miners (U.S. Society)

Health & Science

There have been 48,695,518 coronavirus cases in the United States, and 782,106 people have died (Johns Hopkins). The United States has administered 462,263,845 vaccine doses, with 70.4% of all Americans having received at least one vaccine dose and 59.4% fully vaccinated. Among adults aged 18 or older 82.8% have received at least one dose, and 71.2% are fully vaccinated (U.S. CDC). 21.2% of fully vaccinated Americans have received a booster shot. Worldwide, there have been 263,678,193 cases of coronavirus, with 5,228,062 deaths.

U.S. Reports First Omicron Case; Biden to Announce Stricter Rules for Travelers Today

On Wednesday the United States reported its first case of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. The patient was a vaccinated traveler who returned to California from South Africa on Nov. 22 and is currently in isolation and suffering from mild symptoms (NYT). The CDC is conducting aggressive contact tracing and the Biden administration renewed calls for the public to get vaccinated and if eligible, get a booster shot. The World Health Organization has warned that the risk posed by the variant, a new iteration of the coronavirus first detected in southern Africa, is “very high” (CNN). 

The new variant has prompted the Biden administration to consider stricter rules for international travelers entering the U.S. (Fox). The new rules, which are expected to be announced today, Thursday, include having to take a test within 24 hours of departure. Previously, travelers entering the U.S. could present a test taken within 72 hours of departure. The new measures will also include an extension of the mask mandate for travel through March (NYT). 

WHO Blasts Blanket Travel Bans

World Health Organization officials criticized blanket travel bans on people coming from southern Africa that have been imposed by many countries trying to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. “Blanket travel bans will not prevent the international spread of omicron, and they place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), during a news briefing Wednesday. It is “deeply concerning,” he said, that African countries are being “penalized” for reporting cases of the new coronavirus variant (WaPo). Officials believe the travel restrictions are not as effective at stopping the spread of the variant as “rational and proportional” science-based measures, like increased testing before and after travel, quarantines, and increased vaccination efforts. 

British Drugmaker Says its Newly-Approved Antibody Therapy is Effective Against Omicron

British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) on Thursday said that a lab analysis of the antibody-based Covid-19 therapy, a sotrovimab antibody cocktail, that it is developing with U.S. partner Vir has shown the drug is effective against the new Omicron variant (Reuters). The company said it conducted lab tests and a study on hamsters. Britain’s drug regulator approved sotrovimab, also known under the brand name Xevudy, on Thursday to treat people with mild to moderate Covid-19 who are at high risk of developing severe symptoms. The regulator recommended the use of the drug within five days of the onset of symptoms.  

Bonus Read: “The Coronavirus in a Tiny Drop,” (NYT).

Around the World

Cases in South Africa Double

Newly reported cases of Covid-19 in South Africa almost doubled Wednesday (WSJ). The country was the first to identify and report cases of the new Omicron variant. The Wall Street Journal writes: “South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases said the number of reported cases rose from 4,373 on Tuesday to 8,561 on Wednesday. Scientists don’t usually focus on daily variations in numbers, but last Wednesday, 1,275 cases were reported.”

Cuba to Upgrade Homegrown Vaccine Against Omicron

Health authorities in Cuba said that scientists are working to upgrade their Covid vaccines to ensure protection against the Omicron variant (Reuters). The island nation, which relies heavily on tourism, eased entry requirements in mid-November after the inoculation drive with domestically developed vaccines was deemed a success. Infections and deaths from Covid-19 dropped to 2% or less of their peaks, according to Reuters. Cuba has an unusually large biotech sector for a country of its size, thanks in part to crippling U.S. sanctions that have forced the country to be self-reliant. It has shared its domestically produced vaccine with Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Iran. 

South Korea Sees Record Covid Cases, Stops Quarantine Exemptions

On Thursday the daily case count of Covid-19 infections rose to a new high in South Korea and authorities stopped granting any exemptions to quarantine requirements for inbound travelers (Reuters). “The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 5,266 cases for Wednesday, a day after the daily tally rose above 5,000 for the first time amid concerns over a sharp rise in patients with severe symptoms,” according to Reuters. Starting Friday, all travelers arriving in the country will need to quarantine for two weeks, even if they are fully vaccinated. South Korea confirmed its first five cases of Omicron variant late Wednesday, including a fully vaccinated couple who arrived from Nigeria last week. South Korea has fully vaccinated almost 92% of its adult population. 

Sweden Could Impose New Restrictions Next Week

The Swedish Public Health Agency said on Thursday it could impose new restrictions as early as next week to fight the coronavirus pandemic and a rising tide of infections, writes Reuters. The country began requiring vaccine passes for indoor events with over 100 people starting this month but Karin Tegmark Wisell, director general of Sweden's Public Health Agency, told a news conference “We may have to take measures already next week." She said those measures could include general advice about social distancing but did not go into further detail. Health Minister Lena Hallengren said the government and the health agency would present a common plan next week. "We are facing an uncertain winter," she said. Sweden detected its first case of the Omicron variant on Monday. 

U.S. Government & Politics

Democrats Scramble to Avoid Government Shutdown, As GOP Revolts Over Covid Policy

On Wednesday, Democrats scrambled to avoid a government shutdown as talks with the Republican party broke down over Biden’s vaccine mandates and other Covid policies (Politico, WSJ, WaPo). Politico writes, “Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her deputies had planned to reach a deal on a stopgap spending bill with Republicans by Wednesday morning, allowing both chambers to quickly approve the measure and avoid a funding lapse by midnight Friday. But GOP leaders have dug in on their opposition to the Democrats’ plan, just as their party’s far-right flank vows to use its procedural powers to trigger a brief weekend shutdown.” The Wall Street Journal writes, “A group of 11 Senate Republicans wrote a letter last month criticizing the Biden administration’s vaccine rules, which are being challenged in court, writing that they would n’ot support—and will use all means at our disposal to oppose—legislation that funds or in any way enables the enforcement of President Biden’s employer vaccine mandate.’” Funding will run out at 12:01 AM on Saturday in the absence of action. 

Representative David Price (D-NC) stated, “The stonewalling on the omnibus is one thing, but this? One would hope we would lock arms and at least avoid a shutdown.” One sticking point on a potential stop gap bill is how long it would last. Politico explains, “While Democrats are eyeing a date through late January, Republicans have insisted on a longer stopgap, eager to stick their opponents with Donald Trump-approved spending levels for as long as possible.” Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) stated, “We’re opposed to the mandate,” adding, “We don’t want the federal government to be able to fund them in any way shape or form.” The current scramble dashes earlier optimism. Earlier this week Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell stated, “We won’t shut down.” 

Republicans, however, are not unified over the strategy of holding up a funding bill over vaccine mandates (Politico). Politico writes, “Several Senate Republicans are panning their colleagues’ strategy of forcing a shutdown fight over President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandates, hoping they back off before the midnight Friday deadline.” Among the skeptical Republicans is Kevin Cramer (R-ND), who stated, “I just don’t quite understand the strategy or the play of leverage for a mandate that’s been stayed by 10 courts.” 

Massachusetts’ Republican Governor Won’t Run for Re-Election, Cites Pandemic

On Wednesday, Charlie Baker, the Republican Governor of Massachusetts, said he would not run for re-election in 2022 (Politico). Making for an open race, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito has also said she won't run for governor. The two released a joint statement citing the pandemic and saying that a re-election campaign would “be a distraction,” adding, “We want to focus on recovery.” Their departure will pose a challenge for Republican hopes in a state that tends to run very Democratic. Politico writes, “A moderate Republican with enduring support among Democrats and independents, Baker was the GOP’s best hope of holding onto the governor’s office in deep-blue Massachusetts and Polito was widely seen as his heir apparent. But Baker, who eschews national politics, has been increasingly at odds with his own party as it coalesced around Donald Trump.” However, Baker may have faced a challenging primary precisely due to his moderation if he had run.

Former Chief of Staff: Trump Tested Positive for Covid Before First Presidential Debate, Went Anyways

In his new book, former White House Chief of Staff under Trump Mark Meadows writes that Trump tested positive for Covid before the first presidential debate with Biden (Guardian, WaPo, NYT). The Guardian, which acquired a copy of the book, reports that Meadows writes that Trump tested positive on September 26, three days before the first debate, and then proceeded to attend the debate even though candidates had “to test negative for the virus within seventy two hours of the start time … Nothing was going to stop [Trump] from going out there.” According to Meadows, Trump then received a negative test a short time later. The administration did not reveal the positive test until October 2 at which point Trump was taken to Walter Reed Medical Center for treatment. Trump called Meadows’ claim “Fake News.” Former White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham contested Trump’s denial, stating, “Notice the wording. It doesn’t say he tested positive, only that he didn’t ‘have’ it,” adding, “Since there was apparently a second test that was negative…this is them playing w words.” Asked about the issue and his thoughts, President Biden stated, “I don't think about the former president.”

Bonus Read: “Yellen Defends Spending Plans Amid Growing Angst Over Higher Inflation,” (WSJ).

U.S. Economy

Bonus Read: “Is Inflation Sticking Around? Bicycle Makers Offer Some Clues,” (WSJ).

Stocks Open Higher But Wane Over Omicron Concerns

The U.S. stock market opened on a higher note on Wednesday after a fall on Tuesday driven by concerns over the Omicron variant and comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell suggesting the Fed may accelerate its tapering of economic support, but the gains waned over the day amid concern over the Omicron variant (WSJ). The Wall Street Journal writes, “All three major U.S. indexes rallied early in Wednesday’s session as they attempted to rebound from the post-Thanksgiving selloff that has dragged stocks lower in recent days. But the recovery lost steam in the afternoon after reports that new Covid-19 infections nearly doubled in South Africa Wednesday and that a case of the Covid-19 Omicron variant was identified in California.”

Exxon to Continue Leaner Spending

Oil giant Exxon Mobile stated on Wednesday that it will continue to maintain a lean budget for the next five years, citing economic risks tied to the pandemic (WSJ). The Wall Street Journal writes, “The Texas oil giant, which slashed its spending in 2020 as the world contended with waves of Covid-19, said it is sticking to decreased spending levels for years to come. Exxon will spend between $20 billion and $25 billion a year on capital investments through 2027, a 17% to 33% decrease from its pre-pandemic plans.”

U.S. Society

Omicron Variant Could Widen Partisan Economic Divide

The Wall Street Journal reports that if it takes off the Omicron variant could further widen the economic divide between Democratic and Republican led states (WSJ). The Journal writes, “Covid-19 has carved a partisan divide through the U.S. Democratic-leaning states have gone further with social distancing, school closures, mask mandates and vaccinations than Republican-leaning states. As a result, the former had generally lower rates of infection and death than the latter—and paid for it with much weaker job growth. If the Omicron variant unleashes a new wave of the pandemic, those partisan gaps could be perpetuated.” The Journal notes that the gap narrowed as vaccinations enabled Democratic run states maintaining stricter pandemic restrictions to open up, but that the gap remained.

Credit Card Applications Reach a Pandemic High

In October, the number of Americans applying for credit cards reached a record high for the pandemic, with 27% of Americans saying they applied for a card in the past year, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (WSJ). The Wall Street Journal writes, “That is the highest level since 2019 and well above the record low of 16% recorded a year ago.” Wilbert van der Klaauw, senior vice president at the New York Fed, commented, “Many things are slowly returning to more normal times,” adding, “With that, you expect the demand for credit to come back to pre-pandemic levels and continue on the same growth path.” However, the newly discovered Omicron variant could change things.

American Miners Are the Most Vaccine Hesitant Miners 

For multinational American mining companies, American miners are proving the most resistant to vaccination, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The Journal writes, “With few U.S. multinationals disclosing country-by-country vaccination rates, America’s biggest miners offer a rare glimpse at varying appetites toward inoculation across an international workforce, and the efforts of some companies to encourage it.” Tom Palmer, CEO of Newmont Corp. the largest gold mining company in the world, told the Journal, “What we are seeing is a higher level of hesitancy in the United States,” adding, “It is something that I am puzzled by.” The Journal writes, “Around 47% of the staff at Newmont’s two fully owned U.S. mines have been fully vaccinated. That compares with a national rate of over 70% for those age 18 years or above. A lower proportion of Newmont’s mine workers in Suriname have been vaccinated, at 42%, but this is because fewer doses are available, the company said.” A survey by Carnegie Mellon University also found that the construction and extractive industries sector was the U.S. economic sector with the highest level of hesitancy. The Journal writes, “More than 45% of respondents in those industries said they were hesitant to get vaccinated, compared with an average of 19% across all industries surveyed.”

Bonus Read: “Christian network founder who discouraged vaccinations dies after contracting covid-19,” (WaPo).

Analysis & Arguments

Isaac Chotiner interviews Tulio de Oliveira, whose team discovered the Omicron variant, on what it means (New Yorker).

Bret Stephens calls for an end to blame games over Covid (NYT).

Rebecca Gordon argues that the pandemic provides a chance to rethink the 24 hour economy (Nation).

 Readers can send in tips, critiques, questions, and suggestions to coronavirusbrief@newamerica.org.

The Brief is edited by David Sterman and Emily Schneider with Senior Editor Peter Bergen.

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