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December 7, 2021 - Brief Issue 269

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

Omicron Reported in 19 States (Health & Science)

Growing Vaccine Demand in the U.S. (Health & Science)

Study Finds J&J Works as Booster for Those Who Had Pfizer-BioNTech Originally (Health & Science)

China Calls on ‘Little Inoculated Warriors’ (Around the World)

France Closes Nightclubs (Around the World)

New York City to Mandate Vaccination for Private Sector Workers (U.S. Government & Politics)

Omicron Dampens the Mood at World Petroleum Congress (U.S. Economy)

Overworked and Exhausted, Nurses Quit to Take Profitable Travel Nurse Jobs (U.S. Society)

Cruise Ship with At Least 17 Coronavirus Cases Docks in New Orleans (U.S. Society)

Health & Science

There have been 49,278,724 coronavirus cases in the United States, and 789,745 people have died (Johns Hopkins). The United States has administered 471,700,443 vaccine doses, with 71.1% of all Americans having received at least one vaccine dose and 60% fully vaccinated. Among adults aged 18 or older 83.5% have received at least one dose, and 71.5% are fully vaccinated (U.S. CDC). 23.6% of fully vaccinated Americans have received a booster shot. Worldwide, there have been 266,553,059 cases of coronavirus, with 5,265,191 deaths.

Omicron Reported in 19 States

As the total number of reported coronavirus cases in the U.S. climbed toward 50 million on Tuesday, 19 states reported cases of the Omicron variant of the virus (WaPo). Texas is the latest state to announce a case of the variant, joining Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin (NYT). It’s been just five days since the first known case of the variant was reported in the country in California. Scientists believe the increase in known cases of the Omicron variant is due to the potentially higher transmissibility of the strain along with an improved system for detecting it. The overwhelming majority of cases in the U.S. are caused by the Delta variant. 

 Growing Vaccine Demand in the U.S.

As news of the Omicron variant, and the variant itself, sweeps across the U.S., demand for vaccines has spiked. Health-care providers administered 2.18 million doses of coronavirus vaccines on Thursday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — the “highest single-day total since May,” the White House said. According to the latest CDC report, over the week ending on Thursday, the average number of daily administered vaccine doses reported to the agency was 22% higher than the previous week. The expanded eligibility for booster shots has also contributed to the uptick in vaccine demand. As of Nov. 19, all U.S. adults are eligible for booster shots. Omicron “may be the ‘boost’ to help the unvaccinated and the newly eligible to get motivated and vaccinated quickly,” Scott Ratzan, a health communication expert at CUNY School of Public Health, said in an email to The Washington Post.

Study Finds J&J Works as Booster for Those Who Had Pfizer-BioNTech Originally

A small study at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston in Boston looked at mixing and matching the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Researchers found that a J&J shot as a booster dose provides as much benefit as a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine. The study included 65 people who had received two shots of the Pfizer vaccine; six months after the second dose, the researchers gave 24 of the volunteers a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine and 41 volunteers the J&J shot. Both vaccines boosted the number of covid-fighting T-cells, but the T-cell increase delivered by J&J was twice as high as that of Pfizer’s. The New York Times points out that “the study was funded in part by Johnson & Johnson and has not yet been published in a scientific journal.”

Around the World

China Calls on ‘Little Inoculated Warriors’

In its quest for covid-zero and herd immunity, China has turned its attention to vaccinating 160 million children. The campaign for what nurses are calling “little inoculated warriors” has gotten off to a fast start, with 84 million children between the ages of 3 and 11 receiving the first of two shots since late October (NYT). In the U.S., by contrast, 2.6 million children between the ages of 5 and 11 received one dose over roughly the same time period. But China’s campaign is now facing parental reluctance over concerns about the vaccine’s safety. And while the child inoculations are voluntary, parents have described being pressured to vaccinate their children. For example, some schools are sending unvaccinated children home and not allowing them to attend classes. Other countries have abandoned the goal of herd immunity, especially in light of new variants, but China has set it as a prerequisite for reopening its borders. Bonus Read: “China Increasingly Obscures True State of Its Economy to Outsiders,” (WSJ). 

France Closes Nightclubs 

Starting Friday, nightclubs in France will be closed for four weeks as part of new measures that will be coming into force to battle the latest wave of the virus (Guardian). Hospitals in the country are currently under strain from the influx of covid-19 patients. France has confirmed 25 cases of the new Omicron variant but the ministry of health said it expects that number to jump significantly in the coming weeks.

U.S. Government & Politics

New York City to Mandate Vaccination for Private Sector Workers

On Monday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a new vaccine mandate covering the city’s private sector employees, citing the danger of the Omicron variant (WSJ, NYT, Fox, Politico). The new mandate is set to begin on December 27th, which is only days before de Blasio leaves office. De Blasio told NBC’s “Morning Joe,” “We’ve got Omicron as a new factor. We’ve got the colder weather, which is going to really create additional challenges with the Delta variant. We’ve got holiday gatherings,” adding, “We in New York City have decided to use a pre-emptive strike to really do something bold to stop the further growth of Covid.” The Wall Street Journal writes, “The requirement will affect some 3.6 million private-sector jobs, according to the latest labor statistics from the city. Children ages 5 through 11, who recently became eligible to get vaccinated against the virus, will also need to have vaccine proof for indoor dining, entertainment and fitness.” A spokesman for Eric Adams, who will soon replace de Blasio as mayor, stated, “The Mayor-elect will evaluate this mandate and other Covid strategies when he is in office and make determinations based on science, efficacy and the advice of health professionals.” Federal guidelines already require employers with more than 100 employees require that employees provide evidence of vaccination or submit to weekly testing and a mask mandate. The New York City mandate will provide no testing option. The New York Times writes, “Employees who work in-person at private companies must have one dose of the vaccine by Dec. 27; remote workers will not be required to get the vaccine. There is no testing option as an alternative.” Bonus Read: “New York Religious Schools Face a Vaccine Mandate. Will They Fight It?,” (NYT).

Bonus Read: ‘Seven days: Following Trump’s coronavirus trail,” (WaPo).

U.S. Economy

Bonus Read: “Stocks and Oil Rally on Hopes of Milder Covid Variant,” (WSJ).

Omicron Dampens the Mood at World Petroleum Congress

This week, leaders of the oil industry are meeting in Houston for the  World Petroleum Congress, but the Wall Street Journal reports that the Omicron variant has dampened what many expected to be a celebratory mood buoyed by high and robust demand (WSJ). The Journal writes, “The Omicron variant has lopped about 14% off oil prices in recent weeks and created headaches in international travel. Fears that Covid-19 will once again stall the global economy are undermining the mood ahead of the important industry event, which had been set to include the chief executives of Exxon Mobil Corp., Chevron Corp. and BP PLC as well as the secretary-general of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.” In addition to the variant’s impact on prices, it has led some attendees to decide to pass on the gathering. The Journal notes that such absences include, “BP CEO Bernard Looney. Canada’s minister of natural resources, Jonathan Wilkinson, also has pulled out of the event, which a spokeswoman attributed to a scheduling conflict.”

U.S. Society

Overworked and Exhausted, Nurses Quit to Take Profitable Travel Nurse Jobs

The Washington Post reports that many nurses, having worked long hours under tough conditions due to the pandemic, are now quitting their jobs and taking more profitable work as travel nurses (WaPo). The Post writes, “If 2020 was the year travel nursing took off, with 35 percent growth over the pre-pandemic year of 2019, this year has propelled it to new heights, with an additional 40 percent growth expected, according to an independent analyst of the health-care workforce.” Chip Kahn, president and chief executive officer of the Federation of American Hospitals, told the Post, “Of all the things that keep CEOs of hospitals up at night, this is the key one.” Among the reasons that many nurses are turning to travel nursing is higher pay and often-better benefits. 

Cruise Ship with At Least 17 Coronavirus Cases Docks in New Orleans

Over the weekend, a Norwegian cruise ship with at least 17 coronavirus cases aboard docked in New Orleans (WaPo, NYT). The Washington Post writes, “The Norwegian Breakaway departed from New Orleans on Nov. 28 with more than 3,200 people aboard and stopped in Belize, Honduras and Mexico on its voyage, the Louisiana Department of Health said in a statement Saturday. The statement did not say whether the passengers were tested for the coronavirus before the trip, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises cruise-goers to get tested one to three days in advance.” The cruise line said all passenger and crew were required to be vaccinated and that cases were “asymptomatic.” The New York Times notes, “Norwegian Cruise Line has one of the most stringent immunization policies in the industry, requiring that all passengers, including children, and crew members take antigen tests and be fully vaccinated before boarding. Children who are not eligible for a vaccine are prohibited from traveling.” Cruise lines were a major focus of policy earlier in the pandemic with the CDC issuing a no sail order in March 2020. The Post writes, “the outbreak highlights that despite cruise lines’ efforts to impose strict public health rules, the virus is still finding a way on board. And public health rules that dictate how cruise ships can operate in U.S. waters during the pandemic are due to become only recommendations in mid-January.”

Analysis & Arguments

Anita Sreedhar and New America Fellow and ASU Professor Anand Gopal write on how class shapes vaccine hesitancy (NYT).

Lazaro Gamio and Peter S. Goodman provide a graphic look at how the pandemic led to supply chain crises (NYT). 

Rachel Gutman writes on the best and worst case scenarios for Omicron (Atlantic).

 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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