No images? Click here
Click here to subscribe to the daily brief.
January 24, 2022 - Brief Issue 278
The Coronavirus Daily Brief is a daily news and analysis roundup edited by New America’s International Security Program and Arizona State University.
Please consider making a donation to support our ongoing analysis of the most important news and headlines surrounding Covid-19.
Top Headlines
Omicron Cases Appear to Peak in U.S. (Health & Science)
Covid Pills Out of Reach (Health & Science)
Hospitals Ask Workers with Covid to Return (Health & Science)
CDC Study: Boosters Protect Against Severe Disease from Omicron (Health & Science)
Protests in Brussels Turns Violent (Around the World)
Omicron Spreads in New Zealand, Country Moves to ‘Red Setting’ (Around the World)
Second Anniversary of the World’s First Lockdown (Around the World)
Pakistan: Only Fully Vaccinated Allowed in Mosques (Around the World)
Foreign Execs Exit Hong Kong (Around the World)
Japan Scrambles to Give Booster Shots (Around the World)
Government-Provided Tests Begin to Arrive (U.S. Government & Politics)
Thousands Gather for Anti-Vaccine Rally in DC (U.S. Government & Politics)
Government Return to Office Plans Remain Muddled (U.S. Government & Politics)
CDC Director: “CDC Alone Can’t Fix This,” Emphasizes Need for Public Health Overhaul (U.S. Government & Politics)
U.S. Food Supply Under Pressure (U.S. Economy)
DMV Area Schools Vary on Masking Policies (U.S. Society)
Health & Science
There have been 70,700,678 coronavirus cases in the United States, and 866,540 people have died (Johns Hopkins). The United States has administered 534,608,709 vaccine doses, with 75.5% of all Americans having received at least one vaccine dose and 63.4% fully vaccinated. Among adults aged 18 or older 87.4% have received at least one dose, and 73.8% are fully vaccinated (U.S. CDC). 39.9% of fully vaccinated Americans have received a booster shot. Worldwide, there have been 351,862,481 cases of coronavirus, with 5,597,941 deaths.
Omicron Cases Appear to Peak in U.S.
The U.S. is reporting upward of 700,000 new Covid-19 cases a day, fewer than earlier in January, suggesting that the Omicron peak could be over (NYT). New coronavirus hospital admissions have leveled off but many hospitals are already full and deaths continue to mount, with over 2,100 per day. States in the Northeast and Upper Midwest are seeing downward trends but some states in the West, South and Great Plains are still seeing sharp increases. Scientists are cautious though, and say it’s unclear whether the Omicron variant marked the transition of the coronavirus from a pandemic to a less-threatening endemic virus or whether future surges and variants would continue to wreak havoc.
Covid Pills Out of Reach
The rollout of antiviral Covid-19 pills has been hampered by regulatory, testing, and logistical issues that have kept the pills out of reach for many patients who should qualify for them (Politico). Two pills have been granted emergency approval: Molnupiravir from Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Paxlovid from Pfizer, both of which require the series of pills to be taken within days of the onset of symptoms and after a test confirms a Covid-19 infection. But limited supply and bureaucratic hurdles have made obtaining the pills very difficult. Prescribing power is limited to doctors and health care workers in physician’s offices, according to the way the emergency authorization is written. It creates a scenario where patients may need to get tested, then visit a doctor’s office, then go to a pharmacy, essentially “sending you on a goose chase to try and find these meds,” according to one state health official speaking to Politico. “It should be easy, and it’s chaos,” said Mark Newman, CEO of Nomi Health, which runs testing sites around the country.
Hospitals Ask Workers with Covid to Return
Hospitals are increasingly asking staff who have tested positive for the coronavirus to return to work even if they are potentially infectious, demonstrating how the hyper-transmissible Omicron variant has affected staffing and resources (WaPo). Even though vaccine mandates are common at hospitals, many staff members are coming down with breakthrough infections and the ten-day isolation periods have now changed to five-day ones under updated CDC guidelines released late last month. The Washington Post writes: “The CDC says health care workers who test positive can keep working uninterrupted in a “crisis” — and one state, California, recently declared that hospitals could take that step for employees without symptoms.”
But not everyone agrees with the updated guidance from the CDC. Erica Ashley, an intensive care nurse at Dignity Health’s St. Bernardine Medical Center in San Bernardino, Calif., described the state’s relaxed guidance as “insult on top of injury” and cited burnout of medical personnel. “The more I give, the more you want,” she said. “It’s like, I have nothing left to give.” Bonus Read: “ Shrinking Band of Southern Nurses, Neck-Deep in Another Covid Wave,” (NYT).
CDC Study: Boosters Protect Against Severe Disease from Omicron
Three reports released on Friday by the Centers for Disease Control using real world data show booster shots are effective at preventing vaccinated people from suffering from severe illness if infected with Covid-19 (WaPo). “The data here show the protection provided by vaccines and the importance of being up to date on your covid-19 vaccination, which for tens of millions of Americans means getting a booster dose,” said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky. One of the new CDC reports analyzed data from hundreds of thousands of emergency room and urgent care visits. It showed that a third dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna shots reduces the chance of hospitalization by 90% compared to unvaccinated people. It also reduces the chance of a trip to the emergency room by 82%. Yet, booster uptake has been modest: most people who are eligible for booster shots in the U.S., estimated to be more than 86 million, have not gotten them, according to the CDC.
Around the World
Europe
Protests in Brussels Turns Violent
On Sunday protests in Brussels turned violent as demonstrators clashed with police officers and vandalized the offices of the European External Action Service, the EU’s diplomatic arm. An estimated 50,000 people poured on to the streets to attend one of the largest demonstrations against Covid-19 measures (Politico). Police used teargas and water cannons to try to clear the protesters. The protest was organized by the EU-wide network Europeans United for Freedom and other groups that oppose health restrictions meant to combat the spread of the virus. “Our main demand is that emergency measures are introduced in a democratic and balanced way,” Tom Meert, chairman of Europeans United for Freedom, wrote on the group’s website.
“We do not deny that there are diseases. Our arguments would be the same in the case of a natural disaster or any other crisis: a country’s policies must be deliberate and founded on the principles of the democratic rule of law.”
New Zealand
Omicron Spreads in New Zealand, Country Moves to ‘Red Setting’
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced new Covid-19 restrictions on Sunday after nine cases of the Omicron variant were discovered – all of which were in a single family that flew to Auckland to attend a wedding. The country is now in the “red setting,” meaning heightened measures such as mask wearing and limits on gatherings will go into effect today, Monday. “Our plan for managing omicron cases in the early stage remains the same as delta, where we will rapidly test, contact trace and isolate cases and contacts in order to slow the spread,” Ardern told reporters (Politico). New Zealand has so far avoided an outbreak of the Omicron variant, and is one of the few remaining countries to do so, but Ardern acknowledged that an outbreak was inevitable (NYT). Ardern stressed that the country was not in lockdown, as businesses remain open and people can visit family and friends, but the new restrictions have forced Ardern to postpone her own wedding, which was supposed to take place next weekend (Reuters).
Asia
Second Anniversary of the World’s First Lockdown
Sunday marked the two-year anniversary of the first Covid-19-related lockdown in Wuhan, China. The city where the virus was first reported shut down public transport and restricted departures for 76 days, a stunning move at the time. Since then, lockdowns of varying lengths and strictness have been carried out around the world (NYT). China has largely kept the virus at bay using aggressive contact tracing and quarantine measures. Currently, at least 20 million people in three Chinese cities are under full lockdown.
Pakistan: Only Fully Vaccinated Allowed in Mosques
Officials in Pakistan have barred anyone who is not fully vaccinated from entering mosques for prayer as part of a series of new restrictions against Covid-19. The government has also banned indoor gatherings, ordered schools to close, and canceled any contact sports in districts where the test positivity rate exceeded 10%. The national test positivity rate is currently at about 13%, but some areas exceed that rate; Karachi, a port city of about 15 million, has a positivity rate of 46%. About 36% of the population, around 78 million people, have received two doses of the vaccine (NYT).
Foreign Execs Exit Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s stringent rules meant to keep Covid-19 at bay are also keeping foreign executives away, harming the city’s status as a worldwide business hub (WSJ). As the city enters its third year of pandemic-related quarantine stays for travelers arriving in the city, repeated school closures, and flight bans, business executives are struggling to keep up with business operations in other countries or meet with partners and clients, even in mainland China. According to the Wall Street Journal, “more than half of executives polled in a survey by an American business group in Hong Kong released Wednesday said the city’s Covid-19 policies made them personally more likely to leave. Almost a third said they were struggling to fill senior roles and had delayed investments in Hong Kong.” The city’s isolation is also compounding concerns for businesses that include China’s national security crackdown that has strained its relationships with the U.S.
Japan Scrambles to Give Booster Shots
The Omicron variant is causing case numbers to skyrocket in Japan and has forced officials to rush to administer booster shots. The country’s case count has multiplied by more than 100 since the beginning of January and set another record on Saturday at over 54,000 daily cases (NYT). On Friday, twelve prefectures and Tokyo tightened restrictions on dining and drinking and more areas are expected to announce similar measures soon. Authorities are concerned that the surge will overwhelm hospitals. While Japan’s case numbers are small in comparison to those seen in the U.S. and Europe, they are shocking for the country that has until this point, experienced a relatively mild pandemic.
U.S. Government & Politics
Government-Provided Tests Begin to Arrive
Last week, the White House launched its website to enable Americans to order free rapid Covid tests, and those tests have begun to arrive (NYT). Marcie Taylor, a California marketing consultant, received her tests on Friday, earlier than the tracking information suggested, and told the Times, “It gives you peace of mind to have it since there is a shortage at drugstores.” As we covered last week, some residents of apartment buildings had trouble ordering masks because the buildings were listed as single units and other residents had already ordered to the address. Even so, tests have begun to arrive, and each household is entitled to four tests, which can be obtained from covidtests.gov.
Thousands Gather for Anti-Vaccine Rally in DC
On Sunday, thousands of people gathered to protest vaccine mandates in Washington DC, which mandates both vaccination and mask mandates for many public activities (WaPo). The Washington Post writes, “Organizers had estimated that 20,000 people would attend the rally, marching from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial, according to a permit issued by the National Park Service. A smaller crowd of several thousand had arrived on the Mall by early Sunday afternoon.” A small group of people wearing the Proud Boys insignia were in attendance. The Post describes some of the vibe, writing, “The marchers carried posters and flags that included false statements such as ‘Vaccines are mass kill bio weapons’ and ‘Trump won.’ A bus was parked beside the Washington Monument, wrapped in signs with ‘ARREST OR EXILE’ and displaying pictures of Anthony Fauci, Bill Gates and Jacob Rothschild — the last an echo of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories involving the Rothschild family. A speaker blared Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Stronger (What doesn’t kill you).’” The Post describes the police presence as “visible but not overwhelming.”
Government Return to Office Plans Remain Muddled
The Washington Post reports that while the Biden administration sought to use its vaccine mandate for federal workers to enable a return to the office among government employees, office return plans remain muddled across the government (WaPo). Part of the challenge derives from court challenges to the mandate, but the Post notes, “Even before a federal judge in Texas issued a preliminary injunction Friday blocking President Biden’s vaccine mandate for the workforce of 2.1 million, many agencies had not mapped out when to bring employees back and how to keep them safe.” The Omicron surge has also disrupted plans, and more than half the federal workforce continues to work from home. Chad Hooper, executive director of the nonprofit Professional Managers Association which represents IRS managers, told the Post, “We’re at a point in the pandemic when all the processes are out the window.” Some parts of the government have provided projected return to office dates. The Post notes, “Housing and Urban Development employees are scheduled to return March 14. The Environmental Protection Agency will require political appointees and high-level managers to begin going back Feb. 28, with another wave to phase in March 28, but there’s no word yet on rank-and-file employees.” The Social Security Administration plans to return to the office in April. Other agencies are still in negotiation with their unions. Nicole Cantello, an EPA attorney and president of Local 704 of the American Federation of Government Employees, told the Post, “We’re in this fuzzy phase right now on unvaccinated employees, and omicron has allowed agencies to hit pause on figuring that out.”
CDC Director: “CDC Alone Can’t Fix This,” Emphasizes Need for Public Health Overhaul
In an interview with Politico, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said the CDC alone cannot fix the pandemic and emphasized the need for a broad public health overhaul (Politico). Walensky told Politico, “I actually really think many people have thought, this is CDC’s responsibility, to fix public health [and] the pandemic.” She added, “The CDC alone can't fix this. Businesses have to help, the government has to help, school systems have to help. This is too big for the CDC alone.” Politico writes, “The CDC director called for broadscale investment in public health — including helping to hire more nurses locally, staffing emergency departments and recruiting statisticians and data crunchers. Walensky’s focus on strengthening public health offices underscores the extent to which she thinks the CDC must improve its federal response by revitalizing the local and state health systems it relies upon.” The interview comes as Walensky has taken a more prominent public role amid criticism of her messaging within and outside the administration, as we covered in a prior brief.
U.S. Economy
U.S. Food Supply Under Pressure
The Wall Street Journal reports that the Omicron surge has placed the U.S. food system under stress again (WSJ). The Journal writes, “In Arizona, one in 10 processing plant and distribution workers at a major produce company were recently out sick. In Massachusetts, employee illnesses have slowed the flow of fish to supermarkets and restaurants. A grocery chain in the U.S. Southeast had to hire temporary workers after roughly one-third of employees at its distribution centers fell ill.” Industry executives and analysts told the Journal that they expect disruptions to continue for weeks. Some executives said the current disruptions could be worse than those at the beginning of the pandemic telling the Journal that “the lack of workers leaves a broader range of products in short supply, food-industry executives said, with availability sometimes changing daily.” Supermarket operators, however, said that they have ample supplies thought not necessarily of specific brands.
U.S. Society
Bonus Read: “Parents Want Schools to Be Open. Schools Are Struggling to Comply,” (WSJ)..
DMV Area Schools Vary on Masking Policies
Schools across the DC, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area vary in their approach to masking (WaPo). Virginia’s newly elected Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin banned mask mandates in schools while recently revised rules in Maryland allow schools to make their own decisions under certain conditions. But even beyond that, the Washington Post notes, “systems in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia are handing out KN95s for the first time — or planning to — with mixed results.” Questions and debates have arisen over the types of KN95 masks to be distributed and the level of clarity regarding the selection process. The distribution can also vary. In DC, only teachers and staff are being provided with KN95s while Maryland's two largest districts are providing KN95 masks to students and staff. The Post writes, “Maya Baum, who teaches 22 fourth graders, has students wearing cloth, surgical, and KN95 masks. It can be tough to ensure social distancing, she said. She planned to spend the weekend fundraising to outfit them with high-quality masks.” The debates arise in part from variability in the effectiveness and value of KN95 masks. The Post writes, “the CDC has warned that not all KN95s are the same. About 60 percent of KN95s evaluated by NIOSH did not meet requirements they were intended to meet.”
Bonus Read: “Green M&M’s Fashion Makeover Is Covid Comfy but Not Everyone Is Happy,” (WSJ).
Analysis & Arguments
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.
Read previous briefs here and stream and subscribe to our weekly podcast here.
About New America
New America is dedicated to renewing the promise of America by continuing the quest to realize our nation's highest ideals. Read the rest of our story, or see what we've been doing recently in our latest Annual Report.
Help us to continue advancing policy solutions and journalism by making a donation to New America.