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January 12, 2022 - Brief Issue 274
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
WHO: Half of Europe Could be Infected with Omicron Over Next Two Months (Health & Science)
U.S. CDC Weighs Recommending Better Masks (Health & Science)
South Africa Studies Suggest Omicron Has “Asymptomatic Carriage” (Health & Science)
Singapore Data: Moderna Vaccines Work Best, Sinovac is Least Effective (Health & Science)
Hong Kong’s Elderly Have Yet to be Vaccinated (Around the World)
In Quebec, Unvaccinated Will be Taxed (Around the World)
Newest Lockdowns in China Affect Factories, Ports (Around the World)
Biden Sets Rules for At-Home Test Reimbursements (U.S. Politics & Government)
Fauci and Walensky Testify Before the Senate, Fauci Clashes with Senator Paul, Accuses Him of Fueling Threats to His Life (U.S. Politics & Government).
Vaccines and Tests Boost CVS, Albertson Sales (U.S. Economy)
Omicron Impacts Retail Workers in More Ways than Their Health (U.S. Economy)
United Airlines: 3,000 Employees Have Tested Positive (U.S. Economy)
Omicron Halts Many Return to Office Plans (U.S. Society)
Health & Science
There have been 62,318,787 coronavirus cases in the United States, and 832,322 people have died (Johns Hopkins). The United States has administered 521,156,804 vaccine doses, with 74.5% of all Americans having received at least one vaccine dose and 62.6% fully vaccinated. Among adults aged 18 or older 86.5% have received at least one dose, and 73.3% are fully vaccinated (U.S. CDC). 36.7% of fully vaccinated Americans have received a booster shot. Worldwide, there have been 313,928,600 cases of coronavirus, with 5,507,018 deaths.
WHO: Half of Europe Could be Infected with Omicron Over Next Two Months
More than half of people in Europe could be infected with the Omicron variant in the next six to eight weeks, according to the World Health Organization. The agency said on Tuesday that there is a “new west-to-east tidal wave sweeping across the region” (NYT). Dr. Hans Kluge, the WHO’s regional director for Europe, said at a news conference that “the region saw over seven million cases of Covid-19 in the first week of 2022, more than doubling over a two-week period,” but said that booster shots would play a critical role in protecting the most vulnerable populations from severe disease. He also said they should be used to protect health workers and other essential employees. In the forecasts used by Dr. Kluge, ones by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation that have been criticized by other experts, there would be serious disruptions in society across the continent.
U.S. CDC Weighs Recommending Better Masks
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is considering updating its mask guidance to recommend the more protective N95 or KN95 masks, according to reporting by the Washington Post. Health experts have been urging the Biden administration to recommend medical-grade masks rather than just cloth coverings to protect against the virus. “The agency is currently actively looking to update its recommendations for KN95 and N95 in light of omicron,” an official who was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter told the Post. “We know these masks provide better filtration.” Updated guidance is expected to say that “the best mask is the one that is worn consistently and correctly,” writes the Post. While the government has been mulling the new guidance for weeks, the official announcement has been on hold until an analysis of the mask supply chain could be completed. As of the end of December, the U.S. had 747 million N95 masks in the national stockpile.
South Africa Studies Suggest Omicron Has “Asymptomatic Carriage”
Two clinical trials from South Africa suggest that the Omicron variant has a much higher rate of “asymptomatic carriage” compared to earlier variants, which could explain its extremely high rate of transmission (Reuters). One of the studies was carried out when Omicron infections were surging in South Africa in December and the other study resampled participants around the same time. In the preliminary findings from both studies, researchers found a far greater number of people who tested positive but showed no symptoms. Researchers in the one study said that the “higher asymptomatic carriage rate is likely a major factor in the rapid and widespread dissemination of the variant, even among populations with high prior rates of coronavirus infection.”
Singapore Data: Moderna Vaccines Work Best, Sinovac is Least Effective
Singapore has released new figures that suggest shots produced by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech are much more effective at preventing deaths than the Chinese-developed Sinopharm and Sinovac shots. According to Health Minister Ong Y Kung on Monday, of the 802 people who died in the city-state in 2021, 555 were unvaccinated and 247 people had received locally available vaccines (WaPo). The Post reports: “In terms of deaths per 100,000 people, there were 11 for those immunized with Sinovac and 7.8 for the Sinopharm vaccine, the state-affiliated Straits Times newspaper reported. The rate dropped for people who received messenger RNA — or mRNA — vaccines, with 6.2 deaths for Pfizer-BioNTech and one fatality for Moderna.” However, Ong said that these rates “are only indicative since they do not account for other factors which can affect mortality, such as the age and timing of vaccination.” The data adds evidence to concerns about the efficacy of the types of vaccines, which use inactivated virus, that are in use in China and much of the developing world.
Bonus Read: “Health care workers are panicked as desperate hospitals ask infected staff to return,” (Politico).
Around the World
Hong Kong’s Elderly Have Yet to be Vaccinated
In Hong Kong, there has been low vaccination rates among a demographic that, in many other countries, were the first group of focus in vaccination drives: the elderly. Even as the elderly have had free access to doses for a year, fewer than 1 in 5 have had two shots and almost none have had three (WaPo). The low vaccination rates among the elderly leaves them exposed to the Omicron variant. Some health experts blame Hong Kong officials’ messaging: signaling that their strategy was “zero covid” could have given the idea that residents didn’t need to take action to protect themselves.
In Quebec, Unvaccinated Will be Taxed
Canada’s second most populous province, Quebec, has plans to force adults who choose not to get vaccinated for Covid-19 to pay a tax, called a “health contribution” (Reuters). Premier Francois Legault announced the proposal at a briefing on Tuesday but the details are still being finalized but Legault said the finance ministry is determining a “significant” amount that unvaccinated people would be required to pay, adding it would not be less than C$100 ($79.50). Health and legal experts are already debating whether such a tax would survive any legal challenges.
Newest Lockdowns in China Affect Factories, Ports
Major manufacturers are being hit with closures and disruptions as the latest wave of lockdowns in China includes areas that are home to many factories and ports. Economists believe that the disruptions will ripple through the global supply chain as major brands are already being affected, including Samsung Electronics Co., German automaker Volkswagen, and a textile manufacturer that supplies Nike and Adidas (WSJ). As we covered in an earlier brief this week, the city of Tianjin, which is an eastern port city, is in lockdown, as well as the southern technology hub of Shenzhen. The world’s third-busiest container port of Ningbo-Zhoushan, which is near Shanghai, is also experiencing backlogs from government restrictions on trucks and warehouse operations due to confirmed Covid-19 cases in the area.
U.S. Government & Politics
Biden Sets Rules for At-Home Test Reimbursements
On Monday, the Biden administration issued guidance, requiring private health insurers to reimburse for at-home Covid tests (Politico, WaPo). Under the guidance, insurers must reimburse up to eight tests a month. The guidance reads in part: “Plans and issuers are strongly encouraged to provide direct coverage for OTC Covid-19 tests to participants, beneficiaries and enrollees by reimbursing sellers directly without requiring participants, beneficiaries or enrollees to provide upfront payment and seek reimbursement.” The guidance takes effect on Saturday, January 15th.
Fauci and Walensky Testify Before the Senate, Fauci Clashes with Senator Paul, Accuses Him of Fueling Threats to His Life
On Tuesday, Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and CDC Director Rochelle Walensky testified before the Senate regarding the government’s response to the Omicron variant (WaPo). The hearing saw the latest tense exchange between Fauci and Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) regarding an email Senator Paul presented as Fauci disagreeing with theories of a lab origin (NBC, WaPo). During the hearing, Fauci accused Paul of distorting his record, and said “What happens when he gets out and accuses me of things that are completely untrue, is that all of a sudden that kindles the crazies out there, and I have threats upon my life, harassment of my family, and my children, with obscene phone calls because people are lying about me.” Fauci stated, “as some of you may know, just about three or four weeks ago, on December 21st, a person was arrested who was on their way from Sacramento to Washington, D.C., at a speed stop in Iowa. And they asked, the police asked him where he was going, and he was going to Washington, D.C., to kill Dr. Fauci.” This was a reference to the arrest of one, Kuachua Brillion Xiong, who had an AR-15 and ammunition. The Post links to the complaint, which alleges that Xiong compiled a kill list that included Dr. Fauci among others.
Chicago Schools Reach Tentative Deal to Avoid Shutdown
Chicago teachers union leaders accepted a deal proposed by the city’s mayor Lori Lightfoot to avoid a shutdown (Politico, WaPo, NYT). Politico writes, “Though the deal needs to be approved by the broader union membership, the news marks an enormous step to resume school after four days of canceled classes in Chicago and a heated national debate about the safety of bringing students back to campuses during an Omicron-driven wave of Covid-19 cases.” Under the agreement, in person classes could start today, Wednesday. Despite the agreement, union figures expressed anger with the mayor. CTU vice president Stacy Davis Gates stated, “This mayor is unfit to lead our city. She’s on a one-woman kamikaze mission to destroy our public schools.” In her Monday night press conference, the mayor stated, “No one wins when our students are out of a place where they can learn the best and where they’re safest.” The Washington Post explains the dispute, writing, “Last week, the union had voted to return to remote learning, and the school system responded by canceling classes, making Chicago one of few U.S. cities without in-person classes after winter break.” The Post adds, “Chicago teachers have demanded enhanced safety measures in schools, such as KN95 masks for educators and students, more frequent testing, and the option to take an unpaid leave of absence if an employee’s medical condition puts them at higher risk of severe illness from covid-19. The teachers also proposed standardized criteria for pausing in-person learning amid outbreaks.” Bonus Read: “Despite Omicron, Los Angeles students are going back to class,’ (NYT).
U.S. Economy
Vaccines and Tests Boost CVS, Albertson Sales
Supermarket company Albertsons along with CVS have seen their sales increase as a result of their provision of Covid tests and vaccines (WSJ). The Wall Street Journal writes, “The roughly 11 million Covid-19 vaccinations that Albertsons said it has administered have helped create repeat customers, increasing pharmacy and grocery sales and lifting gross profits, executives said Tuesday.” Sharon McCollam, Albertsons’ chief financial officer told investors on a conference call, “This has been a major initiative for us, not only from a business perspective, but also from a social perspective.” The Journal also writes, “CVS separately projected its 2021 profitability would be stronger than previously expected, as executives said surprisingly high demand for Covid-19 vaccines in November and December boosted the largest U.S. pharmacy chain,” and notes similar remarks about growth from Walgreens.
Omicron Impacts Retail Workers in More Ways than Their Health
The New York Times reports on how the surge in Omicron cases has impacted retail workers in ways that go beyond the direct impact upon their health (NYT). The Times writes, “Long checkout lines. Closed fitting rooms. Empty shelves. Shortened store hours. Plus the dread of contracting the coronavirus and yet another season of skirmishes with customers who refuse to wear masks. A weary retail work force is experiencing the fallout from the latest wave of the pandemic, with a rapidly spreading variant cutting into staffing.” Moreover, most retailers are not providing hazard pay for this surge in cases. Artavia Milliam, who works at a Manhattan H&M store told the Times, “We had gotten to a point here where we were comfortable, it wasn’t too bad, and then all of a sudden this new variant came and everybody got sick.” A member of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, she added, “It’s been overwhelming, just having to deal with not having enough staff and then twice as many people in the store.” Liisa Luick, a sales associate for a Washington Macy’s and steward for the local unit of the United Food and Commercial Workers union, told the Times, “Morale could not be lower.” She particularly emphasized issues with people refusing to wear masks. Last week, Macy’s announced shortened hours.
United Airlines: 3,000 Employees Have Tested Positive
According to United Airlines, 3,000 of its employees have tested positive for Covid (WaPo). In a memo on Tuesday, the company’s CEO Scott Kirby wrote, “The Omicron surge has put a strain on our operation, resulting in customer disruptions during a busy holiday season.” Kirby noted that on a single day, a third of the employees at United’s Newark hub tested positive.
U.S. Society
Omicron Halts Many Return to Office Plans
The surge in cases as a result of the Omicron variant has halted many businesses’ plans for employees to return to the office (WSJ). The Wall Street Journal writes, “Companies across the U.S. said they were returning to the workplace in September, only to put off those plans when the spread of the Delta variant accelerated. Many of those same firms were poised to dust off their office desks in January. Now major banks, technology companies and other firms have scrapped those plans thanks to the Omicron variant, and a sense that Covid-19 is going to linger longer than most first imagined.” Many companies are putting aside plans for a specific date at which point employees will need to return to the office, and increasingly turning to broader re-imaginings of what work during the pandemic might look like over the long term.
Analysis & Arguments
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