As winter looms and the Omicron variant begins circling the globe, pressure has mounted on the White House to act swiftly to prevent another surge in COVID-19 cases in the U.S.. President Joe Biden today unveiled a new pandemic strategy that pushes boosters, heightens requirements for travelers entering the country, makes at-home testing free and deploys “monoclonal antibody strike teams.”
“We’re going to fight this variant with science and speed, not chaos and confusion,” Biden said. Here’s a look at a few of the plan’s key components:
Boosters for all adults.
The Biden Administration has long fought for widespread booster shots, and is unhappy that nearly 100 million eligible Americans have not yet gotten boosted. The new plan focuses on ensuring more of these people—especially older adults—get their extra dose. Biden called on employers nationwide to provide paid time off for employees to get their shot (which the federal government already provides to its staffers). Plus, public health workers will reach out to the public with information on how to get their shots. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will launch a new public education campaign that targets seniors, in particular those who are underserved and/or from communities of color.
Expansion of free at-home testing.
Biden promised today that Americans will soon be able to get reimbursed for at-home COVID-19 tests through their health insurance. (Private insurers already cover tests administered in doctor’s offices and other medical facilities, but not over-the-counter tests.) HHS will issue guidance on this by Jan. 15; whatever it decides, however, will not apply retroactively to tests that were already purchased. To help reach those who aren’t covered by private insurance, free at-home tests will be distributed at community sites.
Stronger protocols for international travel.
Starting next week, international travelers will have to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 24 hours of departing for the U.S. Also of note for travelers: The Biden Administration has extended the current mask mandate for people on airplanes, trains and buses, as well as in terminals and other transit hubs, through mid-March.
Rapid response teams will battle the virus in regions with rising cases.
Biden pledged to deploy more than 60 emergency response teams throughout the country, including over 20 “monoclonal antibody strike teams” that will help administer those treatments, which can alleviate symptoms. (Other health care facilities will continue to be able to provide these treatments.)
Some experts say the new plan doesn’t go far enough to adequately protect all Americans. As Dr. Leana Wen, the former Baltimore health commissioner, tweeted, “These are all the right components, but not nearly enough of each.” Dr. Ellie Murray, an epidemiology assistant professor at Boston University School of Public Health, took issue with the idea that rapid tests will only be covered for those with private health insurance. “The people who MOST need rapid tests are the same people who DONT [sic] have private health care,” she tweeted . “What’s the plan for helping them?”
More than 575 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been shipped to various U.S. states as of yesterday evening, of which more than 462.2 million doses have been administered, according to TIME's vaccine tracker. About 59% of Americans have been completely vaccinated.
More than 263.5 million people around the world had been diagnosed with COVID-19 as of 12 a.m. E.T. today, and more than 5.2 million people have died. On Dec. 1, there were 694,482 new cases and 8,620 new deaths confirmed globally.
Here's how the world as a whole is currently trending:
Here's where daily cases have risen or fallen over the last 14 days, shown in confirmed cases per 100,000 residents:
And here's every country that has reported over 5 million cases:
The U.S. had recorded more than 48.6 million coronavirus cases as of 12 a.m. E.T. today. More than 782,000 people have died. On Dec. 1, there were 137,593 new cases and 1,960 new deaths confirmed in the U.S.
Here's how the country as a whole is currently trending:
The recent dip and rise in daily cases is likely due to reduced reporting during the holiday weekend; historically, the U.S. has seen similar short-term, apparent drop offs that were later shown to be outliers.
That said, here's where daily cases have risen or fallen over the last 14 days, shown in confirmed cases per 100,000 residents:
All numbers unless otherwise specified are from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering, and are accurate as of Dec. 2, 12 a.m. E.T. To see larger, interactive versions of these maps and charts, click here.
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Pevention is investigating an additional case of COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant, officials said today. The case, confirmed by the Minnesota Department of Health, involved a Minnesota resident who recently traveled to New York City to attend the Anime NYC 2021 convention, developed mild symptoms on Nov. 22, and was tested on Nov. 24. The person has since recovered.
Researchers have identified some clues about what may have caused rare blood clots linked with AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine. According to a study published yesterday in Science Advances, a certain protein in the blood called “platelet factor 4” can bind to a key element of the vaccine, possibly triggering a chain reaction that leads to blood clots. The study authors described the new findings as “an important step in unraveling the mechanisms” that caused the clotting.
German officials today announced tough new restrictions for unvaccinated people, per the New York Times. Among the measures: those who want to shop anywhere beyond stores that carry basic necessities must present proof that they’re fully vaccinated against or have recovered from COVID-19. Restaurants, bars, museums and theaters will deny entrance to anyone who isn’t vaccinated or recovered. And for those who can’t provide proof, gatherings at home or in public will be limited to two households.
People who recover from severe COVID-19 may be at more than twice the risk of dying within the next year as those who had mild to moderate illness or were never infected, according to a study published yesterday in Frontiers in Medicine. Interestingly, the increased risk was greatest for those under 65, and only 20% of the patients with severe infection died because of typical virus complications, such as respiratory failure. The findings suggest COVID-19 may cause “significant” long-term health damage, the study authors write.
Thanks for reading. We hope you find the Coronavirus Brief newsletter to be a helpful tool to navigate this very complex situation, and welcome feedback at coronavirus.brief@time.com. If you have specific questions you'd like us to answer, please send them to covidquestions@time.com.
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Today's newsletter was written by Angela Haupt and edited by Elijah Wolfson.
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