11/29/2021 10:00 AM EST
SHOULD WE BE FREAKING OUT YET? The holidays aren’t the only thing on the way this season. The new “Omicron” variant of the coronavirus will “inevitably” hit the U.S., Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Sunday.
BOOSTING THE BOOSTER? The emergence of the variant “has sparked urgent conversations among top Biden administration health officials about how to fend off a potential new surge in the U.S. and about the need to significantly ramp up the pace of booster shots in the coming weeks,” our Erin Banco reports.
WE STILL DON’T KNOW MUCH... including where and when the strain first emerged and whether it causes severe illness. It could take two or three weeks before we know more about Omicron, health officials said Sunday. But the variant — and the business and consumer reaction to it — already has the potential to upend the global pandemic response and disrupt the slow but steady economic recovery.
Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You’ll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day’s biggest stories.
WHAT ARE THEY DOING ABOUT IT? While no cases have been found in the U.S., Biden health officials held a series of meetings in recent days to prepare for possible spikes, Erin writes: “Officials have debated how long to shut down travel from southern Africa, whether to allow for U.S....
[OSEN=Choi Lee-jung Reporter] As past remarks by singer Yang Hong-won expressing his dislike of infidelity resurface, reactions continue to grow that the recent 'motel infidelity allegations' agai...