Mild Omicron could still be bad POLITICO

NOT SO TENDER AND MILD — The early indications suggest that the Omicron variant of the coronavirus typically causes disease that is “mild.” But even if that turns out to be true, “mild” doesn’t mean “no big deal.”

Omicron spreading so fast it threatens Britain's hospitals | AP News LONDON (AP) — The omicron variant is spreading so rapidly it has the potential to overwhelm Britain’s hospitals, highlighting the need to strengthen coronavirus restrictions and speed up the delivery of booster vaccine shots, the country's health minister said Tuesday. AP NEWS

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CDC Now Advises Americans to 'Avoid' Travel to Italy Italy joins several other European countries the agency has warned against traveling to including France, Portugal, Iceland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark. Yahoo

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised Italy to its highest warning level this week, the latest European country to be classified as a "Level 4."

U.S. government likely to request more COVID-19 testing funds President Joe Biden's administration is likely to request additional funds from Congress for COVID-19 testing, depending on the severity of the Omicron variant, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra said on Tuesday. Ahmed Aboulenein Reuters

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Vaccines are not being wasted in Africa, WHO official says The World Health Organization’s regional office for Africa says it is necessary to “dispel” the notion that vaccines are being wasted in Africa, explaining less than 0.25% of doses made available to the continent have expired. By Ed Upright CNN

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Kroger ending some COVID-19 benefits for unvaccinated staff | AP News Kroger, the country's biggest traditional grocery chain, is ending some benefits for unvaccinated workers as big employers attempt to compel more of their workforce to become vaccinated with cases of COVID-19 again rising. AP NEWS

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Unvaccinated workers will no longer be eligible to receive up to two-weeks paid emergency leave if they become infected, a company spokesperson confirmed Tuesday. That policy was put into place last year when vaccines were unavailable.