Administration working with vaccine manufacturers to 'develop contingency plans' amid new variant

U.S. and other countries tighten travel rules over Omicron, EU urges vaccination Air travellers to the United States will face tougher COVID-19 testing rules to try to slow the spread of the Omicron variant and other countries tightened border controls as a European leader urged all concerned to "prepare for the worst". David Shepardson,John Chalmers Reuters

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New court rulings halt Biden vaccine mandate for federal contractors, A pair of rulings by separate federal judges Tuesday temporarily halted parts of the Biden administration’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy for certain workers. John Kruzel TheHill

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Amid the global concern over a new coronavirus strain has been one piece of hopeful news: Those infected with the omicron variant appear to have “very mild” symptoms, according to the South African doctor who first spotted the variant.

Dr. Angelique Coetzee told the BBC that neither she nor her colleagues had admitted anyone who had the strain to the hospital so far. Her patients had experienced extreme fatigue but no loss of taste or smell, which are often telltale symptoms of Covid-19, she said.

The early reports are encouraging, epidemiologists and other experts said. 

White House coronavirus team will brief governors, Congress on omicron variant this week Members of the White House COVID-19 response team will brief governors and members of Congress this week on the new coronavirus variant. McClatchy Washington Bureau

The Biden administration is planning a flurry of briefings with state and local officials this week to prepare them to detect and monitor the newly discovered omicron variant of the coronavirus, anticipating that it may show up inside the United States within a matter of days.

Biden vaccine rule for health workers blocked in 10 states | AP News JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A federal judge on Monday blocked President Joe Biden’s administration from enforcing a coronavirus vaccine mandate on thousands of health care workers in 10 states that had brought the first legal challenge against the requirement. AP NEWS

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