Pfizer CEO thinks Covid-19 vaccine will work against Omicron variant, but could offer less protection Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer, said on CNBC’s Squawkbox Monday that he thinks the company's vaccine will work against the Omicron variant, but it could offer less protection. By <a href="/profiles/aditi-sandal">Aditi Sangal</a>, <a href="/profiles/helen-regan">Helen Regan</a>, <a href="/profiles/brad-lendon">Brad Lendon</a>, Rob Picheta and Ed Upright, CNN CNN

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Omicron outbreak turns up heat on EU over vaccine access India and South Africa want a waiver on patents, but Brussels is not budging. POLITICO

An outbreak of the new Omicron coronavirus variant in Southern Africa is boosting critics of the EU, who say that Brussels is preventing a quick roll-out of jabs across poor nations by zealously defending vaccine patents.

LONDON — The global risk of the new omicron variant is “very high,” the World Health Organization said Monday, as more countries reported cases of the variant, sparking worldwide concern that there is more pandemic suffering ahead.

In response to the spike in cases, an increasing number of nations are tightening their borders despite pleas for caution and outbursts of dismay from some. 

Moderna CEO says it'll take months to develop, ship coronavirus The CEO of Moderna on Monday said it will take months for the company to develop and ship a vaccine that targets the new COVID-19 omicron variant. Mychael Schnell TheHill

The CEO of Moderna on Monday said it will take months for the company to develop and ship a vaccine that targets the new COVID-19 omicron variant.

South African doctor who first spotted the Covid omicron variant says symptoms seem ‘mild’ so far

Covid symptoms linked to the new omicron variant have been described as “extremely mild” by the South African doctor who first raised the alarm over the new strain.

Dr. Angelique Coetzee, chair of the South African Medical Association, told the BBC on Sunday that she started to see patients around Nov.18 presenting with “unusual symptoms” that differed slightly from those associated with the delta variant, which is the most virulent strain of the virus to date and globally dominant.

“It actually started with a male patient who’s around the age of 33 ... and he said to me that he’s just [been] extremely tired for the past few days and he’s got these body aches and pains with a bit of a headache,” she told the BBC.

How vaccine makers plan to address the new COVID-19 omicron variant A new coronavirus variant, first discovered in South Africa, has begun to spread around the globe. Vaccine producers say they're working to get ahead of the new strain. NPR.org

A new strain of COVID-19 first discovered in South Africa was declared a variant of concern by the World Health Organization on Friday. Here's how the pharmaceutical industry plans to address the latest coronavirus curve ball.