# Coronavirus COVID-19 (2019-nCoV) Thread - 2021 Breaking News **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [January 1, 2021, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428 "2021-01-01T08:03:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 156
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3164 "2021-12-01T19:33:33Z")
It’s here… > **[1st US case of COVID omicron variant confirmed in California](https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-lifestyle-health-travel-1f007a419afc45c840ad1d8d80eede8f)** > > WASHINGTON (AP) — A person in California who had been vaccinated against COVID-19 became the first in the U.S. to have an identified case of the omicron variant, the White House announced Wednesday as scientists continue to study the risks posed by... ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3165 "2021-12-01T19:45:53Z")
The surprising thing about that story is it doesn’t somehow blames the unvaccinated for bringing it to the US. ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3166 "2021-12-01T20:23:16Z")
It says that the carrier was vaccinated, but unboosted. But it doesn’t say what part of California. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the bay area; that’s where our state’s first covid case turned up. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3167 "2021-12-01T20:24:35Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > It’s here… Dang. I asked the question on Nov 28 – three days ago. > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Is covid-o moving around the world faster than Delta did? It kind of looks like it. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3168 "2021-12-02T01:28:27Z")
Here’s some news: > **[South Africa's new COVID cases double in 1 day amid omicron](https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-africa-d916ab2d889e33d3ad2826e24ce4caa6)** > > JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa's new cases of COVID-19 nearly doubled in a day, authorities reported Wednesday, signaling a dramatic surge in the country where scientists detected the omicron variant last week. ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3169 "2021-12-02T01:49:45Z")
It’s San Francisco. [Link](https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1201-omicron-variant.html) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3170 "2021-12-02T02:04:54Z")
263,716,209 total cases 5,241,569 dead 238,024,610 recovered In the US: 49,573,116 total cases 805,004 dead 39,318,563 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 263,035,743 total cases > 5,233,046 dead > 237,521,026 recovered > > In the US: > > 49,428,913 total cases > 803,045 dead > 39,205,902 recovered ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3171 "2021-12-02T14:04:19Z")
Some frightening news if true: A Reddit post states: [50 suspected omricon cases in Norway after a company dinner with 100 people in attendence. One of the attendees recently got back from South Africa. All 50 suspected cases have gotten at least 2 shots the vaccine.] > **[r/Coronavirus - 50 suspected omricon cases in Norway after a company dinner...](https://www.reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/r6v00d/50_suspected_omricon_cases_in_norway_after_a/)** > > 13,045 votes and 1,722 comments so far on Reddit Unfortunately the source is in Swedish and truncated: Another source is > **[Christmas party in Norway infects up to 60 in suspected omicron outbreak](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/norway-covid-christmas-party-omicron-b1968467.html)** > > If confirmed, it will be the world’s biggest omicron outbreak to date But this article doesn’t provide any statement that all the infected people were vaccinated. Note however that Norway is highly vaccinated (71% or so fully vaccinated compared to 59% for U.S.). But very bad news if vaccines don’t provide protection against omicron. Plus the high infection rate (half the people at the party infected). Can anyone find better information about this party and the consequences? ---
**Author:** ![tofor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tofor/32/13727_2.png) [@tofor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofor)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3172 "2021-12-02T14:45:27Z")
“So far, there have been no reported deaths linked to the omicron variant.” > **[The World Health Organization warns of very high risk posed by the omicron...](https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/11/29/1059723751/omicron-variant-latest-high-risk-world-health-organization)** > > The newly identified strain of the coronavirus, which could be more transmissible than the previously dominant delta variant, has global health officials worried about a possible new surge in cases. Is it possible that Omicron is simply less lethal than other variants? It seems like there have been enough cases by now we should expect at least some reportable deaths. A more contagious but dramatically less lethal variant would be good news. ---
**Author:** ![tofor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tofor/32/13727_2.png) [@tofor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofor)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3173 "2021-12-02T14:52:19Z")
Wait, it’s been less than a week since it was even named. 🤦‍♂️ Of course there haven’t been deaths from it yet. The last week just seems soooo long. If you had asked me how long we’ve been worried about Omicron, I would have guessed 2-3 weeks. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3174 "2021-12-02T18:17:06Z")
Yow! **New Hampshire** is still setting new records for (seven-day-averaged) new reported cases of COVID. as of yesterday its new record high is 1718, and it’s still rising rapidly (1383 two days ago) **Vermont** also set a new record of 598, and still shooting rapidly upwards (484 two days ago) M **ichigan** reports a new record high of 11,931 cases, well above its previous record of 8344 over a year ago Rhode Island is now at 1045 newly reported cases, well below the 1381 reported in January, but it’s rising very rapidly. A number of other states have very rapidly rising new cases reported. I wonder if this is the result of Thanksgiving gatherings. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3175 "2021-12-02T20:02:20Z")
New Omicron case in Minnesota: > **[5 states have now reported confirmed cases of the omicron variant](https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/12/02/1060883099/minnesota-omicron-variant-confirmed-new-york-city-traveler)** > > Officials in Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota and New York reported their first cases of the variant on Thursday, one day after the first U.S. case was identified in California. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3176 "2021-12-02T21:06:05Z")
[Germany locks down unvaccinated people, as leaders plan to make shots compulsory - CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/02/europe/germany-lockdown-covid-restrictions-intl/index.html) > Unvaccinated people will be banned from accessing all but the most essential businesses, such as supermarkets and pharmacies, to curb the spread of coronavirus… > > Under the tightened restrictions, unvaccinated people can only meet two people from another household. Bars and nightclubs must shut down in areas with an incidence rate above 350 cases per 100,000 people over one week. I hear we’re averaging 1,000 COVID deaths per day in the U.S. > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 803,045 dead Snowboarder\_Bo posted yesterday, when there were 30 days left in the month of December. So when the ball drops on New Year’s Day, we’re looking at 833,045 Americans dead of COVID. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3177 "2021-12-02T22:33:13Z")
Wasn’t there a comment on that thread that clarified that there wasn’t just one person who went to South Africa present at the party? If so, that’s a little more reasonable. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3178 "2021-12-02T23:04:32Z")
Here’s an article that quotes the prime minister as saying they were all fully vaccinated. He also said that the company tested people ahead of the party. > **[Norway to reimpose some restrictions as Omicron cases appear](https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/norways-third-omicron-case-detected-after-company-christmas-party-2021-12-02/)** > > Norway is reintroducing some nationwide restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 following the emergence of the new Omicron variant, the government said on Thursday, as a fifth case of the latter was confirmed and more expected. The Swedish article said that the traveler had followed existing protocols after arriving in Norway, which sounds like it was testing within 24 hours. Really unfortunate timing and protocols need to be updated? Or is it possible that tests for it are less accurate? Or, perhaps most likely, some of the reporting is inaccurate… ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3179 "2021-12-03T02:03:38Z")
Don’t forget about Arizona! Our deaths per 100,000 people is fourth and we are still working on our numbers! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3180 "2021-12-03T02:15:11Z")
264,424,953 total cases 5,249,117 dead 238,458,754 recovered In the US: 49,716,825 total cases 806,390 dead 39,389,646 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 263,716,209 total cases > 5,241,569 dead > 238,024,610 recovered > > In the US: > > 49,573,116 total cases > 805,004 dead > 39,318,563 recovered ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3181 "2021-12-03T02:49:36Z")
Assume it is everywhere. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. > **[Omicron coronavirus variant found in multiple US states](https://apnews.com/article/omicron-variant-anime-convention-new-york-minnesota-a343c1d0bcc6e59f8696491443f704db)** > > NEW YORK (AP) — The omicron variant of COVID-19, which had been undetected in the U.S. before the middle of this week, had been discovered in at least five states by the end of Thursday, showing yet again how mutations of the virus can circumnavigate... ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3182 "2021-12-03T10:33:50Z")
“Omicron covid variant three times more likely to cause reinfection than delta, S. Africa study says” > **[Omicron coronavirus variant three times more likely to cause reinfection than...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/12/03/omicron-covid-variant-delta-reinfection/)** > > One of the study’s authors said coronavirus vaccines are likely to still offer the most effective protection against severe disease and death. > [@](#): > > Scientists in South Africa say omicron is at least three times more likely to cause reinfection than previous variants such as beta and delta, according to a preliminary study published Thursday. > > Statistical analysis of some 2.8 million positive coronavirus samples in South Africa, 35,670 of which were suspected to be reinfections, led researchers to conclude that the omicron mutation has a “substantial ability to evade immunity from prior infection.” > > (Snipped) > > “Contrary to our expectations and experience with the previous variants, we are now experiencing an increase in the risk of reinfection that exceeds our prior experience,” Pulliam said in Thursday’s statement. > > South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases said Wednesday that omicron overtook other virus variants in November, accounting for 74 percent of the genomes sequenced last month. Delta had previously been dominant. Overall case numbers have also risen rapidly over the past three days. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3183 "2021-12-03T13:14:23Z")
Am I correct in reading that the new US entry requirements include a negative COVID test result with a test taken within 24 hours of entry (along with the vaccination requirement)? If so, does that kill off foreign travel to the US? I don’t know how someone can take a PCR test and guarantee results back within 24 hours. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=155) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=157)