Tonight, the new Covid variant, Omicron, is spreading to a growing number of states. Late this evening, the governor of New York announced five new cases. It has also been detected in California, Minnesota and Colorado. Since Omicron was first discovered by scientists in South Africa, it has spread to at least two dozen countries. It’s now the dominant strain in South Africa, where new infections are spiking. The B administration today launched a new campaign to get more Americans a booster shot, part of strategy to manage a surge of Delta infections that is already underway.
Tonight, we’re learning that four of those new Omicron cases are in New York City. Still President B is addressing that he does not believe shutdowns or lockdowns are necessary right now. He was frank though about the potentially dark winter ahead, which health officials warn will include a surge in cases and deaths. Quote “In my plan that I’m announcing today pulls no punches in the fight of Covid 19” President B revealed his latest strategy to combat Covid 19, as the US confirmed eight more cases of the Omicron variant, including a Minnesota man who attended an anime convention in Manhattan just before Thanksgiving, an event drew about fifty thousand people, and a woman from Colorado who recently returned from Africa. Both patients were fully vaccinated. Tonight, preliminary data shows Omicron is almost 2 and a half times more likely re-infect people who previously had Covid. As the new strain spread, President B announced that all international travelers including Americans and those who are fully vaccinated, will be required to get tested one day before coming to the US. And in a new effort to track cases, private insurance company will have to reimburse people for at home Covid tests. So far, they have been expensive and in short supply. Mask mandate will be also extended on planes, trains and public transportation through mid-March. But vaccines are at the center of President’s plan. Hundreds of new family vaccination sites will open up, focusing on giving shots to children. And there’s a big push to get people boosted. 71% of adults in the US are fully vaccinated. But of those, only 21% have gotten a booster shot. Health experts say vaccinations and boosters are critical, especially now the Omicron is here. As scientists scrambled to learn more about the Omicron variant, tonight, the White House says nothing if off the table, as they think about potential new travel restrictions, that including vaccine and testing for domestic flights.
:::tip pulls no punches
- using all the force at one’s disposal. 手下不留情,用全力
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:::tip preliminary
- : coming before and usually forming a necessary prelude to something else. 初步的,预备的
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:::tip reimburse
- : to pay back to someone : REPAY 偿还
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