December 29, 2021 Biden issues proclamation revoking travel ban on 8 southern African countries President Biden issued a proclamation Tuesday overturning a November travel order that barred nearly all non-U.S. citizens who had recently been in eight southern African countries from entering the U.S.
December 22, 2021 South Africa COVID-19 omicron study indicates less likelihood of hospitalization, severe illness The study looked at data gathered from individuals diagnosed between Oct. 1 and Nov. 30 of this year.
December 22, 2021 South Africa may have reached omicron peak after recent drop in COVID-19 cases South Africa's noticeable drop in new COVID-19 cases in recent days may signal that the country's dramatic omicron-driven surge has passed its peak
December 14, 2021 Omicron COVID-19 variant now accounts for 2.9% of all cases in the United States The omicron variant of COVID-19, which was first detected in the United States at the beginning of this month, now accounts for 2.9% of all cases in the country, according to data released by the CDC on Tuesday.
December 14, 2021 Omicron variant: Pfizer vaccine protects 70% against hospitalization, study finds A two-dose Pfizer/BioNTech vaccination provides just 33% protection against infection by the omicron variant of the coronavirus, but 70% protection against hospitalization, according to an analysis done in South Africa and released Tuesday.
December 13, 2021 Amid Omicron outbreak, South African president tests positive for COVID-19 South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is receiving treatment for mild COVID-19 symptoms after testing positive for the disease Sunday, his office said.
December 9, 2021 As omicron cases surge, South Africa excess deaths nearly double: report South African excess deaths nearly doubled in the week beginning Nov. 28 from the previous week, according to a South African Medical Research Council report.
December 9, 2021 CDC chief says omicron COVID-19 variant mostly mild so far More than 40 people in the U.S. have been found to be infected with the omicron variant so far, and more than three-quarters of them had been vaccinated, the chief of the CDC said Wednesday. But she said nearly all of them were only mildly ill.
December 8, 2021 Omicron: Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine may only partially protect against new variant, study suggests A new study led by the Africa Health Research Institute reportedly suggests that the omicron COVID-19 variant escapes antibody immunity induced by two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.Â
December 8, 2021 Omicron variant 'almost certainly' less severe than delta, Fauci says Dr. Anthony Fauci, America's top infectious disease expert, said Tuesday that early indications suggest the omicron COVID-19 variant is potentially milder than previous strains.Â