World Reacts To Omicron Variant

It’s Tuesday, December 14th, and this is your Morning Wire. Listen to the full podcast:

1) World Reacts To Omicron Variant 

The Topline:  The latest factor at the center of the COVID conversation is the Omicron variant, with some states and localities moving to reinforce existing policies, or add further restrictions.

Quote Of The Day: “I’m afraid it is now clear that two doses of vaccine are simply not enough to give the level of protection we all need. But the good news is that our scientists are confident that with a third dose, a booster dose, we can all bring our level of protection back up.”

– U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson

yalcinsonat1/Getty Images

The U.S.

Largely in response to the omicron variant, New York has reimplemented a statewide mask mandate which requires masks in all indoor public spaces that do not require proof of vaccination for entry.

The state’s new governor, Kathy Hochul (D), announced the mandate last week, and it’ll remain in effect until mid-January when the state will “reassess.” Businesses that don’t comply will face civil and criminal penalties, including fines of $1,000 per violation, with local health departments enforcing the mandate directly.

New York City has additional policies, including requiring proof of vaccination to eat indoors at a restaurant or go to a movie theater.

United Kingdom

Omicron has prompted a wave of new restrictions in the U.K. where government ministers say they’re facing a “tidal wave” of Omicron infections. They confirmed the country’s first death of someone with the Omicron variant yesterday.

According to the government’s Health Secretary, there are 4,713 confirmed cases of Omicron in the U.K. and the daily number of overall COVID-19 cases in the country is around 200,000.

The United Kingdom has increased its COVID-19 alert level, and is joining the U.S. in pushing booster shots as a response.

Pfizer announced last week preliminary studies show three doses of their vaccine neutralizes the Omicron variant.

The Omicron Variant

Early data on Omicron seems to suggest symptoms may be less severe than other variants. The New York Times reported that researchers have reported that patients with the omicron variant “are much less sick than those they have treated before, and that other hospitals are seeing the same trends.” 

According to the CDC, there were 43 cases of Omicron detected in the U.S. during the first eight days of December. Of the cases, 34 were fully vaccinated, and 14 had also received a booster shot. One of those infected with the Omicron variant was hospitalized for a brief time. 

Kamil Krzaczynski/Stringer/Getty Images

2) 2021 Sees Record Number Of Police Deaths

The Topline: The United States saw a record-breaking number of police officers shot in the line of duty in 2021.

Quote Of The Day: “Overall disrespect for law and order, for law enforcement… is part of the reason, and a huge reason, why the finest among us — brothers and sisters, men and women, who put on that uniform — are being attacked for no reason other than simply standing for law and order.”

– Mark Nelson, president of the Oklahoma chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police

Record Numbers

According to a report from the Fraternal Order of Police, 314 police officers were shot in the line of duty from January through November 30; and 58 cops died from their gunshot wounds, which is a 16% increase over pre-pandemic levels.

The report also noted there has been an increase in the number of criminals deliberately targeting police. Shooters have ambushed police officers 95 times this year, which is a 126% increase from 2020. 119 officers were shot, with ambushes claiming the lives of 28 law enforcement officers.

Since the report was published, four additional officers have died in the line of duty, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page, including two gunshot victims: Officer Richard Houston II of Mesquite, Texas, and Constable Madison Nicholson of Wilcox County, Alabama. 

Key Point: These numbers don’t include another 28 officers who died from stabbings, beatings, or vehicular assaults or the hundreds of others who died from accidents or other work-related issues while on the beat. 

Potential Causes

A 2017 FBI study found that 28% of shooters who ambushed police “had a hatred of law enforcement” based on “what they heard and read in the media.” Assailants were “inspired by social and/or political reasons [and] believed attacking police officers was their way to ‘get justice’ for those who had been, in their view, unjustly killed by law enforcement.” Shooters in two cities also said they “were influenced by the Black Lives Matter movement, and their belief that law enforcement was targeting black males.”

Americans’ trust in police hit its lowest point last August. While it has improved, a July USA Today

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases