November 26 Omicron variant news

By Melissa Mahtani, Aditi Sangal Adrienne Vogt and Fernando Alfonso, CNN

Updated 12:42 AM ET, Sat November 27, 2021
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3:38 p.m. ET, November 26, 2021

Biden said he decided to be "cautious" regarding travel ban decision

From CNN's Allie Malloy

President Joe Biden speaks to members of the media in Nantucket, Massachusetts, Friday, November 26.
President Joe Biden speaks to members of the media in Nantucket, Massachusetts, Friday, November 26. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

President Biden told the press Friday that he decided to ban travel from South Africa and seven other countries in the region due to the emergence of the Omicron variant.

“We don’t know a lot about the variant except that it is a big concern and seems to spread rapidly," Biden said. “I’ve decided we’re going to be cautious." 

When asked why the travel ban won’t go into effect until Monday, Biden said it was “because that was the recommendation coming from my medical team.”

“We don’t know a lot about the variant except that it is a big concern and seems to spread rapidly and I spent about a half-hour this morning with my Covid team led by Dr. Fauci so that was the decision we made,” Biden said.

On the stock market tumble Friday, Biden said he “expected it.”

Biden also used the opportunity to call on Americans to get their booster shots. 

When asked if he was considering any new mandates, Biden said: “No. Not at the moment.”

 

 

3:11 p.m. ET, November 26, 2021

A new Covid-19 variant was discovered in South Africa – a country with a low vaccination rate

 From CNN’s Virginia Langmaid

A healthcare worker administers the Johnson and Johnson vaccine to a woman outside a polling station at the Kopanong Hall in Soweto, on November 1st, 2021, during South Africa's local elections. 
A healthcare worker administers the Johnson and Johnson vaccine to a woman outside a polling station at the Kopanong Hall in Soweto, on November 1st, 2021, during South Africa's local elections.  (Michele Spatari/AFP/Getty Images)

The discovery of a new and potentially more transmissible coronavirus variant by South African health authorities has sparked a forceful reaction across the world, with a growing number of countries banning travelers from several southern African countries.

The B.1.1.529 was labeled a "variant of concern" by the WHO. It appears to be spreading rapidly in parts of South Africa and scientists are concerned that its unusually high number of mutations could make it more transmissible and result in immune evasion.

Here's what we know about Covid-19 in South Africa:

South Africa, which has fully vaccinated 35.37% of its adult population, has seen its rate of people initiating vaccination fall in recent days, according to data from the country’s Department of Health.

In the week ending Oct. 24, this metric hit its peak, with 1,047,427 people receiving a first vaccination. Since then, this metric has fallen, with 613,033 people vaccinated in the week ending Nov. 21.

More than 40% of adults – more than 16 million people – have initiated vaccination in South Africa. More than 5 million people have been vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine, and additional doses have been administered as part of a booster dose trial. More than 19 million Pfizer doses have been administered – nearly 11 million of which are first doses. 

The country has administered a first dose of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine to more than 400,000 children ages 12 to 18 years old.

2:58 p.m. ET, November 26, 2021

Canada issues restrictions on travel from southern Africa due to new coronavirus variant

From CNN's Melissa Alonso

Canada will be "banning the entry of foreign nationals...that have traveled through southern Africa in the last 14 days," due to the new coronavirus variant Omicron, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said at a news conference Friday.

Anyone who has traveled through southern Africa in the last 14 days should get a Covid-19 test and quarantine until they get a negative test result, Duclos said. The countries include South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Eswatini, he said. 

"Canadians and permanent residents and those with a right of entry into Canada will be tested on arrival, [and] they will quarantine until they get the result of a negative test," Duclos said.

Global Affairs Canada, which handles national diplomatic matters, will be issuing "a travel advisory asking all Canadians not to travel to southern Africa," Duclos added.

"Canadians returning from that region" will need to be tested for the virus in the country they are departing from "before they can be allowed to come home," he said.

3:04 p.m. ET, November 26, 2021

Oil nosedives 13% on fears over the new Covid-19 variant

From CNN’s Matt Egan 

The discovery of a new Covid-19 variant sent oil plummeting 13% on Friday, as investors feared a wave of new government restrictions and slower economic growth. 

US crude finished the day at a two-month low of $68.15 a barrel, down 13.1% from Wednesday’s close. It was the worst day for oil since April 27, 2020, when Covid was spreading rapidly in the US.

Investors closely watch movements in the oil market because crude is very sensitive to swings in the economy. Up until recently, oil prices had been on a relentless rally as the rapid economic recovery drove up demand for gasoline, jet fuel and diesel. 

But that rally was been upended, first by a US-led intervention into energy markets and now, by Covid-19 fears. After flirting with $85 a barrel on Nov. 10, crude is now down nearly 20%. 

Brent crude, the world benchmark, dropped 12% on Friday to $72.72 a barrel. 

The energy sector of the S&P 500 tumbled 4% on Friday, making it the worst performing sector. ExxonMobil, BP and Halliburton all finished sharply lower. 

2:36 p.m. ET, November 26, 2021

Biden to restrict travel from South Africa and 7 other countries starting Monday

From CNN’s Kaitlan Collins

President Biden will restrict travel from South Africa and seven other countries starting Monday as a new coronavirus variant has emerged, administration officials tell CNN.

Acting on advice from Dr. Anthony Fauci and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Biden administration will restrict travel from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.

Officials, who are still learning more about the variant, said the policy was implemented out of an abundance of caution given the World Health Organization has now identified this as a variant of concern. 

"Our scientists and public health officials are working quickly to learn more about this variant," one official said.  

This does not apply to American citizens and lawful permanent residents. As with all international travelers, they must still test negative prior to travel.

2:37 p.m. ET, November 26, 2021

AstraZeneca says it is already conducting research on Omicron variant and its impact

From CNN’s Naomi Thomas

Vaccine maker AstraZeneca said it is looking to understand the impact the Omicron variant has on its coronavirus vaccine and it is testing its antibody combination therapy against the new variant, a spokesperson for the company said Friday.

The spokesperson said that the platform used in the vaccine enables the company to respond quickly to new variants. 

“AstraZeneca is also already conducting research in locations where the variant has been identified, namely in Botswana and Eswatini, that will enable us to collect real world data of Vaxzevria against this new virus variant,” the spokesperson said. 

AstraZeneca’s vaccine is not currently authorized for use in the US. 

The company's antibody treatment, AZD7442, is also being tested against the variant, and AstraZeneca says it is “hopeful AZD7442 will retain efficacy since it comprises two potent antibodies with different and complementary activities against the virus.”

In October, the company asked the US Food and Drug Administration to authorize emergency use of AZD7442.

2:29 p.m. ET, November 26, 2021

Greece bans travel from southern Africa out of concern over new Covid-19 variant

From CNN's Chris Liakos

Greece joined a growing list of countries imposing travel restrictions on at least six African nations over a newly identified Covid-19 variant, just announced as a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization.

Greece will allow only essential travel from South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, Eswatini, Zambia and Malawi, the country's health ministry said Friday in a statement.

Travelers will have to have a special permit from the local Greek embassies and diplomatic missions to travel, the ministry said, adding that on arrival they will be tested and put in quarantine hotels for 10 days after which they'll be tested again.

The new measures take effect Saturday at 6 a.m. local time (12 a.m. ET).

2:22 p.m. ET, November 26, 2021

Novavax working on new formulation of its Covid-19 vaccine targeted toward Omicron variant

From CNN’s Naomi Thomas

Biotechnology company Novavax said it has started development of a new formulation of its coronavirus vaccine targeted toward the Omicron variant. It said the company will begin testing and manufacturing it in the next few weeks. 

“Novavax has already initiated development of a new recombinant spike protein based on the known genetic sequence of B.1.1.529 and will have it ready to begin testing and manufacturing within the next few weeks,” according to a statement issued Friday. “We will continue to work with urgency to address this latest strain and the continued evolution of COVID-19.”

The World Health Organization on Friday classified the variant as a "variant of concern" and designated it with the Greek name Omicron. 

The statement from Novavax said that the technology used in its vaccine allows for quick adaption to strain changes. It also highlighted that experience with the vaccine has demonstrated that it can protect and neutralize against variants found in the real world, including responses observed in clinical trials against variants like Delta. 

“These data lead us to believe that our vaccine is likely to provide protection against new and emerging variants,” according to the statement. 

Novavax CEO Stanley Erck told CNN earlier this month that the company hopes to submit complete data to the US Food and Drug Administration for possible emergency use authorization of the vaccine as soon as possible, perhaps by the end of the year.

2:03 p.m. ET, November 26, 2021

Biden has been briefed on new Covid-19 variant

From CNN’s Allie Malloy and Betsy Klein

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci testifies before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee about the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on November 4th, 2021 in Washington, DC.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci testifies before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee about the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on November 4th, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

US President Joe Biden was briefed today on the new coronavirus variant circulating in southern Africa, according to a White House official. 

Currently, "there's no indication" that the B.1.1.529 variant is in the United States right now, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to the President and director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. US scientists are working closely with colleagues in South Africa to learn more about the emerging variant.

"Right now, you're talking about sort of like a red flag that this might be an issue — but we don't know," Fauci said.

The variant, which was classified as a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization, was first identified in South Africa and has been found in that country as well as Botswana, Hong Kong, Belgium and Israel so far. It has led to various countries issuing travel restrictions from several African countries.