It’s Spreading
Bad news! The new Covid variant has officially landed in the US. On Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the first US case of the Omicron variant. The case was detected in Northern California and the patient was fully vaccinated. They tested positive upon returning to San Francisco after traveling in South Africa.
White house chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said, “The individual is self-quarantining, and all close contacts have been contacted and thus far, have tested negative.” The patient had mild symptoms and Fauci says they seem to be improving.
Governor of California Gavin Newsom says don’t expect new restrictions despite the recent case in Northern California. He advised residents to remain calm and stay vigilant in stopping the spread by getting vaccinated and wearing a mask indoors.
Since the first case of the new variant was detected in South Africa a week ago, it has been discovered in Canada, the UK, Israel, Germany, Hong Kong, and many more countries. World authorities are on high alert, fearful that the virus has already spread its seed across the planet. Omicron has been found in at least 23 countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The spread of the new variant has prompted a swift response from drugmakers. Pfizer and BioNTech said they’re researching omicron and might change their vaccine if necessary. Johnson & Johnson is already testing their vaccine against the variant. Moderna said it will put three booster vaccines to the test against omicron and it’s developing a booster shot tailored to the variant.
We’ll be watching to see how the markets react to the first confirmed case of omicron in the US.
I am not a financial advisor and my comments should never be taken as financial advice. Investments come with risk, so always do your research and analysis beforehand.
