The New York Times: Pfizer Plans To Apply For Booster Shots For 16- And 17-Year-Olds
Pfizer and BioNTech are expected this week to apply for regulatory approval for a booster shot of their coronavirus vaccine for 16- and 17-year-olds, according to people familiar with the company’s plans. If approved, the shot would be the first booster available to people under 18. The Food and Drug Administration could authorize extra shots within roughly a week, the people said. (LaFraniere, 11/29)

The Wall Street Journal: FDA Moving To Authorize Pfizer-BioNTech Booster For 16-, 17-Year-Olds
The Food and Drug Administration could authorize Covid-19 boosters from Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE for use in 16- and 17-year olds as soon as next week as concerns rise over a new, possibly more transmissible variant, according to a person familiar with the planning. The agency is planning to move rapidly to take action on a request by the companies to authorize boosters for 16- and-17 year olds, according to a person familiar with the matter. So far, only people 18 years and older are eligible for boosters. (Armour and Hopkins, 11/29)

The Washington Post: Pfizer Poised To Request Authorization For Coronavirus Booster For 16 And 17 Year Olds
“Given the current overall situation of the pandemic, FDA will evaluate any such [emergency use authorization] request in a very timely manner,” the agency said. Kit Longley, a Pfizer spokesman, said: “We expect to share updates on this soon.” The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have been linked to a rare side effect called myocarditis, a swelling of the heart muscle, in older male adolescents and young men. That has prompted regulators and some government advisers to take a cautious approach to boosters for younger people, though experts have repeatedly said the risks of heart problems from the coronavirus itself is far higher than from vaccination. (McGinley and Pager, 11/29)

Stat: ‘Not A Cause For Panic’: Biden Urges Calm In Face Of Omicron Fears 
President Biden on Monday urged calm amid widespread concern about the Omicron coronavirus variant first identified this month in southern Africa, urging Americans to get vaccinated and wear masks. Biden stopped short, though, of advocating for any new Covid-19 restrictions, like requiring vaccinations to board domestic flights or re-imposing local mask mandates. (Facher, 11/29)

The New York Times: Biden Calls Omicron A ‘Cause For Concern, Not A Cause For Panic.’
President Biden sought to reassure the nation on Monday about the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus as crucial questions about it remain, telling Americans that the variant is “a cause for concern, not a cause for panic,” and that his administration was working with vaccine manufacturers to modify vaccines and booster shots should that prove necessary. “We’re throwing everything we have at this virus, tracking it from every angle,” Mr. Biden said at the White House, adding, “I’m sparing no effort, removing all roadblocks to keep the American people safe.” (Gay Stolberg, 11/29)

On the US responses to omicron so far —

The New York Times: With Scant Information On Omicron, Biden Turned To Travel Ban To Buy Time
In a secure conference call from a vacation compound overlooking Nantucket Harbor, the president listened as his health advisers told him that the highly mutated virus was far more concerning than other variants they had seen in recent months. It spread twice as fast as the dominant Delta variant and had the potential to evade treatments and vaccines. Banning travel from southern Africa, where the variant was discovered last week, would not stop the coronavirus from finding its way to the United States, the officials told Mr. Biden, even though Britain and several other countries had announced similar restrictions. But the measures might slow the spread. (Shear and Stolberg, 11/29)

Reuters: U.S. Steps Up Search For Omicron Variant In Domestic COVID-19 Cases
The United States is enhancing its COVID-19 surveillance to distinguish domestic cases of the Omicron variant from the still-dominant Delta, the head of the association of state-run public health laboratories told Reuters on Monday. The new variant, first identified in southern Africa last week, has since been detected in 10 other countries. U.S. officials say it is only a matter of time before it turns up in the country. Omicron has prompted new alarm due to an unusual number of mutations that suggest it may reduce vaccine protection, though much remains unknown. Countries worldwide are scrambling to understand the prevalence of the new version of coronavirus within their borders. (Steenhuysen, 11/29)

The Hill: US Braces For Omicron To Hit
“If you are vaccinated but still worried about the new variant, get your booster,” Biden said. “If you aren’t vaccinated, get that shot, go get that first shot.” The president called on individuals to wear masks “indoors in public settings around other people” but did not issue a call for states and localities to reimpose mask mandates that many have shed in recent months. Monica Gandhi, an infectious diseases expert at the University of California, San Francisco, said vaccinations are “the main strategy to fight this.” “I see no other strategy,” she said. “I was very glad [Biden] didn't mention school closures or lockdowns.” (Sullivan, 11/29)

In New York —

Bloomberg: Omicron Variant: NYC Recommends Indoor Mask Wearing
The health advisory stops short of a mandate but signifies officials’ trepidation of a new Covid-19 wave as the omicron variant spreads around the world and New York sees an increase in post-Thanksgiving Covid cases. Previously, the city had recommended masks. “This strengthens our recommendation and it helps to clear up some of the confusion that we know has existed around guidance related to face coverings,” City Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi said at a briefing. “We want to deliver a very clear and unequivocal message that everyone should be masking indoors regardless of their vaccination status.” (Chen, 11/29)

The Hill: NYC Officials Recommend Masks Indoors, But Won't Reimpose Mandates
New York City officials said Monday that they do not immediately plan to reimpose an indoor mask requirement due to the omicron coronavirus variant, but are "strongly" recommending people wear masks indoors in public spaces. Dave Chokshi, commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, said there's still a lot about the variant scientists don't know, but it's important for people to be vaccinated. (Weixel, 11/29)

AP: CDC Says Ages 18 And Up Should Get Booster Shot
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday broadened its recommendation for COVID-19 booster shots for all adults as the new omicron variant is identified in more countries. The agency had previously approved boosters for all adults, but only recommended them for those 50 years and older or if they live in a long-term care setting. CDC Director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the new guidance reflects the emergence of the omicron variant, which has not yet been identified in the U.S. but that officials say will inevitably reach the country. (11/29)

CNN: All Vaccinated Adults Should Get A Covid-19 Booster Shot Because Of The Omicron Variant, CDC Says
It's a slight but significant tweak to the wording of guidance issued earlier this month when the CDC endorsed an expanded emergency use authorization for boosters from the US Food and Drug Administration. "Today, CDC is strengthening its recommendation on booster doses for individuals who are 18 years and older," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement." The recent emergence of the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) further emphasizes the importance of vaccination, boosters, and prevention efforts needed to protect against COVID-19," she added. (Fox, 11/29)

Axios: Omicron Fuels The Case For COVID Boosters 
The emergence of the Omicron COVID variant is turbocharging the push for vaccine boosters, and experts say a booster may soon become a requirement to be considered "fully vaccinated." Booster uptake has been sluggish so far, and adding a third shot to vaccine mandates would be highly controversial. "It's now abundantly clear we all need the boosters," Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told Axios. (Reed, 11/30)

In news on medical industry responses —

The Washington Post: Epidemiologists: If Omicron Is Less Severe Than Delta, It Could Be A Path Out Of The Pandemic
As a new coronavirus variant of concern spreads globally, some experts read a possible positive future in the limited tea leaves gathered so far on omicron. Tony Blakely, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Melbourne, said omicron could represent a path out of the pandemic, if it turns out to be more infectious while causing less-severe symptoms than previous variants. “That may actually be a good thing because it means that as it washes through populations, you’ll have less morbidity and mortality,” he said. (Vinall, 11/29)

Reuters: Moderna CEO Warns COVID-19 Shots Less Effective Against Omicron, Spooks Markets
"There is no world, I think, where (the effectiveness) is the same level . . . we had with Delta," Moderna CEO Bancel told the Financial Times in an interview. "I think it's going to be a material drop. I just don't know how much because we need to wait for the data. But all the scientists I've talked to . . . are like 'this is not going to be good'," Bancel said. Moderna did not reply to a Reuters' request for comment on the interview and on when it expects to have data on the effectiveness of its vaccine against Omicron, which the World Health Organization (WHO) says carries a "very high" risk of infection surges. (Zaharia and Jose, 11/30)

Stat: Pfizer Research Head Sees A Sprint To Develop Omicron Vaccine, If Needed
A top Pfizer executive says the company is hopeful that booster shots will provide sufficient protection against the Omicron variant — but has already envisioned a timeline for the development of a new vaccine if that’s not the case. Mikael Dolsten, Pfizer’s chief scientific officer, likened the company’s role to that of firefighters: It doesn’t know how serious the blaze will be, but needs to prepare for the worst. And in this case, the worst would mean the need to develop new vaccines. (Herper, 11/30)

The Wall Street Journal: Omicron Variant Has Covid-19 Vaccine Makers Preparing For Worst Case
Drugmakers raised the prospect that existing Covid-19 vaccines might be less effective against the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus, which could create a need for modified vaccines that better target the concerning new strain. The prospect of new demand for booster shots, as well as medicines to treat disease caused by the new strain, have lifted the stock prices of several drug companies in recent days, including Pfizer Inc. PFE -2.96% and Moderna Inc. MRNA 11.80% Though the knowledge of Omicron is limited at this point, investors are already making bets that its emergence will become a significant source of sales for drugmakers. (Loftus, 11/29)

Meanwhile, antiviral drugs are inbound —

NPR: New Antiviral Drugs Are Coming for COVID. Here's What You Need to Know
An FDA advisory committee is meeting Tuesday to consider whether to recommend a new antiviral pill for the COVID-19 treatment toolkit. Take-at-home pills could be a game changer for keeping COVID-19 in check, and helping people recover from early stages of the disease. (Huang, 11/30)

The New York Times: Antiviral Covid-19 Pills Are Coming. Will There Be Enough Tests?
One of the drugs, developed by the pharmaceutical company Merck, could receive emergency authorization as early as this week. Another, made by Pfizer, is likely to be close behind. Although the drugs are not a replacement for vaccination, they could drastically expand access to treatments for a disease that is still killing 1,000 Americans a day. But the pills, which interfere with viral replication, are designed to be taken as soon as possible after symptoms appear. Fully harnessing their benefits is likely to depend upon timely, accurate Covid testing — something that the United States has struggled to achieve since the beginning of the pandemic. At times, especially in the summer and fall of 2020, getting tested for the virus has required an hourslong wait in line, followed by a weeklong wait for results. (Anthes, 11/29)

AP: WHO Warns That New Virus Variant Poses 'Very High' Risk
The World Health Organization warned Monday that the global risk from the omicron variant is “very high” based on the early evidence, saying the mutated coronavirus could lead to surges with “severe consequences.” The assessment from the U.N. health agency, contained in a technical paper issued to member states, amounted to WHO’s strongest, most explicit warning yet about the new version that was first identified days ago by researchers in South Africa. (Keaten, Casert and Yamaguchi, 11/29)

CIDRAP: Global Omicron COVID Variant Detections Rise As Experts Seek Answers
With the number of countries reporting the Omicron (B.1.1.529) COVID-19 variant rising steadily and viral activity  increasing in South Africa, the global health community is closely watching for new clues about whether other countries will see similar rises and if the variant will behave differently than earlier versions. In related developments, the World Health Assembly (WHA) began a special session today with a goal of forging a pandemic preparedness agreement. Since the new variant was first identified by South African scientists a few days ago, at least 17 countries have reported confirmed Omicron cases, mostly in Europe but also in Australia and Canada. (Schnirring, 11/29)

In South Africa, where omicron was first detected —

The New York Times: South African Scientists Caution Against Panic Over The New Variant
It is still too soon, they said, to make solid assessments of whether Omicron has a higher rate of transmission or will cause more hospitalizations or severe illness. “We simply do not have sound, reliable data on the clinical presentation,” said Salim Abdool Karim, a leading epidemiologist and H.I.V./AIDS researcher who is part of the country’s public health response to the coronavirus pandemic. “But we have no red flags that have been raised so far.” (Chutel, 11/29)

Bloomberg: Omicron Variant In South Africa: Kids Under 2 Are 10% Of Hospital Cases
Children under the age of 2 account for about 10% of total hospital admissions in the omicron epicenter Tshwane in South Africa, according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases. More kids are being admitted than during the early stages of the country entering the current fourth wave of infections, although a similar trend occurred during the third wave when delta was dominant, said Waasila Jassat, public health specialist at the institute. (Prinsloo, 11/29)

The Wall Street Journal: Omicron Variant Drives Rise In Covid-19 Hospitalizations In South Africa Hot Spot
The emergence of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in South Africa has driven a sharp increase in Covid-19 hospitalizations in the country’s hot-spot province over the past two weeks, although fewer patients are being treated for severe disease than in previous surges, the country’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases said. There has also been an unusually high number of hospitalizations of children under 2 years old around the capital, Pretoria, where cases started rising first, although some of these may be precautionary, the institute said. (Steinhauser, 11/29)

In news on omicron's global spread —

Reuters: Canada Now Has Five Cases Of Omicron Variant
A further two cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant have been detected in Ottawa, bringing Canada's total number of cases to five, Ottawa Public Health said late on Monday. Earlier in the day, Quebec discovered its first COVID-19 case of the variant, health officials said. Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube also told reporters that 115 travelers coming from countries affected by the new variant, primarily South Africa, were called and asked to isolate and test for COVID-19. (11/30)

Reuters: Australia On Alert After First Probable Omicron Community Case
Australian authorities said on Tuesday that an international traveller who was most likely infected with the Omicron variant spent time in the community as officials rushed to track the person's close contacts and locations visited. New South Wales (NSW) state health officials said initial testing "strongly indicates" the traveller who arrived in Sydney last week before the latest border restrictions was infected with the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. (Jose and Kaye, 11/30)

AP: Japan Confirms First Case Of New Coronavirus Variant
Japan confirmed on Tuesday its first case of the new omicron coronavirus variant, a visitor who recently arrived from Namibia, an official said. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said the patient, a man in his 30s, tested positive upon arrival at an airport on Sunday and was isolated and is being treated at a hospital. A genome analysis confirmed Tuesday that he was infected with the new variant, which was first identified in South Africa. (11/30)

Reuters: Mask Mandates To Tackle Omicron Come Into Force In England
New mask mandates and other measures aimed at curbing the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant came into force in England on Tuesday, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson eyes an expanded booster programme to help increase protection against COVID-19. From Tuesday morning, face masks are compulsory on transport and in shops, banks and hair salons. (11/30)

The New York Times: Judge Temporarily Blocks Vaccine Mandate For Health Workers In 10 States
A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked the Biden administration’s coronavirus vaccine mandate for health care workers in the 10 states that had filed a lawsuit against the government this month. The mandate requires all 17 million health care workers in Medicare- and Medicaid-certified medical facilities, which receive government funding, to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus by Jan. 4. The injunction, issued by Judge Matthew Schelp of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, prevents the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services from enforcing the mandate while the case is in court. (Heyward, 11/29)

AP: Biden Vaccine Rule For Health Workers Blocked In 10 States
A federal judge on Monday blocked President Joe Biden’s administration from enforcing a coronavirus vaccine mandate on thousands of health care workers in 10 states that had brought the first legal challenge against the requirement. The court order said that the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid had no clear authority from Congress to enact the vaccine mandate for providers participating in the two government health care programs for the elderly, disabled and poor. (Lieb, 11/30)

The Hill: Federal Workers Who Don't Meet Vaccine Mandate Won't Face Discipline Until January
Federal workers who do not comply with the Biden administration’s coronavirus vaccine requirement will not face serious penalties such as suspension or removal until January. The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on Monday directed federal agencies to engage in education and counseling of workers who have not met the vaccine requirement through the holiday season, with further enforcement actions put off until next year. (Chalfant, 11/29)

Meanwhile, in Oklahoma —

The New York Times: The Defense Department Says Oklahoma National Guard Must Get Vaccinated
The Defense Department has rejected an attempt by the governor of Oklahoma to exclude the state’s National Guard from a federal vaccine mandate. On Monday Lloyd J. Austin III, the secretary of Defense, sent a letter to Gov. Kevin Stitt that said the troops must comply with the requirement for all service branches. The letter, which was widely expected, sets the stage for Guardmembers in the state to lose their jobs should they refuse. (Steinhauer, 11/29)

CNN: Pentagon Denies Oklahoma Governor's Request And Insists National Guard Members Must Be Vaccinated 
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin denied a request from Oklahoma's governor to exempt his state's National Guard members from the Pentagon's Covid-19 vaccine mandate. Austin emphasized that the vaccine mandate is a lawful order that promotes "the health, safety and readiness of our military personnel, regardless of duty status" in the letter, which CNN obtained a copy of. The letter added that National Guard members who don't get vaccinated could be banned from "participation in drills and training conducted," and their status in the service could be jeopardized. (Kaufman and Liebermann, 11/29)

In other mandate news across the country —

Fox News: San Diego Student Vaccine Mandate Temporarily Blocked By Ninth Circuit
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an emergency injunction pending appeal against the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) on Monday after a student-athlete sued the district for religious discrimination because of its COVID-19 vaccine mandate. In September, the school board of the SDUSD voted in favor of requiring students aged 16 and up to be fully vaccinated against COVID by Dec. 20, which would require them to get their first dose by Monday. Anyone who failed to comply would be forced to attend school remotely. (Brown, 11/30)

The Des Moines Register: Judge Blocks CMS COVID Vaccine Mandate For Iowa Health Care Workers
A judge has blocked the federal government from enforcing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers in Iowa and nine other states. Matthew Schelp, a U.S. district judge in Missouri, ruled Monday that the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services did not have authority to order hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers to vaccinate all of their workers. (Leys, 11/30)

Des Moines Register: Johnston, Iowa Schools End COVID-19 Mask Mandate For Students, Staff
Starting Tuesday, Johnston students and staff will be able to go school mask-free. The district's school board voted 4-3 Monday evening to rescind its mask mandate. Board members Katie Fiala, Jennifer Chamberland and Soneeta Mangra-Dutcher opposed the resolution. (LeBlanc, 11/29)

San Francisco Chronicle: Cal State Requires Students To Be Vaccinated For COVID-19 — But It’s Not Evenly Enforced
In July, with the delta variant of the coronavirus on the rise, California State University announced that all students and employees going to campus would need to prove they were vaccinated against the virus, or apply for a religious or medical exemption, no later than Sept. 30. The move by the nation’s largest four-year public university was driven by “the overarching goal of achieving population-level immunity throughout the CSU,” Cal State Chancellor Joseph Castro wrote. (Huck, Shaikh, and Mendoza, 11/29)

AP: COVID-19 Hospitalizations Reach Record High In Michigan
Michigan’s number of hospitalized adults with confirmed COVID-19 cases reached a new pandemic high Monday, nearing 4,200 as the state continued to confront surging infections. The total of 4,185 cases surpassed the previous record of 4,158, which was set seven months ago when fewer residents were vaccinated. More than one-fifth of COVID patients in Michigan hospitals were in intensive care. Only Minnesota had a higher seven-day rate of new infections than Michigan, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. About 20% of tests statewide were positive, a level not seen since the early days of the pandemic when there was a testing shortage. One in every 169 people tested positive in the past week, according to Johns Hopkins University. (Eggert and Krisher, 11/30)

Also —

Fox News: Education Secretary Says Safe Schools 'Require Masks,' Touts Op-Ed Critical Of Florida's Anti-Mask Mandate Law
After months of legal challenges, heated school board meetings, and confusion among parents, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill earlier this month that prohibits schools from mandating masks for students. Carlee Simon, the superintendent of one of the last school districts in the state to drop their mandate, Alachua County Public Schools, wrote an op-ed last week criticizing the anti-mask mandate law — and now Education Secretary Miguel Cardona is backing her up. "This isn’t complicated & Superintendent Simon is right. As educators, it's our job to keep our schools safe and that requires masks," Cardona tweeted on Monday. (Best, 11/30)

The Washington Post: Maine Doctor’s License Suspended After Allegations Of Covid-19 Misinformation
A Maine medical board said it suspended a doctor’s license after reviewing his covid-19 “exemption letters” and reports that he spread misinformation about the coronavirus. The state’s Board of Osteopathic Licensure froze Paul Gosselin’s license for 30 days starting Nov. 19, pending further action at a hearing. Osteopathic doctors tend to talk about a “whole-body” approach to health and embrace alternative treatments. (Knowles, 11/29)

Modern Healthcare: Supreme Court Questions HHS Interpretation Of DSH Formula
Supreme Court justices on Monday were skeptical that the Health and Human Services Department fairly interpreted Medicare law when it changed the formula for disproportionate share hospital calculations. During oral arguments, the justices asked pointed questions about the specific language HHS interpreted to create its DSH formula. They wondered whether the department should receive a wide latitude for interpreting congressional language dictating the policy. "So it strikes me as a situation where I think we ought to be particularly precise in interpreting the language Congress used without any gloss added by the agency," Chief Justice John Roberts said. (Goldman, 11/29)

Bloomberg Law: Hospitals Eye Spending Bill To Forestall Looming Medicare Cuts
Hospital groups are asking lawmakers to prevent billions of dollars in Medicare pay reductions next year as part of a government funding bill that’s on Congress’s agenda for this week. The Coalition to Protect America’s Health Care, which represents hospital groups, announced Monday it will launch a television ad campaign in Washington, D.C., urging Congress to stop the cuts. (Ruoff, 11/29)

The Hill: Cotton Swipes At Fauci: 'These Bureaucrats Think That They Are The Science'
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) slammed White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci on Monday, likening the top infectious disease expert to a bureaucrat who thinks "they are the science." Cotton, a vocal critic of Fauci, went after President Biden's top medical adviser during an appearance on "Fox & Friends" a day after Fauci pushed back on GOP criticism of himself. Fauci told CBS "Face the Nation" host Margaret Brennan that it was "dangerous" for Republican senators to criticize him, arguing "they're really criticizing science, because I represent science." (Rai, 11/29)

AP: States, Cities Running Out Of Rental Assistance Monies 
Several large states and cities have exhausted their federal rental assistance, the Treasury Department said Monday, in a sign that spending on a massive program aimed at averting evictions has picked up speed. The federal government is forecasting that upwards of $30 billion or about two-thirds of money allocated for rental assistance will be disbursed or allocated by the end of the year. That is a dramatic change from this summer when housing advocates were complaining about the slow pace of distribution. (Casey, 11/30)

Bloomberg: Philip Morris IQOS Imports Barred From U.S.; Deadline Passes
Philip Morris International Inc. and partner Altria Group Inc. have to stop importing their IQOS heated-tobacco sticks into the U.S. after a deadline passed without any action by the Biden administration to stop it. Philip Morris and Reynolds America Inc. had each been talking with administration officials since September, when the International Trade Commission ordered the import ban in September after finding that IQOS infringed two Reynolds patents for electrically-powered devices with a heater to generate an aerosol. The order entered a sixty-day presidential review period. (Gretler and Decker, 11/29)

CBS News: Supreme Court Prepares To Hear Mississippi Abortion Case
For the first time in nearly 30 years, the future of abortion rights will face its most consequential test when the Supreme Court convenes Wednesday to hear a high-stakes showdown taking aim at nearly five decades of precedent. At the heart of the dispute before the high court, now with a 6-3 conservative majority, is a Mississippi law that bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. State officials have used the case, known as Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, as a vehicle to ask the justices to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that established a constitutional right to an abortion. Pro-abortion rights advocates warn a decision upholding the 2018 law would pave the way for states to ban the procedure entirely. (Quinn, 11/29)

Roll Call: Abortion Case Tests Supreme Court's Rightward Shift After Trump 
The Supreme Court hears arguments Wednesday in a case that asks the justices to overturn the long-standing decisions that established the right to abortion in the United States, a moment that Republican politicians, conservative legal groups and anti-abortion activists have worked for decades to deliver. The 1973 landmark decision in Roe v. Wade that first legalized abortion also helped spark that movement, which has become a steady theme in partisan politics and the Senate’s most recent history of contentious Supreme Court confirmation hearings. (Ruger and Raman, 11/29)

The Texas Tribune: Abortion Access In Texas Hangs In The Balance As Supreme Court Considers Overturning Roe V. Wade
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on Wednesday in a Mississippi abortion case that has the potential to overturn Roe v. Wade. While the case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, stems from a challenge to a Mississippi law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, the high court’s ruling could have seismic impacts for Texas. Texas legislators have ensured the state is ready if Roe v. Wade is overturned by this case or any future ruling. Last June, Texas joined 11 other states by enacting a measure that automatically bans abortion after Roe is overturned without having to call a special legislative session. (Klibanoff, 11/30)

AP: Noem Wants To Push Anti-Abortion Argument To Supreme Court
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem on Monday sought a leading role in a pair of legal battles over abortion access as the U.S. Supreme Court neared a potentially defining moment on the issue. The Republican governor promised that if the state loses an appeal in a legal fight over a state law that would require women seeking abortions to first consult with crisis pregnancy centers, which generally advise women not to get abortions, she would try to get the Supreme Court to consider the case. The case had laid dormant for nearly 10 years, but with the high court’s ideological make-up tilting to conservatives, Republicans are trying to get such cases before the justices. (Groves, 11/29)

Bloomberg Law: Demand For Abortion Pill Access Rises With Roe On Precipice
A Supreme Court case that will determine the fate of Roe v. Wade—the landmark ruling that legalized abortion nationwide—has intensified pressure to permanently nix a requirement to only give out pills ending early pregnancy in-person. Doctors, abortion rights advocates, and some members of Congress say ensuring easy access to the drug mifepristone is especially critical now that abortion protections are at stake. (Castronuovo, 11/30)

Modern Healthcare: Medicaid Enrollees Report More Overnight Hospital Stays Than Uninsured, Privately Insured
Medicaid members were as likely as those with private coverage to have seen a general practitioner in 2019, despite being less likely to have a usual place for receiving medical services, according to a new report from the Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program Payment Access Commission. Ninety percent of individuals with private coverage said they had a usual source of care, compared with 86.5% of Medicaid beneficiaries, according to MACPAC's analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey data from 2019. (Tepper, 11/29)

Reuters: Celltrion Signs COVID-19 Antibody Therapy Supply Deals With Europe
South Korean biotech company Celltrion's (068270.KS) distribution arm has signed supply deals for its monoclonal antibody to treat COVID-19 with nine European countries, Celltrion Healthcare (091990.KQ) said on Tuesday. The European Commission earlier this month approved the company's antibody therapy Regkirona, granting marketing authorisation for adults with COVID-19 who are at increased risk of progressing to a severe condition. (Cha, 11/30)

Modern Healthcare: UnitedHealthcare Underpaid TeamHealth Clinicians, Jury Finds
UnitedHealthcare has lost a round of its legal bout with TeamHealth, a Las Vegas jury decided Monday. The UnitedHealth Group subsidiary underpaid TeamHealth for emergency services, the court ruled in a decision that accepts the private equity-backed provider group's allegations that the nation's largest insurer shortchanged clinicians. The provider group demanded $10.5 million in restitution for the underpayments. The jury awarded TeamHealth $2.65 million in compensatory damages and is considering how much punitive damages UnitedHealthcare must also pay. (Tepper, 11/29)

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Penn Extends Deal With IBC To Cut Red Tape And Treat Patients Better
Patients with breast cancer at Penn Medicine won’t need precertification for radiation therapy if they have Independence Blue Cross insurance. They can start right away, under a pact that was extended Monday between the region’s largest insurer and its biggest health system. The arrangement “improves access, it improves coordination for Penn and the patient. It improves the overall experience. No waiting,” Richard Snyder, IBC’s chief medical officer, said Monday, describing a highlight of the agreement, which was extended for three years. (Brubaker, 11/30)

Modern Healthcare: UC Davis, Amazon Partner On Digital Health Equity Innovation
UC Davis Health has opened a cloud innovation center in partnership with Amazon Web Services, the not-for-profit academic health system announced Monday. UC Davis Health, a Sacramento-based health system that's part of the University of California, Davis, is the latest to join Amazon's cloud innovation program open to not-for-profit organizations, educational institutions and government agencies. UC Davis Health's center will solicit project ideas from clinicians, patients and the community focused on digital health equity and accessibility. The health system will make the project's findings available to the public to enable others to build on its work. (Kim Cohen, 11/29)

In health industry leadership news —

Crain's Cleveland Business: Dr. Akram Boutros To Retire As MetroHealth CEO At End Of 2022
Dr. Akram Boutros will retire as president and CEO of MetroHealth at the end of 2022 after leading the public health system since 2013, he announced on Monday, Nov. 29. Boutros was brought into the system to help transform MetroHealth and establish long-term sustainability and has since "exceeded the board's, employees' and the community's expectations," MetroHealth board chair Vanessa Whiting, who served on the search committee that hired Boutros, said in a news release. (Coutré, 11/29)

Boston Globe: Alnylam's New CEO Hopes Appointment Inspires Underrepresented Groups
Before she accepted a recent offer to become chief executive of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Yvonne Greenstreet consulted two women she respects, her mother and her daughter. Miranda Greenstreet, 88, is from the West African nation of Ghana and often blazed trails, her daughter said. She married a white Englishman whom she met in the 1950s when they were students at the London School of Economics. Later, she set up an institute that promoted adult literacy in Ghana. When Yvonne Greenstreet called to ask if she should take the job, she recalled, her mother didn’t hesitate, saying, “Is there a choice?” (Saltzman, 11/29)

CIDRAP: Study: 1 In 100 Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients Suffers Brain Complications
During a meeting tomorrow at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), scientists will present data from the largest multi-institutional international study to date on brain complications of COVID-19 and share that 1 in 100 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 will likely develop complications of the central nervous system like stroke, hemorrhage, and other potentially fatal complications. The findings come from a study of nearly 40,000 hospitalized COVID-19–positive patients seen at seven hospitals in the United States and four university hospitals in Western Europe, according to an RSNA news release today. The patients were admitted from September 2019 through June 2020. Their average age was 66 years old. (11/29)

CIDRAP: Initial COVID-19 More Likely To Lead To Poor Outcomes Than Reinfection
SARS-CoV-2 reinfections in Qatar were 90% less likely than primary infections to lead to hospitalization or death, finds a research letter last week in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). A team led by Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar researchers compared primary COVID-19 cases from March through June 2020 with reinfections from January through April 2021, a wave fueled by the Alpha (B117) and Beta (B1351) variants but before the emergence of Delta (B1617.2). After the first pandemic wave, 40% of the population had measurable antibodies against the coronavirus. (11/29)

CIDRAP: COVID-19 Vaccines May Have Saved 500,000 Lives In Europe
A pair of new studies in Eurosurveillance shed new light on infections, severe cases, and deaths averted by COVID-19 vaccination, one suggesting that the shots saved about 470,000 people 60 and older in Europe and one estimating that 445,000 infections, 79,000 hospitalizations, 9,800 intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and 22,000 fewer deaths were prevented in Italy alone. A study led by World Health Organization (WHO) researchers estimated the number of people 60 and older saved by COVID-19 vaccination in the 33 countries of the WHO European Region from vaccine rollout in December 2020 to November 2021. By Nov 8, 80% of Europeans 60 and older were completely vaccinated, and 84% had received at least one dose. (Van Beusekom, 11/29)

In non-covid research —

The Hill: Scientists Say Xenobots, World's First Living Robots, Can Reproduce
Scientists who created xenobots, the world's first living robots, say the life forms are "the first-ever, self-replicating living robots." The tiny organisms were originally unveiled in 2020. The robots were assembled from heart and skin stem cells belonging to the African clawed frog. They can move independently for about a week before running out of energy, are self-healing and break down naturally. The scientists from the University of Vermont, Tufts University and Harvard University's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering published research on Monday saying they discovered a new type of biological reproduction different from any other known plant or animal species, according to a press release published by the Wyss Institute. (Beals, 11/29)

The New York Times: Stamping Bar Codes On Cells To Solve Medical Mysteries
No one really knew why some patients with a white blood cell cancer called chronic lymphocytic leukemia, or C.L.L., relapsed after treatment and got a second cancer. Were some cancer cells just resistant? An unexpected answer to this mystery has been found using a new technique that researchers call bar coding: The treatment does not always target the right cells. Scientists discovered that the cancer does not always originate in the mature bone marrow cells where it is found and where textbooks say it originates. Instead, for some patients, the mother lode of the cancer can be primitive bone marrow cells, the stem cells, that give rise to all of the body’s white and red blood cells. Those cells, not affected by the chemotherapy treatment, can spawn new cancer cells, causing a relapse. (Kolata, 11/29)

Stat: Scientists See 'Rock Star' Potential In Deploying Viruses Against Cancer
Stacy Erholtz had run out of options. At the age of 49, she had already been fighting multiple myeloma, a blood cancer, for almost a decade. In that time, she tried — and exhausted — every treatment available to her: traditional chemotherapy, novel drugs, and stem cell transplants. By the time she entered a study that would test an experimental measles virus, genetically engineered to target cancer, Erholtz was studded with tumors on her clavicle, sternum, vertebrae, and skull. For an hour, she watched a stunning amount of an otherwise-dangerous virus — enough to vaccinate 10 million people against the measles — drain into her beleaguered body. “I literally felt like my head was going to explode,” Erholtz told STAT, “within seconds.” (Renault, 11/30)

AP: In Shadow Of Texas Gas Drilling Sites, Health Fears Escalate
For the families of the children and for others nearby, it’s a prospect fraught with fear and anxiety. Living too close to drilling sites has been linked to a range of health risks, especially to children, from asthma to neurological and developmental disorders. And while some states are requiring energy companies to drill farther from day cares, schools and homes, Texas has taken the opposite tack: It has made it exceedingly difficult for localities to fight back. The affected areas go beyond day care centers and schools close to drilling sites. They include communities near related infrastructure — compressor stations, for example, which push gas through pipelines and emit toxic fumes, and export facilities, where gas is cooled before being shipped overseas. (Bussewitz and Irvine, 11/30)

In news on flu —

CIDRAP: Oklahoma Reports Novel Flu Case As US Influenza Levels Continue Slow Rise
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today reported a novel H1 flu infection, the second novel influenza A case of the new flu season. In its latest FluView, delayed a few days because of the Thanksgiving holiday, the CDC also said flu activity is still low but continues to rise. The novel H1 case involved an adult who was hospitalized for another illness but has since been discharged. He or she had direct swine contact at home and at an agricultural event before getting sick. No human-to-human transmission was reported, and tests are under way to determine the neuraminidase. (11/29)

Meanwhile —

The Philadelphia Inquirer: ‘Restorative’ Treatments For Erectile Dysfunction Aren’t Proven To Work. Men Pay Thousands Anyway.
“The doctors who are offering therapy are not charlatans,” one expert said. “They’re not selling you snake oil, but, as a medical consumer, you have to be a little bit savvy.” (11/29)

Stat: McDonald's Accused Of Dragging Its Feet On Goal Of Reducing Antibiotic Use In Beef Supplies
Dozens of advocacy groups are accusing McDonald’s (MCD) of failing to follow through on creating targets for reducing the use of medically important antibiotics in its global beef supply chains, a development they argue will accelerate the spread of superbugs. In a letter to the fast-food giant, the groups pointed to a 2018 pledge by McDonald’s to restrict antibiotic use and set reduction targets across 85% of its supply chain by the end of 2020. The company also committed to phasing out routine use of medically important antibiotics for preventing disease, a practice that contributes to antibiotic resistance in food-producing livestock. (Silverman, 11/29)

The Hill: Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Tests Positive For COVID-19
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy will miss his team’s upcoming game against the New Orleans Saints after testing positive for COVID-19, The Associated Press reported. McCarthy, who’s in his second season as Dallas’s head signal-caller, informed his players about his diagnosis during a virtual team meeting on Monday. McCarthy tested positive for the virus during a precautionary checkup at the team’s hotel a day after the team’s Thanksgiving contest against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to the AP. (Oshin, 11/29)

KHN: ‘I Can Go Anywhere’: How Service Dogs Help Veterans With PTSD
It was supper time in the Whittier, California, home of Air Force veteran Danyelle Clark-Gutierrez, and eagerly awaiting a bowl of kibble and canned dog food was Lisa, a 3-year-old yellow Labrador retriever. Her nails clicking on the kitchen floor as she danced about, Lisa looked more like an exuberant puppy than the highly trained service animal that helps Clark-Gutierrez manage the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. “Having her now, it’s like I can go anywhere,” Clark-Gutierrez said. “And, yes, if somebody did come at me, I’d have warning — I could run.” (Stephanie O'Neill, 11/30)

Los Angeles Times: L.A. County's Low-Income Areas Less Likely To Get COVID Boosters
The percentage of vaccinated Los Angeles County residents who have gotten COVID-19 booster shots is significantly lower in poorer neighborhoods than other areas, a troubling trend officials say could leave already hard-hit communities exposed to a potential surge over the winter. In the county’s high-need areas, only 6.9% of fully vaccinated people eligible for additional COVID-19 shots had received a booster as of Nov. 11, health figures show. The areas were identified using, among other things, a socioeconomic measurement tool called the California Healthy Places Index, and include places such as South L.A., southeast Los Angeles County, the Eastside, the eastern San Fernando Valley and El Monte. (Money and Lin II, 11/29)

AP: Oregon Offers To Pay Pharmacies To Administer COVID Vaccines
The Oregon Health Authority is offering to pay pharmacies $35 for each dose of COVID-19 vaccine they administer, with the intention to boost vaccination rates. Based on the health authority's database, 79% of people 18 years or older in Oregon have received at least their first vaccine dose. In addition, the Statesman Journal reports that the program — which launched this month — directly addresses staffing shortages at pharmacies, where growing workloads have resulted in long lines across the state. In some cases, customers have reported having to wait two or three hours to pick up their prescriptions. (11/29)

AP: Vaccine Passport Program Could Be Coming Soon, Governor Says
A COVID-19 vaccination passport program that would allow residents to quickly demonstrate their vaccine status could be up and running in Massachusetts and several other states soon, Gov. Charlie Baker said Monday. Proof of vaccination would be available on a QR code on an individual’s cellphone. The code could be quickly scanned to show the person’s vaccination status. (11/29)

AP: LA Begins Enforcing Strict Mandate Requiring Proof Of Vax 
Enforcement began Monday in Los Angeles for one of the strictest vaccine mandates in the country, a sweeping measure that requires proof of shots for everyone entering a wide variety of businesses from restaurants to theaters and gyms to nail and hair salons. While the latest order aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus took effect Nov. 8, city officials spent the past three weeks providing business owners the information and resources business they need to comply. (Weber, 11/30)

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Get Vaccinated And ‘Do Not Get Hysterical’ About Omicron Variant, Philly-Area Officials Say As They Wait To Learn More
The region's public health officials are monitoring the emergence of the new coronavirus variant. They urged mask-wearing, booster shots, and common-sense precautions. (McDaniel and McCarthy, 11/29)

North Carolina Health News: Popular Senior Centers Eye Post-COVID, Modern Approach 
North Carolina’s senior centers have for decades offered havens of company, support and education for older people but had to adapt most of those roles during the pandemic that hit the over-65 population especially hard. As the state’s more than 160 centers reopen this year with the ongoing COVID-19 disease still a factor, the National Council on Aging is calling on them to bring their offerings and general outreach up to date for this burgeoning population. (Goldsmith, 11/30)

Georgia Health News: Rep. Bourdeaux Says Dems’ Bill Would Be ‘Game Changer’ For Georgia, Uninsured | Georgia Health News
U.S. Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-Ga.) said Monday that the health insurance provisions in the social policy and climate change bill pending in Congress would be a “game changer’’ for Georgia. The $1.7 trillion legislative package, which recently passed the U.S. House, would offer coverage in the health insurance exchange for hundreds of thousands of Georgia residents caught in the “coverage gap.” These people include Cynthia English, 46, of Albany. She is uninsured and has diabetes, hypertension and sciatica. She gets care at an local charity clinic but needs a sleep study in order to keep a job as a van driver. (Miller, 11/29)

AP: Two New Members Nominated For State Health Board
An obstetrician-gynecologist and a pharmacist have been nominated by Gov. Tate Reeves to join the Mississippi State Board of Health. Dr. James Patrick “Pat” Chaney and Dr. Lee Ann Griffin are both graduates of Mississippi public universities. Griffin, of Jackson, received both her undergraduate degree and her doctor of pharmacy degree from the University of Mississippi. Chaney, of Amory, is a graduate of Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi Medical Center. (11/29)

The CT Mirror: Lawmakers Plan To Prioritize Children's Mental Health Next Session
With the pandemic taking a massive toll on children’s mental health, Connecticut lawmakers are already beginning to plan what reforms may best target what experts have called a crisis. Over the last several weeks, legislators have hosted forums with behavioral health professionals, state agencies and child experts to discuss what is happening and where improvements need to be made in the state. Connecticut emergency departments saw an overwhelming number of children seek psychiatric care as the toll of the pandemic fell on the state’s youngest residents last year and as students headed back to in-person classes this school year. (Watson and Carlesso, 11/30)

AP: UK To Expand COVID Vaccine Boosters Amid Omicron Fears
Britain is extending its COVID-19 booster vaccine program to millions more people as part of efforts to tackle the spread of the new omicron variant, which is feared to be more contagious and vaccine-resistant. The British government said Monday that it would accept in full the revised recommendations from the independent body of scientists that has been advising it, chief of which is that everyone aged between 18 and 39 should be offered a booster shot. Up until now, only people aged over 40 as well as those deemed particularly vulnerable to the virus were eligible. (Pylas, 11/29)

NBC News: Omicron Linked To Global Vaccine Inequality By Experts
Rich countries can’t say they weren’t warned. For almost as long as Covid-19 has been around, scientists, academics and campaigners have called on wealthy nations to share vaccines around the world — not only to protect people in those countries, but also to reduce the risk of new mutant variants emerging that could evade vaccines for everyone. (Smith, 11/30)

Bloomberg: Germany Mulls Lockdown On Unvaccinated As Europe Tightens Curbs
Germany’s incoming vice chancellor called for a nationwide “lockdown for the unvaccinated,” the latest sign of tougher restrictions sweeping across Europe to check the latest surge in Covid-19 infections. Ahead of pandemic talks on Tuesday between German federal and regional officials, Robert Habeck, a co-leader of the Greens, said only people who are inoculated or recovered should be allowed into non-essential stores and “public settings” across the country, rather than just in virus hotspots. (Rogers and Donahue, 11/30)

Bloomberg: Greece Imposes $114 Monthly Fine On Unvaccinated People Over 60
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced mandatory Covid-19 vaccination for all Greeks above 60 years of age before a cabinet meeting in Athens on Tuesday, in an effort to tackle the new omicron variation threat ahead of the festive season. Those who refuse to get vaccinated will have to pay a monthly fine of 100 euros ($114) for each month they don’t get jabbed, starting on Jan. 16, according to Mitsotakis. The funds collected by the fines will be given to Greek hospitals fighting the pandemic. (Chrepa and Tugwell, 11/30)

In news on vaccine donations for Africa —

AP: China To Donate 600 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Doses To Africa
China has pledged to donate 600 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccines to Africa as the world grapples with the unequal distribution of the shots between rich and poor countries. Chinese President Xi Jinping made the promise Monday in a video speech to the opening ceremony of a China-Africa forum on economic cooperation. He said China will supply 1 billion doses in all. The other 400 million are to come through other routes such as production by Chinese companies in Africa. (11/30)

Reuters: India Promises More COVID-19 Shots To Omicron-Hit Africa After Chinese Move
India stands ready to "expeditiously" send more COVID-19 vaccine to Africa to help fight the Omicron variant, New Delhi said late on Monday after China pledged 1 billion doses to the continent. India and China have close ties with many African countries but Beijing has pumped much more money into the region, and on Monday promised to invest another $10 billion. (11/30)

Houston Chronicle: Biden Moves To Address Rural Doctor Shortages. Will Texas Lawmakers Finally Act?
The family doctor has always been a beloved icon in this country, celebrated in novels, movies and heart-warming illustrations by Norman Rockwell. Although many now find it hard to believe, the family doctor used to come to your front door. Ushered into the home at a time of crisis, or maybe to welcome a new life into the world, the doctor opened a well-worn black bag and, while worried family members lingered, dispensed equal parts medication and well-earned wisdom. In small towns and rural areas, the doctor, trusted implicitly, was almost a member of the family. He or she was there when needed. (11/30)

Los Angeles Times: Medical Bias Can Be Deadly. Our Research Found A Way To Curb It 
Ask most any woman about her experience with the American healthcare system and you will likely hear stories of medical maltreatment in the form of dismissal, undertreatment or incorrect diagnosis. Add racial bias to the mix and a woman’s likelihood of being victimized in medicine is even worse. In the largest study of its kind to date, a 2020 analysis of more than 3 million U.S. patients’ hospital admissions between 2012 and 2017 found that adults who are Black or from other underrepresented racial or ethnic groups received up to 10% fewer early treatments for heart problems than white patients. Medical bias according to race and gender is so powerful that even mega stars like Serena Williams have nearly died from it. (Damon Centola, 11/29)

The Atlantic: New Abortion Bans Are Removing Rape And Incest Exceptions
Amid all the attention paid to the legal drama surrounding both Mississippi’s and Texas’s contested abortion laws, one striking detail seems to have escaped much notice: Neither state makes an exception for rape or incest. This is a major departure, a sign of how extreme America’s abortion politics have become. For decades, exceptions to abortion bans for rape and incest were a rare source of consensus. (Michele Goodwin and Mary Ziegler, 11/29)

The Boston Globe: How Science, Technology, And Industry Can Work Together To Cure Alzheimer’s 
Alzheimer’s disease, the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, has defied our best efforts to find a cure or even a treatment that can substantially slow its devastating degradation of the brain. The now decades-long sequence of high-profile setbacks in Alzheimer’s drug discovery and development underscores the unique challenge this disease presents. (Li-Huei Tsai, 11/29)

Stat: Fairness And Inclusivity: Key Ingredients In Equitable Health AI
What are the most important ethical considerations for artificial intelligence (AI) in health care? The World Health Organization tried to answer this question in its recent report “Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence for Health.” It offers recommendations on how to design safe, transparent, and equitable AI products and applications that can help providers make informed medical decisions and help patients achieve positive outcomes. (Ben Glocker, 11/30)

USA Today: Pancreatic Cancer Treatments Are Improving, And There's Cause For Hope
Over the past few years, we have lost several iconic figures to the same deadly disease, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Congressman John Lewis and “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek. Each of these leaders – and thousands of other fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, lovers and friends passed away after losing a hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest of all cancers. In the oncology world, pancreatic cancer has frustrated doctors, scientists and other experts for decades, while causing untold suffering for patients. Often called “the silent killer,” pancreatic cancer usually does not carry symptoms until the tumors have advanced to the point where they invade nearby organs. (Drs. William R. Jarnagin and Alice Wei, 11/29)

The Tennessean: Caregiving: Tennessee Must Reform Long-Term Services For Older Adults
November is National Family Caregivers month, and if there’s one thing that’s come to light during the pandemic, it’s that we don’t value and support family caregivers enough. Even though families provide most of the care for children, adults with disabilities and older adults, Tennessee ranks 49th nationally for support of family caregivers, according to the 2020 Long Term Services & Supports State Scorecard. (Grace Smith, 11/29)

The Star Tribune: Health Care Leaders Must Step Up Now 
Michigan may have just replaced Minnesota as the nation's hottest COVID-19 hot spot, but we still are heading into the holidays with grim viral metrics and the unknowns of the new omicron variant. To save lives, the state's world-class medical providers need to step up now with this urgent but unpopular message: Minnesota must do more to control the current COVID surge, and that includes implementing both old and new preventive measures to keep the upcoming holidays from refueling viral spread. (11/29)

The Washington Post: The World Lacks A Global Disease Radar. South Africa Showed How It Could Work. 
In all the uncertainty about a new virus variant, omicron, a bright spot must not be overlooked. The new variant was detected and its genome sequenced rapidly in South Africa, which then alerted the rest of the world that it carried a large number of mutations and might be more transmissible, virulent and immune evasive than previous variants. For this stellar and generous performance, South Africa was met with the sound of doors slamming shut. (11/29)

The Atlantic: The New COVID Drugs Are A Bigger Deal Than People Realize 
Although masks, distancing, ventilation, testing, and contact tracing have all helped forestall a collapse of the American health-care system under the weight of COVID-19, the pandemic will come under control in only two ways: Preventives—specifically vaccines—will harness people’s immune system to keep them from becoming infected, getting sick, and spreading the coronavirus, while targeted therapeutics will offer hope to those who have already developed symptoms. The emergence of Omicron, a worrisome new variant of the coronavirus, underscores the need to use multiple tools to fight the disease. (Monica Gandhi, 11/29)

CNN: How To Fight Covid-19 While The Scientists Wait For Answers On Omicron (Opinion) 
This week, news of a worrisome variant of the coronavirus dubbed Omicron dominated headlines after it was first detected in South Africa. Many world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, reacted swiftly to the news by announcing a raft of travel restrictions on African countries, even though the variant has already been detected in places like Australia, Hong Kong and Israel. While Omicron has not yet been found in the United States, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he "would not be surprised" if it has already made its way in. (Syra Madad and Jacob Glanville, 11/29)

The Boston Globe: What We Can Do Now To Protect Ourselves And Each Other From The Omicron Variant 
While most of us were enjoying our first Thanksgiving in two years with loved ones, a new COVID variant exploded onto the scene. In a matter of hours after South Africa announced its existence, on Nov. 24, B.1.1.529 earned the name Omicron by the World Health Organization as a new variant of concern, and the European Union, the United States, Israel, and Singapore announced bans on travelers from southern Africa. New York also preemptively declared a state of emergency, although no cases have yet been detected there or in the United States generally. (Shan Soe-Lin and Robert Hecht, 11/29)

Kansas City Star: Why Are Kansas Republicans On Omicron COVID Variant’s Side? 
Viruses mutate to survive. Generally speaking, so do politicians. With omicron, the new, highly mutated COVID-19 “variant of concern” alarming the markets and the epidemiologists, it shouldn’t be impossible to imagine that Republicans could make one more shift. In recent years, they’ve abandoned their long-standing support for free trade and NATO, smiling on as Donald Trump repeatedly sided with Vladimir Putin over our own intelligence community. Now the previously pro-business party is telling Mom and Pop that they can’t fire people who pose a health risk to their co-workers and customers. With that kind of flexibility about what they believe, the GOP could easily do another 180 and stop siding with COVID-19. (11/29)

Dallas Morning News: How Should We Respond To Omicron? Not Like This
The emergence of the new and worrisome omicron COVID-19 variant is cause for concern, but it shouldn’t be cause for panic. Government at every level should be cautious about imposing greater restrictions that affect people’s lives, their ability to run their businesses, go to church or, most importantly, go to school. We’ve seen no indication yet there is a rush to impose the sort of economically and socially crippling lockdowns that we endured through 2020. We would be surprised, though, if there isn’t political pressure to do so. (11/29)

CNN: Joe Biden Faces A Crucial Test With The New Omicron Variant
There are more questions than answers about the new Covid-19 variant known as Omicron first identified Thursday by South Africa's health minister. Still, with the World Health Organization announcing Friday Omicron is a "variant of concern" and vaccine manufacturer Moderna adding the variant poses "a significant potential risk," alarm bells are sounding in the United States and across the world about what it may mean for all of us. This new variant may simply be a continuation of the same battle against Covid-19 that began in early 2020. But vaccine makers say there's a possibility our vaccines won't be effective against Omicron. Are we at risk of going back to square one against the pandemic? (Dean Obeidallah, 11/29)