Fauci Backs Vax Mandate for U.S. Flights; Roe Lawyer Dies; Sotrovimab Running Low

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NIAID Director Anthony Fauci, MD, said the federal government should consider vaccine mandates for domestic flights. (CNBC)

In a small, non-peer reviewed study, South African researchers found that the Omicron variant could displace Delta, as infection with the newer strain boosts immunity against the older one. (Reuters)

Meanwhile, Omicron is now estimated to make up 58.6% of U.S. cases, followed by the Delta strain, according to the latest CDC data.

“Omicron and Delta are coming to your party,” Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) told residents ahead of New Year’s celebrations. (NBC Chicago)

In a call with the nation’s governors, President Biden acknowledged the administration’s shortfalls on providing people with rapid tests, stating that “there is more work to do.” (NBC News)

As of Tuesday at 8 a.m. EST, the unofficial U.S. COVID toll is 52,794,834 cases and 818,371, increases of 511,433 cases and 1,761 deaths versus this time yesterday.

Sarah Weddington, the lawyer who successfully argued Roe v. Wade, died at age 76. (NBC News)

The Department of Health and Human Services updated its National Plan to address Alzheimer’s Disease, and included a new goal to promote healthy aging and reduce onset of illness.

New York City implemented the nation’s strictest COVID-19 vaccine mandate for private businesses, requiring employers to verify that all workers have at least one dose. (New York Times)

Goldman Sachs announced that it will mandate booster shots for all eligible employees, and plans to ramp up weekly testing. (CNN)

Manhattan emergency doctor Craig Spencer, MD, explains how the Omicron variant affects people in these three groups: boosted, vaccinated, and unvaccinated. (NBC New York)

Health officials in Texas warned that five of the state’s infusion centers are running out of sotrovimab — the only monoclonal antibody treatment that appears to be effective against the Omicron variant. (Texas Tribune)

France set new restrictions on large gatherings and stricter requirements for remote work after daily cases reached an all-time high last week. (BBC News)

The country is also planning to offer a monthly bonus to ICU nurses in an effort to improve conditions for workers exhausted by the ongoing pandemic. (Reuters)

After waiting 15 days for a bed at a medical center, an Iowa man died from complications unrelated to COVID-19. His family blames the pandemic. (Des Moines Register)

Some good news during the pandemic — food recalls in the U.S. have slowed. But why? (NPR)

A rise in COVID-19 infections has led to the cancellations of two more college football bowl games — the Military Bowl in Annapolis, Maryland, and the Fenway Bowl in Boston. Five bowl games have been impacted by the surge within the past week. (CNN)