View source for Omicron variant

'''Omicron variant''',<ref>Da Silva, Chantal (November 26, 2021). [https://news.yahoo.com/names-variant-concern-omicron-scientists-184937931.html WHO names new variant of concern 'omicron,' as scientists advise caution]. ''NBC News'' via ''Yahoo''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref> also known as '''B.1.1.529''',<ref>Tidey, Alice (November 27, 2021). [https://www.euronews.com/2021/11/26/who-labels-new-covid-19-variant-of-concern-names-it-omicron WHO labels new COVID-19 variant 'of concern', names it Omicron]. ''Euronews''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref> is a strain of [[SARS-CoV-2]]<ref name=forbesinfo>Drake, John (November 28, 2021). [https://www.forbes.com/sites/johndrake/2021/11/28/what-we-know-about-the-omicron-variant/?sh=9ea642e358d5 What We Know About The Omicron Variant]. ''Forbes''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref> first discovered in [[South Africa]] in late November 2021 with reported cases in several other countries. Currently, reportedly little is known about the mutations comprising Omicron.<ref name=wapoinfo>Berger, Miriam (November 28, 2021). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/11/28/coronavirus-genetic-sequence-south-africa-variant-omicron/ South Africa, which found the omicron variant first, sequences less than 1 percent of coronavirus samples]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref>  As of Jan. 1, 2022, the [[CDC]] asserted that 95% of new [[COVID-19]] cases were due to the Omicron variant.  It is unclear in early January 2022 if the [[COVID vaccine]] has effectiveness against this variant.

Several countries have banned travel with South Africa, prompting sharp criticisms due to the fact that scientists in South Africa had discovered the variant with advanced genome sequencing; the nation's Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation responded: "Excellent science should be applauded and not punished".<ref name=wapoinfo/><ref>South Africa Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, November 2021</ref>

Incumbent [[White House]] officeholder [[Joseph R. Biden]], who called travel bans "racist" and "xenophobic,"<ref>Multiple references:
*Schorr, Isaac (September 14, 2020). [https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/yes-biden-called-trumps-travel-restrictions-xenophobic/ Yes, Biden Called Trump’s Travel Restrictions Xenophobic]. ''National Review''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
*Sacca, Paul (November 27, 2021). [https://www.theblaze.com/news/biden-kamala-travel-ban-trump After White House bans travel from 8 African countries, tweets resurface of Biden saying travel bans don't work and accusing Trump of 'xenophobia']. ''The Blaze''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
*Richardson, Valerie (November 28, 2021). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/nov/28/nancy-mace-blasts-media-hypocrisy-biden-travel-ban/ Nancy Mace blasts media double-standard on Biden, Trump COVID travel bans]. ''Washington Times''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
*Husebø, Wendell (November 26, 2021). [https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/11/26/joe-biden-slammed-for-calling-trumps-travel-restrictions-racist-xenophobic-after-enacting-his-own/ Joe Biden Slammed for Calling Trump’s Travel Restrictions Racist, Xenophobic, Then Enacting His Own]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref> imposed a travel ban on eight Black African countries,<ref>Kumar, Anugrah (November 28, 2021). [https://www.christianpost.com/news/omicron-covid-19-variant-biden-bans-travel-from-8-african-countries.html Biden imposes travel ban from 8 African countries in response to Omicron COVID-19 variant]. ''The Christian Post''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref> some with no reported cases, based on recommendations of medical advisers led by [[Anthony Fauci]].<ref>Nelson, Steven (November 6, 2021). [https://nypost.com/2021/11/26/biden-delayed-africa-travel-ban-over-omicron-on-advice-of-advisers-led-by-fauci/ Biden says he delayed Africa travel ban over Omicron variant on advice of advisers led by Fauci]. ''New York Post''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref>  Fauci has been referred to the [[International Criminal Court]] in the [[Netherlands]] for crimes against humanity.<ref>https://dailyexpose.uk/2021/12/10/uk-team-file-complaint-of-crimes-against-humanity-with-the-international-criminal-court/</ref>

==Pfizer/BioNTech Vaccine press release==
According to a [[Pfizer]] press release dated December 08, 2021, preliminary laboratory studies demonstrate that three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine neutralize the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529 lineage) while two doses show significantly reduced neutralization titers.<ref>https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-provide-update-omicron-variant</ref>

==Genome==
The Omicron variant is unlikely to be related to the Alpha and Delta variants of [[coronavirus]].<ref name=forbesinfo/> Instead, its mutations cause it to be distinct from the other strains of the virus. The mutations are likely to make the Omicron variant ineffective to combat by [[COVID-19 vaccine]]s, due to a potentially different "Spike" gene (associated with 32 different mutations) the vaccines are designed to target.<ref name=forbesinfo/>

==Racist travel ban==

Regime chief propagandist Jen Psaki refused to answer questions about Biden's racist travel ban on Africans travelling from Black African countries.  When Simon Ateba, a black African reporter with ''Today News Africa'', attempted to question Psaki about the racist motivations behind the travel ban on black Africans, Psaki ignored Ateba in favor of a sympathetic white liberal reporter.<ref>https://www.mediaite.com/news/psaki-repeatedly-shuts-down-today-news-africa-reporter-for-shouting-questions-about-omicron-at-briefing/</ref>  Ateba was persistent, and wanted to know why with no cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant in [[Zimbabwe]], [[Namibia]], [[Lesotho]], and [[Mozambique]], what justified the travel ban on countries with zero cases of the variant.  Ateba asked, “What would you say to those who believe that this is a racist ban, that it is only on African and black African nations?”<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/african-reporter-confronts-jen-psaki-on-bidens-racist-covid-travel-ban/</ref>  Psaki couldn't answer the question and scolded Ateba about decorum, telling him to learn his place by watching his white counterparts.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/african-reporter-that-psaki-scolded-about-decorum-says-biden-is-disrespecting-africa-which-is-mostly-brown-black/</ref>  According to ''Fox News'', Ateba said,
[[File:Ateba Psaki.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Psaki made rude and disparaging comments toward Simon Ateba of ''Today Africa News''.]]
{{quotebox-float|"The travel ban was built on a lie.  The president on November 26 [2021] banned 8 African countries. Only 2 of those countries had any case of the omicron variant.”

Ateba, a native of [[Cameroon]] according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, went on to question the supposed [[science]] behind Biden’s ban, pointing to Namibia, a small country on the continent’s Atlantic coast.  The nation of 2.5 million people registered only 400 cases of COVID-19 since the virus’ inception, he said, but yet Biden essentially punished them anyway.

“There’s total chaos: People can’t travel to Namibia, Zimbabwe [or] Mozambique, yet they have zero cases. So I don’t believe I was the one being disrespectful. I think Africa was disrespected, by banning countries based on a lie,” he said, referencing claims by Psaki he was being disrespectful of his fellow White House reporters."<ref>https://rumble.com/vq7lll-african-journalist-biden-is-disrespecting-africa-with-a-travel-ban-based-on.html</ref>}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External link==
*[https://youtu.be/BI5E8z89c9U The FIRST Omicron DEATH!], Dec 31, 2021. youtube.com

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[[Category:2020s]]