New test can quickly and easily assess antibody effectiveness against COVID-19 variants

Biomedical engineers at Duke University have devised a test to quickly and easily assess how well a person's neutralizing antibodies fight infection from multiple variants of COVID-19 such as Delta and the newly discovered Omicron variant.
Tags: Health, Delta, Duke University

Omicron variant cases identified in at least 12 states but Delta still dominates

While at least 12 states have identified cases of the Omicron coronavairus variant, US health officials remain concerned about the Delta version that accounts for practically all new infections.
Tags: US, Cnn, Delta

Omicron's 'wacko' combination of mutations has scientists split over whether it developed in humans or animals

A health staff member prepares a COVID-19 test at the Histopath Diagnostic Specialists pre-departure area at Sydney International Airport on November 28, 2021.James D. Morgan/Getty Images The Omicron variant has a strange set of mutations. It doesn't resemble Delta, the dominant strain. That has led scientists to wonder about its origin — namely, whether it came from humans or animals. One of the most promising theories suggests Omicron emerged in an immunocompromised person. Omicron look...
Tags: Europe, UK, Science, News, Animals, Trends, Read, South Africa, Delta, Evolution, Humans, Haiti, South Carolina, Botswana, Epidemiology, New England Journal of Medicine

From dedicated check-in desks to chauffeured cars, here are the perks Big Tech enjoys for spending hundreds of millions on air travel each year

Delta Air Lines check-in for Amazon and Microsoft employees in Seattle.Alexei Oreskovic/Insider Companies that spend millions of dollars on air travel are given incredible perks from airlines. One such perk is top-tier frequent flyer status that comes with free upgrades, lounge access, and chauffeurs. Amazon and Microsoft even have dedicated check-in counters at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.  Loyalty has its perks, especially when loyalty means spending hundreds of millions of dollars...
Tags: Travel, Apple, Amazon, Transportation, New York, News, Air Travel, Microsoft, China, Planes, US, Trends, General Motors, Flying, Porsche, Delta

A corporate Christmas party turned into the biggest Omicron 'super spreader event' outside South Africa, with up to 60 people infected

A student at Holtet high school in Oslo receives the first dose of Pfizer vaccine against covid-19 in the school's auditorium on September 7, 2021.Heiko Junge/Getty Images In Norway, a Christmas party turned into an Omicron "super spreader event," with up to 60 possible infections. The outbreak is the biggest outside South Africa, where researchers first detected the new coronavirus variant. At least one person who attended the party had recently returned from South Africa. A corporate Ch...
Tags: Science, Trends, South Africa, News UK, Delta, World Health Organization, Norway, Oslo, Reuters, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Omicron, COVID-19, UK Weekend, Alia Shoaib, Holtet, Heiko Junge Getty

I flew from New York to San Diego through Mexico using an obscure border loophole — here's what it was like

Using Cross Border Xpress at Tijuana International Airport.Thomas Pallini/Insider Tijuana International Airport directly connects with the US through a private border crossing called Cross Border Xpress. The cross-border terminal allows travelers to access Tijuana International and its cheap fares to cities inside Mexico without having to enter Tijuana and deal with busy border crossings.  I put Cross Border Xpress to the test by flying from New York to Tijuana and immediately crossing back i...
Tags: Travel, Amazon, Transportation, New York, News, Air Travel, California, Mexico, Planes, US, Trends, Features, Flying, Mexico City, Delta, San Diego

The world's first ultra-low-cost international airline alliance is on the horizon as 2 budget carriers team up to bring cheap fares between Mexico and the US

Allegiant Air and Viva Aerobus have applied to the US DOT to enter into an alliance.Carlos Yudica/Shutterstock and Viva Aerobus Allegiant Air and Viva Aerobus announced plans to enter into the first ultra-low-cost international alliance. The venture will allow the airlines to expand their networks in the US and Mexico via codesharing. The agreement is pending government approval, but the alliance is planned to start in early 2023. On Thursday, Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air and Mexico-based Vi...
Tags: Travel, Transportation, South Korea, UK, News, Australia, Mexico, Germany, US, Trends, Asia Pacific, Delta, Las Vegas, Airlines, Department Of Justice, Routes

Covid: Biden says to beat Omicron variant ‘we have to shut it down worldwide’ – as it happened

Funding bill to avoid US shutdown wins Senate supportUS adds 210,000 jobs in November ahead of Omicron variantSign up to receive First Thing – our daily briefing by emailAfter their remarks, the members of the taskforce took a handful of questions from reporters. Fauci was asked when scientists will have a better understanding of the risks posed by the Omicron variant. He said they would have a clearer picture in the “next few weeks”.But he said it could take longer to understand the impact of O...
Tags: Republicans, Senate, US, Joe Biden, US news, Democrats, US politics, Delta, US Congress, Biden, Fauci, Biden Administration, Coronavirus

Delta flights from South Africa have been forced to make stops in places like Boston and Puerto Rico because of 'payload' issues

A Delta Air Lines Airbus A350-900 XWB.viper-zero / Shutterstock.com Two Delta Air Lines flights from South Africa have had to make fuel stops in the past week. A mix of worsening weather conditions for aircraft and increased passenger and/or cargo count might be to blame, experts say.  Both flights, operating from Johannesburg to Atlanta, were operated by Airbus A350-900 XWB planes.  Two Delta Air Lines flights from South Africa to the US have had to make unscheduled stops for fuel in recent ...
Tags: Travel, Transportation, News, Air Travel, Boston, Planes, US, Trends, Atlanta, South Africa, Delta, Aviation, Airbus, Johannesburg, Airlines, Boeing

Omicron could become the dominant variant, but Delta is a problem now, CDC Director says

With the Omicron variant showing up in more states, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta Friday that her agency is working hard to understand what threat it poses, but the Delta variant is still a concern.
Tags: Cdc, Cnn, Delta, Sanjay Gupta, Rochelle Walensky

Ketua IMF peringatkan varian virus corona Omicron dapat memperlambat pertumbuhan global, Berita Amerika Serikat & Top Stories

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Varian baru Omicron dari Covid-19 dapat memperlambat pemulihan ekonomi global, seperti yang terjadi pada strain Delta, kata kepala IMF Kristalina Georgieva, Jumat (3 Desember).Brought to you by: Frugal Focus
Tags: Washington, Delta, Frugality, Ketua IMF, IMF Kristalina Georgieva Jumat

South African researchers find evidence people more easily reinfected with Omicron variant than with other variants

Researchers in South Africa reported Thursday they have found some evidence that people who had been infected once with coronavirus were more likely to be reinfected with the Omicron variant than with the Beta or Delta variants.
Tags: Cnn, South Africa, Delta

10 questions about the Omicron variant — including its symptoms and spread — answered by an expert

Dr. Leana Wen said the Omicron variant seems to be more contagious than Delta in South Africa. It has at least 50 mutations, which could make existing vaccines and therapies less effective. She urged people to get their booster shots and "stay flexible" about any holiday travel plans. Dr. Leana Wen from George Washington University said the Omicron variant seems to be more contagious than the Delta variant in South Africa. It has at least 50 mutations, which could make existing vaccines and the...
Tags: Travel, Video, News, Trends, Virus, South Africa, Delta, Vaccines, George Washington University, Contagious, Leana Wen, Omicron, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Booster Shot, Video Format Supercut

Biden still has a rosy view on the economy despite a bad November jobs report. Here's 3 reasons why he may be right to be optimistic.

President Joe Biden speaks to members of the press at the South Lawn of the White House on November 19, 2021.Alex Wong/Getty Images Biden touted a sharp drop in the jobless rate and argued the economy is on the right track. There's a problem, though: the economy added about half as many jobs as expected in November. But there are three reasons Biden might be right to be optimistic. The latest jobs report released Friday showed the US economy regained 210,000 jobs in November, a paltry sum...
Tags: Obama, White House, US, America, Barack Obama, Trends, Joe Biden, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Delta, Treasury, Biden, Bush, Economic Policy Institute, South Lawn, BLS, Mark Zandi

The dismal November jobs report showed a massive slowdown in hiring at restaurants and hotels

A person walks by a sign advertising employment at a fast-food restaurant on November 05, 2021 in New York City.Spencer Platt/Getty Images The November jobs report was by no means a stellar one, with a payroll gain of just 210,000. Leisure and hospitality gained a paltry 23,000 jobs after a gain of 170,000 the previous month. People may not be responding to higher wages or bonuses being offered to attract them into the industry.  The employment situation last month wasn't what experts exp...
Tags: US, Trends, Bloomberg, Delta, Bunker, Zhao, Elise Gould, Nick Bunker, Daniel Zhao, New York City Spencer Platt Getty, Madison Hoff Juliana Kaplan

Covid: Biden says to beat Omicron variant ‘we have to shut it down worldwide’ – live

Funding bill to avoid US shutdown wins Senate supportUS adds 210,000 jobs in November ahead of Omicron variantSign up to receive First Thing – our daily briefing by emailAfter their remarks, the members of the taskforce took a handful of questions from reporters. Fauci was asked when scientists will have a better understanding of the risks posed by the Omicron variant. He said they would have a clearer picture in the “next few weeks”.But he said it could take longer to understand the impact of O...
Tags: Republicans, Senate, US, Joe Biden, US news, Democrats, US politics, Delta, US Congress, Biden, Fauci, Biden Administration, Coronavirus

The labor shortage is reportedly creating longer COVID-19 vaccine wait times at CVS and Walgreens

High demand for booster shots and COVID-19 vaccines are leading to long lines at CVS and Walgreens, The Wall Street Journal reports.Joe Raedle/Getty Images Patients in some states are waiting weeks to get a COVID vaccine at CVS and Walgreens, per WSJ. The Omicron variant and new vaccine rules for kids is creating higher demand for jabs. Retail pharmacies in states like Connecticut and Kentucky are facing staff shortages. As demand for vaccines and booster shots increases, retail pharmacies ar...
Tags: New York, News, California, Cdc, Kentucky, White House, US, Trends, Walmart, Walgreens, Connecticut, Healthcare, Delta, Retail, World Health Organization, Pfizer

Most Omicron cases so far have been mild, but experts say it will take weeks to understand how severe the variant can be

A healthcare worker conducts a COVID-19 test on a traveller at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on November 28, 2021,Phill Magakoe/AFP via Getty Images Most of the reported cases of COVID-19 associated with the Omicron variant have been mild so far. However, experts say it's still too early to observe how the variant affects hospitalization rates and deaths globally. Most of the data we have comes from South Africa, a country with a younger and healthier population than the ...
Tags: Europe, Science, News, Cdc, US, Trends, Bbc, South Africa, Delta, Johannesburg, ECDC, Cnbc, Botswana, Afp, Africa Europe, Gauteng Province

WIRTW #606: the “masks” edition

Today is Day 632 of the COVID-19 pandemic, and somehow we are still debating the efficacy of masks. While we ride out the current wave of Delta infections and sort out just how dangerous Omicron actually is, the best advice we still have is to mask up for safety.  The UK, for example, has just reinstituted its national mask mandate. Meanwhile, here in the US, leaders are urging Americans to wear masks indoors, while some cities have reinstituted indoor mask mandates. Yet, despite the irrefutab...
Tags: Apple, UK, Law, Senate, US, Cnn, Connecticut, Delta, Harvard Business Review, Engadget, Chris Cuomo, En Banc Review, OSHA, Dan Schwartz, SHRM, Jon Hyman

Omicron: "In the Coming Weeks, We’ll Know More about How Well Vaccines Protect Against Omicron"

Sandra Ciesek became one of the first researchers to examine the new coronavirus variant. The virologist says it remains unclear whether Omicron is actually more infectious than Delta, but there is still a chance, she says, to get ahead of the curve.
Tags: Delta, Sandra Ciesek

WHO's top scientist says Omicron could displace Delta

The World Health Organization's chief scientist told the Reuters Next conference on Friday the Omicron variant could become dominant because it is highly transmissible, but that a different... #worldhealthorganization #omicron #chiefscientist
Tags: Delta, World Health Organization, Reuters Next

November jobs report misses forecasts as US adds just 210,000 new jobs amid supply-chain nightmare

In this Sept. 22, 2021, file photo, a hiring sign is placed at a booth for Jameson's Irish Pub during a job fair in the West Hollywood section of Los Angeles.Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Photo The US added just 210,000 jobs in November, badly missing the median estimate of 550,000 payrolls. The unemployment rate tumbled to 4.2% from 4.6%. That came in below economist estimates. The report shows hiring slowing as the Delta wave subsided and Omicron fears emerged. The hiring recovery stumbled in ...
Tags: US, Trends, Bloomberg, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Delta, West Hollywood, Jameson, Ben Winck Andy Kiersz Madison Hoff, Los Angeles Marcio Jose Sanchez

Prevalensi Covid-19 di Inggris Meningkat, Dipimpin oleh Delta bukan Omicron, Europe News & Top Stories

LONDON (REUTERS) – Prevalensi infeksi Covid-19 di Inggris naik menjadi sekitar 1 dari 60 orang dalam pekan yang berakhir 27 November, Kantor Statistik Nasional Inggris mengatakan pada Jumat (3 Desember), dipimpin lebih tinggi oleh varian Delta yang dominan daripada varian Delta. Omicron yang baru diidentifikasi.Brought to you by: Frugal Focus
Tags: London, Delta, Frugality, Jumat, Omicron Europe News, Kantor Statistik Nasional Inggris

Omicron driving record rate of Covid infection in South African province

Officials say variant’s R number is believed to be above 6, though most cases are mild and no deaths reportedCoronavirus – latest updatesThe pace of Covid infections in the South African province of Gauteng is outstripping anything seen in previous waves, and officials say Omicron is now the dominant variant.Angelique Coetzee, the chair of the South African Medical Association, said Omicron’s ability to spread – its R number – was believed to be above 6. The R number for Delta, the dominant vari...
Tags: Africa, World news, South Africa, Delta, Gauteng, Coronavirus, South African Medical Association, Angelique Coetzee

Covid live: Slovakia sets new daily case record; India says expects severity of Omicron to be ‘low’

Low level of vaccine take-up thought to be factor in Slovakia; India’s health ministry says ‘fast pace of vaccination’ and Delta exposure will limit Omicron impactSouth Africa’s new cases have risen over 300% in a weekCovid booster shots significantly strengthen immunity, trial findsBlack and south Asian Brits urged to get jabs to cut higher death ratesNew York health officials report at least five cases of Omicron variantAuckland celebrates end of lockdown with brunch and traffic gridlockCalifo...
Tags: Europe, New York, Germany, India, Africa, World news, US news, South Africa, Infectious Diseases, Delta, Vaccines and immunisation, Slovakia, Los Angeles County, Coronavirus

Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Red light system is confusing for Whangārei cafes and restaurants

On the streets of Whangārei on Friday, there was a mixed feeling among business owners and members of the public as doors opened within the new Covid framework. "Confusing" is how Whangārei hospitality businesses are describing... [Author: [email protected]]
Tags: Business, Delta, Whang

Omicron’s Best- and Worst-Case Scenarios

A new, highly contagious variant could have terrible consequences. But if it ends up causing milder symptoms than Delta, there’s a real upside.
Tags: Management, Delta

Here are the airlines most and least likely to arrive on time

Spirit Airlines cancelled more than 400 flights on August 3 in the third consecutive delay of cancellations and delays.Al Seib / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images A study on airline punctuality found the carriers with the most and least delayed flights. Allegiant was at the bottom of the pack, while Delta was the most on-schedule carrier in the US. Delays can happen to any airline, but data shows some companies manage schedules better than others. If you have flown since the travel boom st...
Tags: Boston, US, Trends, Atlanta, Alaska, Delta, Spirit, Southwest Airlines, Jetblue, Department Of Transportation, Ross, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Lax

Coronavirus Update 12-2-2021: Repeat after me — anti-vax legislation WILL NOT fix workforce shortages

Meet Rep. Al Cutrona, a first-term member of Ohio's House of Representatives, and a Republican who describes himself as "Pro-Constitution." He's also the primary sponsor of HB 218, a bill that would prohibit any employer or school from mandating any non-approved vaccine that uses mRNA technology, and would further require employers and schools to grant exceptions to vaccine mandates for reasons of medical contraindication, natural immunity, religious convictions, or personal conscience. Accor...
Tags: Law, House Of Representatives, Delta, Ohio, World Economic Forum, Jon Hyman, Al Cutrona, Cultrona, Covid HB

How Biden plans to keep schools open as US faces a Covid winter

The White House is set to announce a slew of new actions Thursday aimed at fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and protecting Americans from the Delta and newly discovered Omicron variants.
Tags: News, White House, US, Delta, Stories, Biden