Omicron variant arrives in the U.S., a pandemic update

The latest pandemic news is the Omicron variant, which has arrived in the U.S. Watch CNN's Fauci announces first Omicron variant case in the U.S.

Dr. Anthony Fauci spoke at a White House press briefing, announcing that the first confirmed US case of the Omicron coronavirus variant was discovered in California.

I can piece together only two bits of good news from this. First, the virus was detected in a traveler from South Africa, not someone with no travel history, so there is so far no evidence that it has achieved community spread in the U.S. Second, vaccines should still protect against severe illness, particular with a booster shot. Fauci elaborated on this second point in CNN Town Hall: Dr. Fauci answers questions on Omicron variant.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden, joins Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta in CNN’s Global Townhall on viewers' questions regarding the emerging Omicron coronavirus variant.

Here's the core of Dr. Fauci's message in a meme.