US CDC tightens Omicron surveillance at major international airports

United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be expanding the checks and balances at four major international airports in the country as the threat of Omicron, COVID-19’s new variant, increases. So far, the United States has not reported any positive case of the new variant, which was first discovered in South Africa.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be taking help from XpresCheck, a renowned COVID testing service in the United States, according to reports from CNN citing Dr Rochelle Walensky, the director of the health agency.

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Walensky also conducted a White House COVID-19 briefing on Tuesday to emphasise on the efforts undertaken by the department.

The four airports include:

-John F. Kennedy International Airport

-San Francisco International Airport

-Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

-Newark Liberty International Airport

The administration of United States President Joe Biden has imposed new travel restrictions for non-residents and citizens of America who wish to travel between South Africa and half a dozen more Southern African nations.

Meanwhile, countries like Canada and Brazil have confirmed cases of the new COVID variant, engulfing the United States.

The United States and many other nations already were urging adults to get boosters to pump up immunity that can wane about six months after vaccination — calls that intensified with the discovery of the worrisome new omicron variant.

Also Read: Will Omicron spur COVID vaccine mandates in more countries?

While health authorities do not yet know just how big a risk omicron poses, President Joe Biden has said it’s inevitable that the mutant will reach the United States and that boosters — plus first shots for the unvaccinated — are key to strengthening protection.

The Food and Drug Administration also endorsed Merck’s COVID-19 pill for emergency use in the country, making way for the first possible home remedy for the deadly disease. However, the panel of health regulators also warned that the oral medication is not fit for consumption for pregnant individuals and those who have already received the COVID-19 vaccine.