An Ignoble Experiment: A clinical trial is underway for an Omicron-specific vaccine

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Wednesday 01.26.22

A rapidly intensifying storm known as a bomb cyclone will likely dump large amounts of snow and ice across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic this weekend. Strong winds and flooding are also in the forecast, which may impact travel. Here's what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On With Your Day.

By Alexandra Meeks

A member of the Ukrainian army based in Avdiivka, on the front line less than half a mile away from separatist forces.

Ukraine

President Joe Biden says a Russian invasion of Ukraine is imminent, but the atmosphere among the two country's populations is wildly different. Images from state TV in Moscow depict NATO forces as the aggressors, with tanks and troops heading to the Ukrainian border and snipers taking aim. NATO, meanwhile, says there is still a diplomatic way out of the crisis, but Russia must show it's ready to engage in good faith in political talks. Yesterday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told CNN that Ukraine "will not allow anyone to impose any concessions" on his country as part of efforts to de-escalate the threat. The Kremlin denies it is planning to invade and argues that NATO support for Ukraine -- including increased weapons supplies and military training -- constitutes a growing threat on Russia's western flank.

Coronavirus

Pfizer and BioNTech have begun a clinical trial for an Omicron-specific Covid-19 vaccine. The study will evaluate the new vaccine for safety, tolerability and the level of immune response in up to 1,420 healthy adults ages 18 to 55. Omicron cases currently account for more than 99% of new coronavirus cases in the US, the latest CDC estimates show. Covid-19 cases are also spiking in places like Brazil, where officials in the cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro yesterday announced the postponement of their official Carnival street parades due to the spread of the Omicron variant.

2020 Election

Federal prosecutors are reviewing fake Electoral College certifications that falsely declared former President Donald Trump won several states in the 2020 election that he actually lost, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco told CNN yesterday. The fake certificates falsely declaring Trump's victory were sent to the National Archives by Trump's allies in mid-December 2020. They have attracted public scrutiny amid the House's January 6 investigation into the efforts by the Trump campaign to reverse the former president's electoral defeat. Monaco said the investigation is ongoing and the Justice Department is going to "follow the facts and the law, wherever they lead, to address conduct of any kind and at any level that is part of an assault on our democracy."

Chip shortage

A major computer chip shortage has left some manufacturers with only five days' worth of inventory due to supply chain woes. According to a new report from the Commerce Department, the median supply of chips held by manufacturers has dropped from 40 days' worth in 2019 to less than five days' worth last year. The limited supply means that disruptions to production overseas — such as those from weather or new Covid-19 outbreaks — could again lead to factory shutdowns and furloughed workers in the US. This continues to disrupt production overseas while the pandemic and extreme weather cause even more delays. The shortage has been felt across the world, leading to price increases on everything from cars, cell phones and washing machines.

Egypt

The Biden administration has authorized more than $2 billion in arms sales to Egypt despite ongoing concerns about Cairo's human rights record. The State Department said the sale includes military aircraft, air defense radar systems and other related equipment. In September, the US released $170 million in military aid to Egypt but also put $130 million on hold, conditioned on Egypt improving its record on human rights in specific ways. The Egyptian government has been charged with serious human rights abuses, including unlawful or arbitrary killings, forced disappearance, torture, harsh and life-threatening prison conditions, arbitrary detention, and restrictions on freedom of speech, expression, and political participation, according to the State Department's annual report on human rights in the country.

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My husband's reference to Anne Frank at a mandate rally in D.C. was reprehensible and insensitive. The atrocities that millions endured during the Holocaust should never be compared to anyone or anything. His opinions are not a reflection of my own.

-- Actress Cheryl Hines, condemning her husband Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s comments about Anne Frank made during a rally against vaccine mandates. Kennedy compared Covid-19 vaccine requirements in the US to Nazi Germany, and suggested that Frank was better off than Americans whose jobs require them to get vaccinated. He later apologized for those comments.

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