Omicron Variant is Causing Many Borders to Close

Due to the new Covid variant, the Omicron variant, many countries are closing their borders and enforcing new travel bans and restrictions. This all started in late November, right after Thanksgiving in countries all over the world like the United States, France, Japan, and many more. 

This new Covid variant originated in South Africa. The South African president did not like the new restrictions and travel ban because it prevents South Africans from traveling. 

The Omicron variant is becoming political because due to the borders closing, President Joe Biden is encouraging many Americans to get vaccinated or get their booster. But the booster has been a political controversy due to the two popular parties, the Republicans and the Democrats.

Both parties have different ways of handling the situation. For example, many Republicans do not want to get vaccinated, while many Democrats want people to get vaccinated.  The two sides have polar opposite views which matters because the country wants progress in controlling this Omicron variant, since many other countries have gotten it. 

President Biden has stated, “The best protection against this new variant or any of the variants out there, the ones we’ve been dealing with already, is getting fully vaccinated and getting a booster shot.”

At first there were no cases of the Omicron variant found in other countries outside South Africa.  But as time goes by, there are more countries finding new cases of the Omicron variant. Since it has spread around several countries, it is likely to come to the United States. As a response to this, Joe Biden is preparing the United States for the Omicron variant. 

“Sooner or later we’re going to see cases of this new variant here in the United States. We’ll have to face this new threat just as we face those that come before it,” he says. 

 

Tyler Shannon & Luke Wirth