“‘Though it’s too early to really make any definitive statements about it, thus far, it does not look like there’s a great degree of severity to it,’ Fauci told CNN’s State of the Union, as he expressed confidence that existing vaccines will confer ‘some degree, and maybe a considerable degree, of protection against the omicron variant, if, in fact, it starts to take hold in a dominant way in this country.'” The variant is in at least 17 states. NYC will make vaccinations mandatory for private employers. (Oh those nutty big city folks and their stubborn obsession with staying alive.) Here’s the latest.