Coronavirus vaccine and COVID variant updates for 12-14-2021

<p>This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for December 14th, 2021.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>US health officials say Omicron does appear able to evade some of the immune protection of antibodies induced by vaccines but…preliminary data shows a booster raises protection high enough that it does well against the variant. Almost 80% of confirmed Omicron cases in the US are fully vaccinated. But about a third also had a booster. Omicron is now in 30 states.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The masks are back on in California. A rule has returned requiring people to wear masks indoors starting Wednesday through at least January 15. The per capita rate of new cases in California has jumped 47% in two weeks. As in the past, the state was unclear how the mandate would be enforced. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Turns out they weren’t kidding. The Air Force discharged 27 people for refusing to get the vaccine, making them the first service members to be removed for disobeying the mandate. November 2 was the deadline, and more than 1,000 airmen have refused the shot, and more than 4,700 are seeking a religious exemption. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Supreme Court, and once you go there, there’s nowhere else to go, declined to block New York's vaccine mandate for health care workers, which does not allow for religious exemptions. Some health care workers sued the state saying the mandate violated their religious freedoms, but the highest court effectively said there are no religious freedoms in this matter.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>A new AP poll shows Americans are worried about the Omicron variant, but not worried enough to do much about it. In fact, fewer say they’re regularly wearing masks or isolating compared to the first of the year. 36% are very or extremely worried they or a family member will be infected, that’s up from 25% in late October. 55% of those who are unvaccinated say they have little or no worry. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In the United States cases were up 49%, deaths are up 40%, and hospitalizations are up 22% over 14 days. Th