Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D) said in an interview that the arrival of COVID-19 marks the “end of the medical emergency” for the virus, and he would not enforce it. Omicron Edition.

Why this matters: Polis told Colorado Public Radio that he would advance vaccination on mask warrants, and the latter should be left up to communities. He said public health officials “can’t tell people what to wear”.

Between the lines: A first estimate released yesterday by the UK found that two doses of the Pfizer vaccine are only 30% effective against symptomatic Omicron infections, and the AstraZeneca vaccine is not effective at all, writes Caitlin Owens of Axios.

What they say: “We see [la disponibilité des vaccins] As of the end of the medical emergency,” Polis said.

The British government raised its official coronavirus alert level on Sunday, citing a surge in cases, largely due to Omicron’s version.

Why this matters: The country first detected the new strain in two travelers returning from southern Africa late last month. In response, Prime Minister Boris Johnson reimposed COVID-related restrictions to fight the infection.

Only half of nursing home residents have received a COVID booster injection – a worrying statistic as Omicron continues to spread rapidly around the world.

Why it’s important: Even before the emergence of Omicron, experts have recommended booster shots specifically for this vulnerable population. But preliminary data suggests that two doses of Pfizer’s vaccine are not very effective against the new variant, although three are.