Masks are now \u201cstrongly recommended\u201d in public indoor settings.<\/b>
\nNew York City imposed an updated mask advisory Monday that strongly recommends people wear masks indoors, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced, the first instance of new local Covid-19 measures being enacted in the U.S. in response to the omicron variant\u2014even before any domestic cases linked to the strain have been reported. Whether more places will impose new Covid-19 restrictions in light of the omicron variant, whose arrival comes after mask mandates across the country have recently been lifted as the delta variant surge subsided. The White House imposed a travel ban from some countries in southern Africa last week, but President Joe Biden said during an address on the variant Monday that he doesn\u2019t believe lockdown measures will be necessary if people take precautions like wearing masks and getting vaccinated. White House medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Good Morning America Monday that no further federal Covid-19 restrictions are expected immediately in light of the variant, but he has not ruled out that new measures could eventually be imposed. Fauci said on Sunday that given the lack of information about the new variant, it was \u201creally too early to say\u201d whether lockdowns or other policies could be necessary. After first being detected in southern Africa last week, the omicron variant has sparked concerns and new restrictions worldwide, with many countries restricting travel, enacting new quarantine or testing measures or even closing their borders entirely. New York\u2019s mask advisory comes after the United Kingdom moved over the weekend to require masks in places like public transportation, after detecting two cases linked to the variant. The World Health Organization has designated omicron a \u201cvariant\u201d of concern\u201d and public health experts have expressed fears about the variant\u2019s potential transmissibility and the possibility it could be more resistant to vaccines, given its high number of mutations. However, the WHO and other public health experts say more time is needed to determine more information before coming to any conclusions, with more data about the variant expected in the coming weeks. Cases linked to omicron have so far been reported in countries including the United Kingdom, South Africa, Botswana, Belgium, Germany, Israel, Italy and Australia. While no cases have yet been detected in the U.S., Fauci said he believes it\u2019s \u201cinevitable\u201d the strain will spread in the country, and the first cases in North America were reported in Canada Monday. No New Federal Covid Restrictions Immediately Expected Due To Omicron Variant, Fauci Says (Forbes) Travel Restrictions, Stocks Down: Here\u2019s What To Know About Omicron, The New Highly Mutated Covid Variant (Forbes) WHO Says Delta, Boosting Vaccination Still Agency\u2019s \u2018Priority\u2019 As First Cases Of Omicron Variant Detected In North America, Scotland (Forbes) New York declares covid state of emergency as Gov. Hochul says of omicron variant: \u2018It\u2019s coming\u2019 (Washington Post) Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus<\/p>\n