Here's a selection of stories from the early portion of this week's program:
--The Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have suspended enforcement of its vaccine mandate for healthcare workers after two court orders earlier this week.
--The first South African doctor to alert the authorities about patients with the Omicron variant said the symptoms of the new variant are unusual but mild.
--Wednesday saw the first confirmed case of the Omicron variant to hit the U.S. in a fully vaccinated Californian traveling home from South Africa.
--The Omicron variant has been documented in the New York City area.
--A physician's assistant out of New York was on a podcast describing how she saw a flood of COVID-19 vaccine adverse events in the emergency room where she works and was told not to report them to VAERS.
--A total of 150 scientists and employees at the largest science and energy national lab in the Department of Energy system are on indefinite unpaid leave after their employer refused to accommodate their religious objections to the COVID vaccine.
--Nevada became the first U.S. state to impose a surcharge on workers who haven't received the vaccine although the penalty doesn't take effect until the middle of next year.
--Oklahoma Attorney General John O'Connor, Governor Kevin Stitt and 16 members of the state's National Guard are suing the Biden administration in an attempt to block the enforcement of its vaccine mandate deeming it unconstitutional.
--Democratic New York Assemblyman Pat Burke is introducing a bill that allows insurance providers to deny coverage for COVID related treatment to those who refuse to be vaccinated.