Do Omicron Policies Match the Data? | Dec. 14, 2021

[0] Governments across the world have been tightening COVID restrictions in response to the spread of the Omicron variant.

[1] Thus far, only one death in the UK has been officially linked to the variant.

[2] Where has the variant been detected so far?

[3] And with most people experiencing only mild symptoms, how concerned should we really be?

[4] I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire, editor -in -chief John Bickley.

[5] It's Tuesday, December 14th, and this is Morning Wire.

[6] More police officers have been shot in the line of duty this year than in any end.

[7] other time in U .S. history.

[8] We'll look at the numbers as well as some possible reasons for the escalating violence against law enforcement.

[9] And the victims of gymnastics Dr. Larry Nassar have reached an historic settlement with USA Gymnastics worth $380 million.

[10] What are the terms of the agreement and what led to the settlement after a five -year legal battle?

[11] Thanks for waking up with Morning Wire.

[12] Stay tuned.

[13] We have the news you need to know.

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[18] As we approach the end of the year, the new Omicron variant of COVID -19 is dominating headlines.

[19] How are politicians responding to the news, and do the policies match up with the data?

[20] Here to break down the response to Omicron is DailyWire's Ian Howarth.

[21] So, Ian, before we look at the data, how are states responding to this latest variant?

[22] Well, the latest factor at the center of the current COVID conversation is the Omicron variant, with some states and localities moving to reinforce existing policies or add further restrictions.

[23] New Yorkers, for example, are now living under a statewide mask mandate, which requires masks in all indoor public spaces that do not already require proof of vaccination for entry.

[24] The state's new governor, Kathy Hochel, announced the mandate last week, and it'll remain in effect until mid -January when the state is going to reassess.

[25] Businesses that don't comply are going to face civil and criminal penalties, including fines of $1 ,000 per violation, and local health departments are going to be enforcing the mandate.

[26] And for New York City specifically, this mandate is just the latest on top of a whole array of policies, including requiring proof of vaccination to eat indoors at a restaurant or go to a movie theater.

[27] And what about your home country in the United Kingdom?

[28] Omicron has prompted this whole wave of new restrictions.

[29] Yeah, government ministers there are saying that they're facing a, quote, tidal wave of Omicron infections, and they confirm the country's first death of someone with the Omicron variant yesterday.

[30] According to the government's health secretary, there are 4 ,713 confirmed cases of Omicron in the UK.

[31] To add some context here, the daily number of cases in the country is around 200 ,000.

[32] The United Kingdom has increased its COVID -19 alert level and is joining the US in pushing booster jabs in response.

[33] And I'm afraid it is now clear that two doses of vaccine are simply not enough to give the level of protection we all need.

[34] But the good news is that our scientists are confident that with a third dose, a booster dose, we can all bring our level of protection back up.

[35] And this mirrors the messaging we've seen from pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer, who announced last week that preliminary studies show that three doses of their vaccine neutralizes the Omicron variant.

[36] But looking at the policies being posed again, like most of the political response to the pandemic, these moves are all based on one single metric, which is infection rate.

[37] But when it comes to other metrics like serious illness or death, the outlook is far less negative, at least based on what we currently know.

[38] Early data on Omicron seems to suggest that symptoms may be less severe than other variants.

[39] For example, the New York Times reported a week ago that, quote, researchers at a major hospital complex in Pretoria, and that's in South Africa where we first detected Omicron, reported that their patients with the coronavirus are much less sick than those they have treated before, and that other hospitals are seeing the same trends.

[40] And at least for now, Dr. Anthony Fauci over here in the U .S. agrees.

[41] And you've said that there are thousands of cases in the UK.

[42] What are we seeing here in the U .S.?

[43] A lot less, at least for now.

[44] According to the CDC, there were just 43 cases of Omicron detected in the U .S. during the first eight days of December.

[45] Of these, 34 were fully vaccinated and 14 had also received a booster shot.

[46] And just one of those infected with the Omicron variant were hospitalized and thankfully only for a brief time.

[47] So it sounds like vaccinated people are getting Omicron, but typically they're not ending up in the hospital.

[48] Yeah, that's what the data we have right now is saying.

[49] Ian, thanks for reporting.

[50] Thanks, Georgia.

[51] That's Daily Wires, Ian Howarth.

[52] Coming up, shootings of police officers this year reach record numbers.

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[57] The United States saw a record -breaking number of police officers shot in the line of duty in 2021.

[58] And the year isn't over yet.

[59] Violence against police officers, which was already on the rise in 2020, has become increasingly organized with gangs targeting law enforcement.

[60] Here to break down the numbers and discuss what's driving the deadly crime spree is Daily Wire reporter Ben Johnson.

[61] Thanks for joining us, Ben.

[62] Thanks for having me. So, Ben, 2021 saw a historic number of police shootings.

[63] How many were there?

[64] 314 police officers were shot in the line of duty from January through November 30th, according to a report from the Fraternal Order of Police.

[65] And 58 cops died from their gunshot wounds, which is a 16 % increase over pre -pandemic levels.

[66] The report also notes there's been a massive spike in the number of criminals deliberately targeting police.

[67] Shooters of ambush police officers 95 times this year.

[68] That's a 126 % increase from 2020.

[69] 119 officers got shot and ambushes claimed the lives of 28 law enforcement officers.

[70] Since that report was published, four more officers have died in the line of duty, according to the Officer Down Memorial page, including two gunshot victims, Officer Richard Houston II of Mesquite, Texas, and Constable Madison Nicholson of Wilcox County, Alabama.

[71] And we should point out, these numbers don't include another 28 officers who died from stabbings, beatings, or vehicular assaults, much less the hundreds of others who died from accidents or other work -related issues while they were on the beat.

[72] So some really grim statistics there.

[73] Over the last year, the image of police officers has plummeted.

[74] Has negative coverage affected this trend at all?

[75] Police say there's no doubt cop killers were influenced by the historically negative coverage of the police by the media and the entertainment industry.

[76] A 2017 FBI study found that even then, 28 % of shooters who ambushed police had a hatred of law enforcement based on, quote, what they heard and read in the media.

[77] Assailants were, quote, inspired by social and or political reasons and believed attacking police officers was their way to get justice for those who had been, in their view, unjustly killed by law enforcement.

[78] Shooters in two cities also said they were influenced by the Black Lives Matter movement and their belief that law enforcement was targeting black males.

[79] That was almost five years ago.

[80] Americans' trust in police hit its lowest point last August.

[81] While it's improved since then, a USA Today poll, in July found only one in five Americans believes that police officers treat suspects equally.

[82] Just 20 % have a positive view of police.

[83] That's right.

[84] Mark Nelson, the president of the Oklahoma chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, said the negative portrayal of police is fueling these assaults.

[85] Overall, disrespect for law and order, for law enforcement, unlike we've ever seen in this country, is part of the reason and a huge reason why the finest among us, brothers and sisters, men and women who put on that uniform are being attacked for no reason other than simply standing for law and order.

[86] In other words, rhetorical attacks on the police have escalated into physical attacks on the police.

[87] Yeah, it sounds like it.

[88] So disrespect for police is one factor.

[89] What other issues may have contributed to this rising level of ambushes against the cops?

[90] Yeah, police say there are a few contributing issues.

[91] One is the revolving door system put in place by cities that have abolished cash bail.

[92] They say, under that system in some cities, criminals who assault the police may be arrested and released within an hour.

[93] Another issue is the rising level of violent crime itself.

[94] Twelve major cities have announced they've broken their all -time records for homicides this year, including Philadelphia, Portland, and Austin, and many others have seen double -digit increases in murder rates and other violent crimes.

[95] So police get caught in that maelstrom.

[96] Right.

[97] And political leadership's also a factor.

[98] Some politicians adopt with the defund the police slogan or told police officers to stand down while arson has set fire to police headquarters.

[99] Mark Nelson said at a minimum, politicians should condemn all assaults against law enforcement.

[100] What we need, and I think we need this across the country, is our elected leaders from the local level all the way up to Congress to speak out and condemn these ambush -style attacks.

[101] Clearly, media narratives and political messaging can have some serious consequences in the real world.

[102] Clearly.

[103] Well, let's hope we won't have another story like this next year.

[104] Thanks, Ben.

[105] Thank you, John.

[106] That's Daily Wire reporter, Ben Johnson.

[107] After five years, the victims of former Olympic team Dr. Larry Nassar have reached a settlement with USA Gymnastics and the U .S. Olympic Committee.

[108] Here to provide us with the latest details is Daily Wire Sports reporter Joe Morgan.

[109] So, Joe, how did this come about?

[110] Well, as you mentioned, Georgia, this has been a massive scandal for the past five.

[111] years.

[112] Olympian Jamie Dancher was the first to file a civil lawsuit against USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee in September 2016.

[113] Around 500 others filed following Dancer's lawsuit.

[114] On Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported that the victims of former USA Gymnastics team physician Larry Nassar reached a settlement of 380 million, which is one of the largest settlements for sex abuse ever recorded.

[115] Insurers of USA Gymnastics and the USOPC will pay out most to the settlement, but the U .S. OPC will pay 34 million of their own money.

[116] That's according to the times.

[117] The settlement also includes a restorative justice program that gives the victims the say in how USA Gymnastics handles sexual assault allegations moving forward.

[118] It also includes non -monetary provisions, including, quote, requirements for self -identified survivors of abuse in gymnastics to have official roles in USA Gymnastics.

[119] Now, this isn't the first settlement for the victims, though, correct?

[120] It is not.

[121] In May 2018, Michigan State University, which employed Nassar for decades, agreed to settle lawsuits from 332 women against Nassar for $500 million.

[122] According to the plaintiff's attorney, that settlement, in addition to Monday's $380 million settlement, makes it the largest in a sexual assault case involving a single perpetrator.

[123] The news comes three months after gymnast Simone Biles, Maggie Nichols, Ali Reisman, and Michaela Maroney shocked Congress, revealing details of the sexual abuse they suffered at the hands of Nassar and blistering the FBI, which they say failed to act on repeated reports from gymnast and may have even covered up evidence of an abusive system.

[124] The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing in September examining the FBI's handling of the Nassar case, and Biles, Nichols, Reisman, and Moroni testified that the FBI failed to act on their reports.

[125] The hearing came days after FBI agent Michael Langman was fired for failing to pursue an investigation into the gymnast's claims.

[126] In July, the Justice Department's office of Inspector General released a report criticizing Langman, unnamed at the time, and his boss, Jay Abbott, for their handling of the Nassar case.

[127] That's right.

[128] We covered that a few months ago.

[129] Yes.

[130] And is this where the focus is going to shift now that the settlement's been reached?

[131] That's certainly what some analysts are saying.

[132] So to take a step back in 2015, Langman interviewed Olympic gymnast Michaela Maroney regarding her allegations that Nassar abused her.

[133] The report by the Inspector General states that Langman and Abbott, quote, never officially opened an investigation and lied to investigators about their actions.

[134] The report states that Abbott, who is retired, told the FBI to release false statements in 2017, saying that his office, quote, expeditiously responded to the allegations against Nassar.

[135] During the hearing, Rizman said that it took over 14 months for FBI agents to contact her after her report to USA Gymnastics and that Nassar continued to sexually assault dozens of young women and girls during that time.

[136] Moroni also testified that the FBI made false claims regarding her story of abuse at the hands of Nassar.

[137] Right.

[138] And no doubt.

[139] this is a disturbing story and even more so considering the FBI's potential negligence with this.

[140] Joe, thanks for reporting.

[141] Absolutely.

[142] That's Daily Wire Sports Reporter, Joe Morgan.

[143] Other stories we're tracking this week?

[144] The Supreme Court has refused to block New York State's vaccine mandate for health care workers.

[145] The court was divided on the decision with justices Thomas, Gorsuch, and Alito saying the court should have blocked the mandate, which does not allow for religious exemptions.

[146] At least 78 deaths have been confirmed as a result of tornadoes over the weekend.

[147] The worst hit state, Kentucky, sustained 64 confirmed fatalities, including six persons under the age of 18.

[148] Governor Andy Bashir described the storm as, quote, the most devastating tornado event in the state's history.

[149] And billionaire Elon Musk has been named Time Magazine's Person of the Year.

[150] According to Time, Musk was selected due to his outsized personal influence on humanity and represents, quote, the continuing decline of traditional institutions in favor of individuals.

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