Source: National File
The government of Botswana reported that the four people in the country reported to have the new COVID-19 variant – coined “Omicron” by the China and Bill Gates-funded World Health Organization – were previously vaccinated against COVID-19.
In a statement published on November 25, 2021,the Botswana government acknowledged that “four (4) cases of a new COVID-19 variant” now known as Omicron “were reported and recorded” on November 22.
“The preliminary report revealed that all the four had been completely vaccinated for COVID-19,” reported the Botswana government. The African nation confirmed contact tracing procedures were in place, and denied local reports “associating these cases with HIV+ status of the participants.”
MEDIA RELEASE#LetsDefeatCOVID19Together#AReFenyengCOVID19Mmogo 🇧🇼 pic.twitter.com/LVMbmtLQx4
— Botswana Government (@BWGovernment) November 25, 2021
In a subsequent release, the Botswana government did not restate whether those infected with the disease were vaccinated. “This new virus was detected on four foreign nationals who had entered Botswana on the 7th November 2021, on a diplomatic mission,” the nation’s health authorities said in a statement.
“The quartet tested positive for COVID-19 on the 11th November 2021 as they were preparing to return. Further genomic sequencing that was conducted on the samples” confirmed it to be the Omicron virus.
Thus far, the country reports that every Botswanan who had contact with the foreign nationals “have no COVID-19 symptoms and have tested negative for COVID-19.”
STATEMENT ON THE NEW COVID-19 VARIANT pic.twitter.com/ItmUi8H6j8
— Botswana Government (@BWGovernment) November 26, 2021
The news that the South Africa variant of the China-originated virus was detected in individuals reported to be “fully vaccinated” against COVID-19 led Infowars radio host Harrison Smith to label it “The Vaccinated Variant.”
“Since it was discovered in Vaccinated people first, I think this is an appropriate name,” wrote Smith.
Since it was discovered in Vaccinated people first, I think this is an appropriate name.
If we could get people to start calling it that right now, it would be a huge public perception victory.
— Harrison Hill Smith (@Harrison_of_TX) November 26, 2021
Others have questioned how the news of the Omicron variant will impact American politics. Since Joe Biden entered the White House, Democrats have faced historically low approval ratings in key states that led to the devastating electoral defeat in Virginia earlier this month.
In Virginia, Republicans including Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin capitalized as they saw face masks and COVID-19 vaccine mandates – as well as parental involvement in education and a parental revolt against Critical Race Theory – become divisive political issues, and won in unprecedented numbers across the state that many have considered a permanently Democrat-stronghold state since the Obama administration.
