The Omicron variant's emergence has prompted calls for a new round of stimulus checks.
The B.1.1.529 variant, now known as Omicron, is responsible for a significant increase of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. According to the WHO, the variant was originally identified in a sample from November 9 and was first reported in South Africa.
Some are advocating for a new round of stimulation checks in response to the new variant.
On Twitter, people are urging President Joe Biden to distribute stimulus payments "immediately."
Three stimulus payments were previously distributed to eligible Americans to aid with pandemic-related layoffs and improve the economy.
In lightof the new variant, the president has yet to make a statement on another round of stimulus checks.
"As a precautionary measure until we have more information, I am ordering additional air travel restrictions from South Africa and seven other countries," Biden said in a statement.
"If you have not gotten vaccinated, or have not taken your children to get vaccinated, now is the time," he added.
He also encouraged folks to get a booster shot "as soon as you are eligible."
Some states have proposed laws that would provide additional assistance over the holiday season.
Illinois, for example, suggested a $200 stimulus check for individuals earning less than $75,000 and $400 for joint filers earning less than $150,000.
Californians can expect to get another round of stimulus checks totaling up to $1,100 as soon as next week. A number of other states, including Florida, Maine, and Maryland, have also provided financial assistance to qualified families.
Similar initiatives have been implemented in cities across the country, including Seattle, Chicago, and Pittsburgh, to help low-income families get through the holiday season.
Meanwhile, the federal government is expected to make additional stimulus payments.
The sixth and last child tax credit, for example, will be distributed on Dec. 15. This one will typically cost a few hundred dollars per eligible child in a household. Some Americans, though, will receive far more than that.
This is due to the fact that for some recipients, the December stimulus payment will be their first child tax credit check.
Some people signed up for the child tax credit advance payment late this year for a number of reasons. As a result, instead of a sixth check reflecting the final installment of an overall payment of up to $1,800 per qualified child, these parents will get a single lump-sum payment in December for the whole six-check amount.