Fourth Stimulus Check Update: Omicron May Slow Economy's Progress But Will Congress Act?

Concerns about a potential economic slowdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic have only worsened with the rise of the Omicron variant, as major health organizations go on high alert.

Americans continue to navigate the ongoing pandemic with some hoping lingering for a fourth stimulus check. 

Hopes for another round of stimulus checks have come from a petition on Change.org. The petition calls for recurring $2,000 payments to adults and $1,000 payments for children. It harkens to a plan proposed by former presidential candidate Andrew Yang.

There are over 2.97 million signatures as of Tuesday. The petition hopes for 3 million signatures.

Could the country fall into economic despair?

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told the Senate that the new variant could pose a risk to the economy and could worsen the prospects of an already-uncertain inflation outlook.