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Omicron subvariants are reducing the effectiveness of antibody treatments that have played a crucial role in keeping people with weak immune systems safe.
President Joe Biden cautioned the immunocompromised that they are at heightened risk this winter and should talk to their physician about what precautions to take.
Dr. Ashish Jha, head of the White House Covid task force, said treatment options are dwindling for the vulnerable because Congress failed to pass more funding.

Medical staff treat a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patient on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, January 7, 2022.
Shannon Stapleton | Reuters

Emerging omicron subvariants are resistant to key antibody treatments for HIV patients, kidney transplant recipients and other immunocompromised people, making them particularly vulnerable to Covid this winter, the White House warned this week.
“With some of the new subvariants that are emerging, some of the main tools we’ve had to protect the immunocompromised like Evusheld may not work moving forward. And that’s a huge challenge,” Dr. Ashish Jha, head of the White House Covid task force, told reporters on Tuesday.

President Joe Biden on Tuesday cautioned the estimated 7 million adults in the U.S. who have compromised immune systems that they are particularly at risk, but he could offer little in the way of reassurance other than telling them to consult their physician about what precautions to take.
“New variants may make some existing protections ineffective for the immunocompromised,” the president said before getting his booster Tuesday. “Sadly, this means you may be at a special risk this winter. I urge you to consult your doctors on the right steps to protect yourself, take extra precautions.”
The message clashes with repeated White House assurances that the U.S. has all the vaccines and treatments it needs to fight Covid this winter as public health officials are expecting another surge.
While this may be true for the general population, it is not the case for people with weak immune systems. They include those with cancer, those who have had organ transplants, people living with HIV and individuals who are taking medicine for autoimmune diseases.
Evusheld is an antibody cocktail authorized by the Food and Drug Administration to prevent Covid in people ages 12 and older who have moderately or severely compromised immune systems. The drug is administered as two injections, prior to infection, every six months.

Evusheld, made by AstraZeneca, has helped fill a gap in protection for those with weak immune systems who cannot mount a strong response to the vaccines. The drug, plus several rounds of vaccination, has led to significant declines in hospitalization among this cohort over the past several months, according Camille Kotton, an infectious disease expert who specializes in treating people with weak immune systems.
“We’ve been in a sweet spot for maybe several months now as far as immunocompromised patients having good protection and then good treatment options,” said Kotton, a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and a member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s independent vaccine advisory committee.
But more immune evasive omicron subvariants such as BA.4.6, BA.2.75.2, BF.7, BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 are resistant to Evusheld, according to the National Institutes of Health. Scientists at Columbia University, for example, found Evusheld had completely lost its effectiveness against BA.4.6.
And BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 are likely resistant to bebtelovimab, the monoclonal antibody developed by Eli Lily to prevent people with compromised immune systems who catch Covid from developing severe disease, according to NIH.
That leaves people with compromised immune systems increasingly vulnerable as these subvariants increase in circulation in the U.S. As omicron BA.5 declines, this swarm of newer subvariants collectively make up about 38% of infections in the U.S., according to CDC data.
Although Pfizer’s antiviral Paxlovid remains effective against the omicron subvariants, people who have had organ transplants often can’t take the pill because of the way it interacts with other drugs they need, Kotton said.
“I’m concerned that the near future will be a challenging time for immunocompromised patients,” said Kotton. “The monoclonal antibodies in Evusheld are going to provide less protection and bebtelovimab is going to provide ineffective treatment for several of the emerging variants.”
And help is not on the way at the moment. Kotton said she’s not aware of any monoclonal antibodies that are ready to replace the ones the subvariants are chipping away at. Jha acknowledged at the White House on Tuesday that the U.S. has dwindling treatment and prevention options for people with weak immune systems as Covid evolves. He blamed Congress for failing to pass $22.5 billion in funding for the nation’s Covid response due to Republican opposition.
“We had hoped that over time as the pandemic went along, as our fight against this virus went along, we would be expanding our medicine cabinet,” Jha told reporters. “Because of lack of congressional funding that medicine cabinet has actually shrunk and that does put vulnerable people at risk.”
Andrew Pekosz, a virologist at Johns Hopkins University, said finding ways to protect people with compromised immune systems is the most critical issue of the pandemic right now and it needs to be addressed quickly.
“What we need to really work on is getting new antibody treatments out of the lab and into clinics,” Pekosz said. “In the lab, scientists know what next-generation monoclonal antibodies look like.”
Kotton said people with compromised immune systems should stay up to date on their vaccines, which means getting the new booster that targets omicron BA.5. Those who have stayed up to date throughout the pandemic have received six shots by now.
Those starting from scratch would receive a three-dose primary series of Moderna or Pfizer with the older generation shots and then a new booster that targets omicron, according to CDC guidelines.
People with compromised immune systems should continue to exercise caution this winter, because the immune-resistant omicron subvariants could pick up in circulation as people gather for the holidays, Kotton said. But she noted that the group has been more diligent in wearing masks and practicing mitigation measures to avoid the virus than the rest of the population.
The bigger problem is that the general population has largely moved on and is no longer taking basic precautions that could reduce transmissions and protect the vulnerable — such as wearing masks, Kotton said.
“If we all were to mask more in public venues that would enhance the safety for them and allow them to have a higher likelihood of a safer return to many activities,” she said.
Jha was asked by NBC News on Tuesday whether Biden telling people with weak immune systems to consult their physicians about precautions is an indication that the burden of responsibility has shifted to the individuals instead of the broader community.
“As a society — as a caring society, we care about all Americans, particularly the most vulnerable Americans,” Jha said.  “So it remains, I think, a collective responsibility for all of us to care about our fellow Americans who are immunocompromised.”
The CDC recommends that people in communities where the Covid risk level is moderate to self test and wear a high-quality mask before meeting indoors with someone who is at high risk of getting sick. Those who are at high risk should wear a high-quality mask when indoors in public.
When the Covid level is high, people in general should consider wearing high-quality masks and the vulnerable should consider avoiding indoor activities in public that aren’t essential, according to CDC. You can check your county’s Covid level at the CDC’s website.

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The maker of Marlboro cigarettes has been working to diversify its offerings as smoking rates decline in the U.S..
Ahead of its earnings release, Altria announced a strategic partnership with Japan Tobacco to develop smoke-free tobacco products.
Altria has previously slashed the value of its stake in troubled vaping company Juul.

Altria Group signage is displayed on a monitor on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Cigarette maker Altria Group on Thursday reported third-quarter earnings that missed Wall Street estimates as its revenue fell.
Here’s what the company reported compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by Refinitiv:

Earnings per share: $1.28 adjusted vs. $1.30 expected.
Revenue: $5.41 billion vs. $5.59 billion expected.

Shares of Altria were down 2% in pre-market trading.
The maker of Marlboro cigarettes, which has been working to diversify its offerings as smoking rates decline in the U.S., also announced a strategic partnership with Japan Tobacco to develop smoke-free tobacco products ahead of its earnings release.
The move comes after Altria in July slashed the value of its $13 billion stake in troubled vaping company Juul to less than 5% of its original value amid a regulatory crackdown on the products. Although Altria retains a 35% stake in Juul, it exercised its option last month to be released from its non-compete obligations with the company.
“We are excited to begin a new partnership with JT Group, a leading international tobacco company,” said Billy Gifford, Altria’s chief executive officer. “We believe this relationship can accelerate harm reduction for adult smokers across the globe.”
Last week,  Altria also said that Philip Morris International had agreed to pay $2.7 billion for the exclusive right to sell IQOS smokeless tobacco heating devices in the United States.

For its third quarter, Altria reported revenue net of excise taxes of $5.41 billion, a decline of 2% from a year ago. Its net income was $224 million for the period, or 12 cents per share. Excluding one-time items, it said it earned $1.28 per share.
For 2022, the company also narrowed its earnings per share guidance to be in the range of $4.81 to $4.89, representing a growth of 4.5% to 6% from 2021.
It had previously forecast full-year adjusted diluted earnings per share in a range of $4.79 to $4.93.
This is breaking news. Check back for updates.

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Orlando Ashford, known for holding senior level HR roles at Fortune 500 companies like Marsh & McLennan, Coca-Cola and Motorola, is joining Fanatics in a newly created role as chief people officer.
At Fanatics, he will be tasked with managing global human resources, which includes matters that range from talent development to diversity and inclusion efforts, the company said.
The creation of Ashford’s role comes at a critical time, as corporate leaders face an avalanche of workplace issues with no easy answers.

Orlando Ashford has been appointed chief people officer of Michael Rubin’s sports business platform Fanatics.
Source: Fanatics

Orlando Ashford, known for holding senior level HR roles at Fortune 500 companies like Marsh & McLennan, Coca-Cola and Motorola, is joining Fanatics in a newly created role as chief people officer, the company announced Thursday.
Ashford will report directly to both CEO Michael Rubin and CFO Glenn Schiffman.

At Fanatics, he will be tasked with managing global human resources, which includes matters that range from talent development to diversity and inclusion efforts, the company said.
“As we continue to grow and expand, it becomes even more important to double down on organizational development, and I can’t think of a better person to lead this charge than Orlando,” Rubin stated in a press release.
Each of the three Fanatics’ businesses — commerce, collectibles, betting & gaming — have heads of HR that report to those respective business CEOs. Ashford will be working closely with these leaders across verticals, while he reports to both Rubin and Schiffman. He will be Rubin’s sixth direct report.
Prior to joining Fanatics, Ashford was a strategic advisor to private-equity firm Sycamore Partners. He also previously served as president of Carnival-owned Holland America Line. He’s currently the chairman of the board of pharmaceutical company Perrigo, and sits on the board of Syndio — a private, venture-backed HR tech company.
The creation of Ashford’s role comes at a critical time, as corporate leaders face an avalanche of workplace issues with no easy answers. The scramble to find workers, offer pay and benefits to keep them from quitting, and increase diversity in the workforce, all while navigating a new remote-hybrid-in person work arrangement is unfamiliar territory for most chief executives.

“Fanatics is a special company, one that I’ve long admired, where I can take my energy and expertise to further establish a diverse, platform-wide company culture comprised of the best and brightest people,” Ashford said in the release.
Fanatics has established itself as the leader for sports merchandise and commerce, with exclusive licensing deals ranging from the NFL and NBA to the International Olympic Committee. It’s now looking to expand its sports industry reach even further, setting its sights on digital collectibles, sports betting, and trading cards.
The company, most recently valued at $27 billion, ranked No. 21 on this year’s CNBC Disruptor 50 list.
Last week, Fanatics announced it hired Andrea Ellis to be the chief financial officer of its betting and gaming division, which is expected to launch in January. More

The U.K.’s Rishi Sunak faces the challenging task of uniting his deeply divided Conservative Party if he is to succeed in his new role as prime minister.
The party has grown increasingly fractured since the 2016 Brexit vote, but it stared into the precipice of oblivion in recent weeks after Liz Truss’ mini-budget led to a plummet in opinion polls.
Sunak’s appointment of a “unity cabinet” give the first glimpse of his attempts to revive the party.

U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appointed his cabinet to include members from across warring factions of the Conservative Party.
Wpa Pool | Getty Images News | Getty Images

LONDON — Britain has a new prime minister, Rishi Sunak, who, in his inaugural speech outside Downing Street, vowed to “unite” the country as it faces myriad challenges.
In doing so, he also pledged to unify the deep divisions within his own ruling Conservative Party — a group on whose support he desperately depends if he’s to succeed in his new role.

Sunak told Tories they must “unite or die” Monday, shortly after becoming the party’s third leader in two months, following a series of psychodramas that led to the demise of Boris Johnson’s and Liz Truss’ political careers.
The Conservative Party — which has been in power in the U.K. since 2010 — has grown increasingly fractured since the 2016 Brexit vote, which splintered the party across ideologically opposed factions.
But it has stared into the precipice of oblivion over recent weeks, with Truss’ widely-condemned September mini-budget causing the Tories to plummet in opinion polls and sparking chaotic infighting. The party now realizes the consequences of being divided are huge — and potentially fatal.

Sunak appoints a ‘unity cabinet’

Sunak’s cabinet appointments Tuesday gave the first indication of his attempts to unite the party at the highest ranks.
Unlike Truss — whose cabinet of close allies was widely criticized for failing to challenge her decision making — Sunak’s self-proclaimed “unity cabinet” includes figures from across warring factions, as well as loyalists.

As expected, Sunak retained Jeremy Hunt as finance minister, following his success earlier this month in remedying the market turmoil enacted by Truss’ unfunded tax cuts. The pair are thought to share a similar economic ideology, with Hunt’s shredding of Truss’ fiscal plan seen to further vindicate Sunak.
Also kept in post were Foreign Minister James Cleverly, who was appointed by Truss in September, and Defense Minister Ben Wallace, who has held the role since 2019.
However, Sunak reinstated Johnson-era Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary Dominic Raab, and Levelling Up Minister Michael Gove to their old roles.
Still, splinters already began to surface ahead of Sunak’s reshuffle, with then-Business Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg resigning, citing his close ties with Johnson and Truss.

Moving the party forward

Sunak, who is Britain’s fifth prime minister in six years, will now have to prove that he has the leadership skills to govern such a disparate set of personalities.
More than that, he will have to win their backing for his policies, with the party greatly divided on issues including immigration, taxation and energy.
According to a BBC tally, Sunak had the support of 193 Conservative members of parliament in his bid take over as party leader — well above the minimum 100 vote threshold required to join the race.
But he is still a divisive figure within the party, with many Johnson loyalists considering him culpable for the former prime minister’s ousting.
In his speech Tuesday, Sunak said he had been elected as leader of the party to fix the “mistakes” of his predecessor. But while the Conservatives may be keen to present a united front in the face of dwindling public support, Sunak has some way to go to prove he’s the one to do it.

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CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Wednesday advised investors not to buy shares of Mobileye just yet.
“If you want a piece of this thing, I recommend waiting for a pullback,” he said.

CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Wednesday advised investors not to buy shares of Mobileye just yet.
“The stock’s going to have a tough time once people realize the Fed’s war on inflation is far from over. So, if you want a piece of this thing, I recommend waiting for a pullback, maybe down below $24, and then you’re paying less than 20 times earnings,” he said.

Shares of the self-driving car technology company jumped over 37% on Wednesday, its first day on the stock market after being spun out of Intel. The company will retain control of Mobileye, which traded publicly before Intel bought the firm in 2017.
Cramer said that he likes Mobileye’s strong balance sheet and growth. The company has worked with automakers including Audi, BMW, Volkswagen, General Motors and Ford to develop advanced driving and safety features.
Fifty firms currently use Mobileye’s technology across 800 vehicle models, according to the company’s IPO filing.
“In short, Mobileye’s a real company with real products and, at the moment, tremendous demand for those products,” Cramer said. However, its stock isn’t necessarily a good fit in a market that’s beholden to the Federal Reserve’s aggressive interest rate hike campaign, he added.
“If you think the Fed’s going to keep tightening aggressively, then it makes no sense to buy Mobileye here — just be patient and [Fed Chair] Jay Powell will give you a better entry point,” he said.

Disclaimer: Cramer’s Charitable Trust owns shares of Ford.

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Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, was escorted out of the Los Angeles office of shoemaker Skechers, the company said.
The incident comes after Adidas terminated its relationship with the fallen rapper and fashion mogul over his recent antisemitic and racist remarks.

Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, was escorted out of the Los Angeles office of shoemaker Skechers, the company said Wednesday afternoon, as the fallen rapper and fashion mogul continues to face fallout from his recent antisemitic remarks.
Ye showed up unannounced and was escorted out of the building by two executives, the company said. Ye has officially changed his name from Kanye West.

“Skechers is not considering and has no intention of working with West. We condemn his recent divisive remarks and do not tolerate antisemitism or any other form of hate speech,” the company said in a statement. “The Company would like to again stress that West showed up unannounced and uninvited to Skechers corporate offices.”
Several companies and organizations have condemned Ye over his recent racist and antisemitic remarks. The Skechers incident comes a day after Adidas severed its relationship with him. Also Tuesday, Foot Locker and Gap said they would immediately remove products from Ye’s Yeezy line from their stores, saying they do not tolerate antisemitism.

Forbes said Ye lost his billionaire status when Adidas cut ties with him, adding that his net worth dropped to $400 million, which comes from his music catalog, real estate and his 5% stake in ex-wife Kim Kardashian’s shapewear company, Skims. Forbes said his Adidas deal added $1.5 billion to his net worth.
Read Skechers’ statement below:

Skechers USA, Inc., The Comfort Technology Company™, stated Kanye West — also referred to as Ye — arrived unannounced and without invitation at one of Skechers’ corporate offices in Los Angeles. Considering Ye was engaged in unauthorized filming, two Skechers executives escorted him and his party from the building after a brief conversation. Skechers is not considering and has no intention of working with West. We condemn his recent divisive remarks and do not tolerate antisemitism or any other form of hate speech. The Company would like to again stress that West showed up unannounced and uninvited to Skechers corporate offices.

– CNBC’s Jessica Golden contributed to this report.

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Ford Motor (F) reported a top- and bottom line beat for the third quarter after the closing bell on Wednesday, while demonstrating solid free cash flow — a key reason why the Club continues to back the automaker. Automotive revenue climbed 12% year-on-year, to $37.2 billion, beating analysts’ forecasts of $36.25 billion, according to estimates compiled by Refinitiv. Adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT), or operating income, came in at $1.8 billion, ahead of the $1.4 billion to $1.7 billion range Ford management had guided for in September. Adjusted earnings-per-share fell by more than 40% year-on-year, to 30 cents a share, but beat the consensus estimate of 27 cents a share. This figure excludes a $2.7 billion non-cash, pretax impairment the company took on its investment in Argo AI. Including this charge, Ford recorded a net loss of $827 million in the third quarter. Cash flow from operating activities was $3.8 billion, while adjusted free cash flow came in at $3.6 billion, beating analysts’ estimates of $1.4 billion. Bottom line Ford continues to benefit from its strong pricing power and higher levels of profitability in regions that were previously money-losing before CEO Jim Farley took the helm in 2020, aggressively restructuring operations. Meanwhile, what stood out to us the most in the quarter was the significant free cash flow the business is generating. It provides plenty of support to the 4.6% dividend yield, new share repurchases and, most importantly, continued investment in its electric vehicle future. At the same time, management guided its full-year EBIT outlook to the lower end of the $11.5 billion to $12.5 billion range it had reaffirmed only last month. But that decision looks prudent because it will make it more likely the company can achieve its full-year guidance in the fourth quarter — and we remain cautiously optimistic on Ford’s ability to do so. That’s why we continue to own the stock, even as we maintain our 2 rating , meaning we would wait for a pullback before buying more shares. But given profit estimates have come down and stock multiples have contracted in this higher interest rate environment, we are also lowering our price target on Ford to $16 a share from $18. Ford’s stock was down nearly 1% in after hours trading, at roughly $12.70 a share. Quarterly results by business unit North America automotive revenues were $26.3 billion, inline with estimates. Adjusted EBIT was $1.3 billion, below the consensus figure of $1.6 billion. EBIT margin came in at 5%, but management expects it to return to double digits in the fourth quarter. Europe revenues were $6.8 billion, beating analysts’ expectations of $6.2 billion. Adjusted EBIT came in at $204 million, well ahead of the $31 million loss predicted by Wall Street. China revenues came in at about $400 million, below estimates of $600 million. Ford posted an adjusted EBIT loss of $193 million, steeper than the $30 million loss forecasted by analysts, a result of investments in electric vehicles. South America revenues were about $900 million, a beat versus the consensus estimate of $750 million. Adjusted EBIT of $149 million exceeded the $19 million predicted by analysts. Ford notched its fifth straight quarter in which its South America business was profitable. International markets group revenue was $2.8 billion, a beat versus estimates of $2.4 billion. Adjusted EBIT came in at $229 million, also a beat on analysts’ estimates of $125 million. Ford Credit earnings before taxes (EBT) checked in at $600 million, missing analysts’ forecasts of $749 million. Outlook Ford now expects full year adjusted EBIT of about $11.5 billion, which would be a 15% increase on 2021. That’s at the low end of the $11.5 billion to $12.5 billion range management reaffirmed in September, but above the consensus estimate of $11.3 billion for the year. This outlook assumes higher commodity- and broad-based inflationary costs of about $9 billion, up from $7 billion last quarter. The company increased its estimate for full-year adjusted free cash flow to between $9.5 billion to $10 billion. That’s a significant increase from management’s previous guidance of $5.5 billion to $6.5 billion. The revised outlook was due to strength in Ford’s automotive operations, including restructured businesses in regions outside North America. Argo Ford announced it will wind down its Argo AI business, which specializes in autonomous vehicle technology. For background, when Ford invested in Argo in 2017, the company thought it would be able to bring Level 4 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) technology to market by 2021. Level 4 ADAS is commonly referred to as “High Driving Automation” that requires minimum human interaction. This target has not been attained despite the more than $100 billion Ford invested in the technology. Ford remains a believer in the potential of L4 systems, but said the road to bring fully autonomous vehicles to market at scale with a profitable business model “will be a long one.” For this reason, Ford is shifting its focus to Level 2+ (partial automation) and Level 3 ADAS (conditional driving automation), while winding down Argo. As a result, it recorded a $2.7 billion non-cash, pretax impairment on its investment. Some of the talent at Argo will join Ford. This pivot will raise concerns that Ford will miss out on the development of fully autonomous vehicles, whenever that may be. But from a business perspective, Ford is prioritizing the development of technology that will generate a more sizeable return in the near term. Other highlights The company said it is resuming a “modest” share repurchase program to offset dilution from stock-based compensation. Ford said its board of directors approved the repurchase of up to 35 million shares over time for that purpose. (Jim Cramer’s Charitable Trust is long F. See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.

Ford F-150 pickup trucks at a dealership in Colma, California, on Friday, July 22, 2022.
David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images More

Bradley Williams “absolutely hated” his first job after graduating from college.
The 28-year-old said the office environment wasn’t for him — and he quit in three months.

Williams’ girlfriend, Cazzy Magennis, had just finished her degree at the University of Exeter, where they met. While their friends were starting their careers in London, Williams and Magennis were unfazed by the social pressures to settle into corporate jobs.
Instead, they decided to backpack to South America, they told CNBC.
An incredible four months followed — they camped overnight in the Amazon rainforest, went paragliding in Bolivia, surfed in Peru and saw the Iguazu Falls in Argentina — which they chronicled on a blog called Dream Big Travel Far.

Cazzy Magennis at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
Source: Bradley Williams, Cazzy Magennis

But their money quickly ran out, Williams said.
The couple started doing freelance copywriting to make ends meet, which raked in between $1,000 and $1,500 per month each, Magennis said. It was enough to allow them to backpack comfortably through Southeast Asia for 18 months, she said.

They continued to blog, sharing travel tips, itineraries and sample packing lists with their audience. Eventually, they stopped copywriting and dedicated all their time to the blog.
Now, the site draws an average of 250,000 monthly visitors and is on track to earn six figures in annual revenue soon, she said.

“It’s a numbers game. You have to be getting thousands of people reading your content before you actually start to make any money,” Williams said in a YouTube video about how they make money while traveling.
Their main revenue streams from their travel blog are advertising and affiliate marketing, Williams said in the video. They receive a commission when readers book tours or hotels via links on their blog, he said.
“It’s become too big for us to manage on our own,” Magennis told CNBC, adding that seven contributing writers help manage the blog.
The couple also has a YouTube channel, but in the video Magennis said the couple don’t make much money from it.
“We have made … $382.85, so take from that what you will,” she said on the video with a laugh.

When Covid hit

When Covid hit and travel came to a halt, the blog — their only source of income — took a hit.
“Income kind of just went off a cliff,” Williams said. “Everything sort of dried up.”
The couple returned to freelance writing to make ends meet, he said.
“The good thing about having our business as a blog is that there aren’t any big traditional expenses, like rent,” Williams said.
To save money, the couple spent several months living with their families in Northern Ireland and England.
During a four-month stint with Williams’ parents, they embarked on a new project — converting a van to live in once borders reopened.

A custom-built van

The couple needed a van that they could use to drive around the world, according to their blog.
To design it, they turned to online advice. “We took inspiration from the many dozens of van tours we watched on YouTube,” Magennis said.

Bradley Williams and Cazzy Magennis said they spent three and a half months renovating their campervan.
Source: Bradley Williams, Cazzy Magennis

The van, which they named Helen, has many of the utilities of a regular home.
It houses two beds and a seating area for four people, plus a shower, toilet and kitchen area. A 480-watt solar panel on the rooftop powers the electricity.

The kitchen area in the couple’s campervan.
Source: Bradley Williams, Cazzy Magennis

“Most nights we cook in the van,” Magennis said. “We have an oven in here, so we can cook everything that you would in a house.”

The route

A map on the couple’s blog shows the couple’s planned driving route. When they spoke to CNBC, they were in the United States.

Williams and Magennis’ route for 2021-2023 is shown along the green lines, with the red arrows noting the direction they intend to follow
Source: Bradley Williams, Cazzy Magennis

To traverse oceans, the couple fly and ship their van across countries.

The couple changed course and are now avoiding Russia in 2024.
Source: Bradley Williams, Cazzy Magennis

The couple wanted to travel through Russia but the war thwarted their plans, Magennis said.
In another change, they now plan to ship their van from South America to Australia, where they will travel before exploring Asia.
Finally, they will finish the route in Europe, where they began, she said.

Best and worst parts of van life

The best parts about living in a van is that it encourages a minimalistic lifestyle, Williams said.
“You can’t have ten pairs of shoes and seven coats — you’ll realize that you don’t actually need that much,” he said.
They love that their home moves with them, he said.
“We can be parked up at the edge of a cliff in the middle of nowhere, but once we shut the doors and put the heater on … it’s a really cozy space to be in,” Williams said.
But van life has its downsides too, he said.
“If you’re on your own and you’re not very sociable, it can become quite lonely,” he said.
“Sometimes Instagram paints this picture of van life … like every night you’ll be by this amazing beach with the sun setting … but a lot of times it’ll be howling rain outside,” he said. “Or your van breaks down and you have to get repairs done.”

Bradley Williams and Cazzy Magennis outside their campervan.
Source: Bradley Williams, Cazzy Magennis

The couple estimate that they spend no more than $2,000 annually on van maintenance.
Dangers lurk on the road as well. They’ve had their vlogging equipment, projector and clothing stolen while the van was being shipped from the U.K. to Canada, he said.
Someone attempted to break into their van at midnight, he said. Fortunately, the intruder scurried away when Williams came out of the vehicle, he said.
They encourage people interested in van life to try it out first before committing to it full time. “It really isn’t for everybody,” Williams said, adding that some people may feel claustrophobic.
“We know we love it because we did a few other van trips beforehand,” he said.
His top tip? Hire a van first, then “just give it a go.” More