As the holiday season nears, concerns of a resurgent virus are growing
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Summary
From Broadway to Britain, COVID-19 is spreading new fears, forcing new shutdowns and prompting people to wonder when it will all end. And experts warn omicron is likely to become the dominant strain in the U.S. William Brangham reports on the latest, and speaks with Dr. Eric Topol, founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, to take a deeper look.
Five Facts
Who
is interviewed in this piece, and what is his background?
What
is concerning about the omicron variant, according to this piece?
When
did omicron reach the United States?
Where
are government officials in the U.S. tightening COVID restrictions and imposing new mask mandates?
Why
are we headed for a "bad winter" for COVID infections, according to Dr. Topol?
Focus Questions
Many people are tired of practicing safety measures such as masking and social distancing, but experts such as Dr. Topol predict we may see up to a million cases a day in the U.S. after the holidays. What are some ways to plan for a safe holiday break?
Media literacy:
Do you think anything was left out of this assessment of omicron variant and its impact? What else would you like to know, or whose perspective would you like to hear?
For More
For more on the findings of effectiveness of vaccines against omicron, see
this article
.
You can also watch this piece on the potential severity of omicron:
