Dec 01 Omicron disrupts travel industry’s comeback as new restrictions are put in place By David Koenig, Yuri Kageyama, Associated Press From shopping districts in Japan and tour guides in the Holy Land to ski resorts in the Alps and airlines the world over, a familiar dread is rising about the renewed restrictions. Continue reading
Dec 01 Omicron keeps world on edge as more information drips out By Mari Yamaguchi, Foster Klug, Raf Casert, Associated Press Much is still unknown about the new variant, including how contagious it is and whether it can evade vaccines, and the European Union chief acknowledged that waiting for scientists to tell the world more felt like "an eternity.”… Continue reading
Nov 30 Watch 8:16 Will the omicron variant require a new vaccine? An expert weighs in By Nick Schifrin, Dorothy Hastings A growing number of countries are reporting cases of the coronavirus' omicron variant, and many are mandating travel bans. Meanwhile, advisors to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have now endorsed drug maker Merck's pill to treat COVID-19 in high-risk… Continue watching
Nov 30 U.S. picks up speed on tracking of virus variants after slow start By Carla K. Johnson, Associated Press After a slow start, the United States has improved its surveillance system for tracking new coronavirus variants such as omicron, boosting its capacity by tens of thousands of samples per week since early this year. Viruses mutate constantly. To find… Continue reading
Nov 30 Omicron variant may have reached Europe earlier than suspected By Raf Casert, Andrew Meldrum, Associated Press Much remains unknown about the new variant, including how contagious it might be, but a WHO official said Tuesday that there could soon be a steep rise in infections in parts of southern Africa. Continue reading
Nov 29 Watch 3:24 How the world is responding to the omicron variant By Yamiche Alcindor, Courtney Norris A growing number of nations imposed travel restrictions Monday to try to slow the spread of the new coronavirus variant, omicron. The moves came as more cases of the variant were confirmed internationally. But some warned the travel bans —… Continue watching
Nov 29 Watch 7:22 Dr. Fauci on the omicron variant, testing and travel Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, and the president's chief medical advisor, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the U.S. plan to respond to the new omicron variant… Continue watching
Nov 29 Watch 7:47 Tamara Keith and Amy Walter on omicron variant, Build Back Better bill, midterm elections NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter join Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest political news, including the omicron variant of the coronavirus, the fate of President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better bill… Continue watching
Nov 29 CDC recommends COVID boosters for all adults as omicron variant spreads By Jamey Keaten, Raf Casert, Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reacted to the potential threat by urging everyone 18 and older to get booster shots, because “strong immunity will likely prevent serious illness."… Continue reading
Nov 29 New omicron variant brings COVID-19 vaccine inequity ‘home to roost’ By Maria Cheng, Lori Hinnant, Associated Press The emergence of the new omicron variant and the world's desperate and likely futile attempts to keep it at bay are reminders of what scientists have warned for months: The coronavirus will thrive as long as vast parts of the… Continue reading