Just because a variant spreads faster, it doesn’t necessarily mean it has a higher R0.
The new BA.5 subvariant has caused a sharp rise in cases and hospitalizations throughout much of the United States.
Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
The last Omicron wave affected younger people. But the new BA.5 variant is seeing case numbers in older age groups higher than ever before – just as hospitals are under the most pressure.
Understanding the depth of vaccine hesitancy, and the drivers behind the lack of take-up is critical to preventing further deaths, infections, and continuing harm to the economy.
The COVID-19 vaccines continue to be effective against severe illness leading to hospitalization and death in all age groups, including children ages 5 to 11.
Michelle J. Groome, National Institute for Communicable Diseases; Juliet Pulliam, South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling & Analysis (SACEMA) e Sheetal Silal, University of Cape Town
Repeated resurgences of SARS-CoV-2 transmission are expected in the years to come.
After reporting zero COVID cases until now, North Korea is facing a rapidly-spreading outbreak of the omicron variant. Here’s how things could play out.
Once in short supply, rapid antigen tests are now available throughout the U.S.
Boy_Anupong/Moment via Getty Images
Sebastian Duchene, The University of Melbourne e Ash Porter, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity
It’s hard to keep up. But new Omicron sub-variants are emerging that may lead to reinfections and another spike in cases.
Final approach on the air charter into the Voisey’s Bay mine, a fly-in/fly-out nickel, copper and cobalt mine located near Nain, Nunatsiavut, in northern Labrador.
(Matthew Pike)
‘Living with COVID-19’ has much higher risks for Nunatsiavut Inuit communities than many other areas. Recognizing those risks is crucial as mining operations resume in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health Kieran Moore arrives to speak at a press conference at Queen’s Park on April 11, 2022. Ontario lifted most COVID-19 restrictions in March.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Instead of minimizing current or future waves of COVID-19, we need strategies to deal with new variants efficiently. Only then can we live with the virus in a healthy way.
Based on the little data we have so far, Omicron XE appears slightly more contagious than other COVID variants.
The CDC recommends the second booster for those over 50 who received their initial booster shot at least four months earlier.
Scott Olson via Getty Images News
More than 1,000 cases of omicron XE have been detected in the UK so far. But we shouldn’t be seriously concerned at this stage.
Millions of U.S. children ages 5-11 have already received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images
Dean Faculty of Health Sciences and Professor of Vaccinology at University of the Witwatersrand; and Director of the SAMRC Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand