Why Is Omicron So Contagious?
The new coronavirus variant may be better than other versions at avoiding human immune defenses—but that ability may change in different countries -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.....»»
FDA head: Omicron is a “natural disaster… most people are gonna get COVID”
Acting FDA commissioner offers sobering perspective of the next few weeks. Enlarge / Dr. Janet Woodcock, acting commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, testifies during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committe.....»»
US COVID Hospitalizations Hit New Record High, Raising Risks for Patients
The omicron-driven surge has sent COVID-19 hospitalizations skyrocketing across the U.S., reaching a new pandemic high this week with 145,982 patients hospitalized. From a report: This exceeds the previous high recorded in January last year, accordin.....»»
Omicron May Infect Half of Europeans Within Weeks, WHO Says
Image Credit:CIPhotos via Getty Images More than half of Europe's population could become infected with omicron within weeks at current transmission speeds, a World Health Organization official said.The fast-spreading variant represents a "west-.....»»
Doctors fear health care collapse amid omicron surge
Many hospitals across the country are in crisis as cases surge and staffing is at critical lows. Enlarge / A medical worker in PPE works with a patient with Covid-19 in a negative pressure room in the ICU ward at UMass Memorial Medical.....»»
This AI Software Nearly Predicted Omicron’s Tricky Structure
New algorithms that decipher complex sequences of amino acids offered an early view of the coronavirus variant. They could point the way to future drugs......»»
Remarkably, NASA has completed deployment of the Webb space telescope
"This is an amazing milestone." A scale model of the James Webb Space Telescope. (credit: NASA) For much of the world, Saturday was just another weekend day filled with all of this planet's problems and perils. The Omicron-fue.....»»
CDC head talks screwups, 4th doses, omicron’s wave in long-awaited briefing
The wide-ranging briefing gave a better view of how the CDC sees omicron playing out. Enlarge / The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters stands in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, March 14, 2020. (credit: Getty |.....»»
E3 Shifts To Online-Only Event Because of Omicron Concerns
The Entertainment Software Association is shifting the Electronic Entertainment Expo to an online-only event out of concerns around the pandemic. VentureBeat reports: "Due to the ongoing health risks surrounding COVID-19 and its potential impact on t.....»»
Omicron is not mild and is crushing health care systems worldwide, WHO warns
"Just like previous variants, omicron is hospitalizing people, and it is killing people." Enlarge / World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaks during a press conference on December 20, 2021, at.....»»
E3 2022 won"t be an in-person event ... again
In the face of the Omicron surge, the gaming expo is making the early call to forgo in-person activites......»»
US COVID Cases More Than Triple in Two Weeks
The number of new COVID cases more than tripled over the past two weeks, shattering records all across the U.S. From a report: The Omicron variant appears to be significantly milder than its predecessors, and it's not leading to as much serious illne.....»»
FDA authorizes boosters for 12- to 15-year-olds, shortens interval for adults [Updated]
The changes are motivated by omicron and backed by data from Israel. Enlarge / A health worker administers a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to an elderly resident at Ichilov medical center in Tel Aviv, Israel, on M.....»»
Tech"s biggest event starts this week. Here"s what to expect
CES, typically one of the year's biggest tech trade shows, is moving forward with plans to host an in-person component this week despite looming threats of the Omicron Covid-19 variant......»»
Omicron is Spreading at Lightning Speed. Scientists Are Trying To Figure Out Why
NPR reports: In late November, more than 110 people gathered at a crowded Christmas party at a restaurant in Oslo. Most of the guests were fully vaccinated. One had returned from South Africa just a few days earlier and was unknowingly carrying the o.....»»
Studies Suggest Why Omicron Is Less Severe: It Spares the Lungs
A spate of new studies on lab animals and human tissues are providing the first indication of why the Omicron variant causes milder disease than previous versions of the coronavirus. From a report: In studies on mice and hamsters, Omicron produced le.....»»
Children’s hospitals are filling nationwide amid tidal wave of omicron
Omicron's severity in kids is still unknown, but more cases mean more hospitalizations. Enlarge / A Boston Medical Center pediatrician performs a checkup on an 8-month-old while her father provides her comfort in a pediatrics tent set.....»»
Omicron symptoms: how they differ from Delta, the flu and a cold, and how quickly they’ll show up
Image Credit:CIPhotos via Getty ImagesWith the Omicron variant of Covid, it extends along the city and abroad, many people felt this week as the hope that their end of the pandemic had been plagued.Omicron symptoms can mimic the common coldAlth.....»»
Omicron smashes US case records as experts are still trying to understand it
The mildness of omicron and the use of rapid tests are still in question. Enlarge / A healthcare worker conducts a test at a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site at the Dan Paul Plaza on December 29, 2021 in Miami, Florida. In response to.....»»
Omicron May Be Causing Negative Amazon Reviews for Some Brands
Yankee Candle reviews on Amazon may be the latest indicator of COVID's surge nationwide. Ichijo shares a report: Some customers who recently purchased from the scented-candle brand using Amazon are flooding the site with negative reviews that say the.....»»
CDC draws criticism for shorter COVID quarantine, isolation as omicron bears down
Data backs shorter periods, but experts say testing is key. Enlarge / Travelers wait in line to check-in at LaGuardia Airport in New York, on December 24, 2021. -On Christmas Eve, airlines, struggling with the Omicron variant of Covid.....»»