What early reports suggest about omicron

Plus: How Covid’s changed the office holiday party

Early reports from the U.K., Norway and South Africa suggest the omicron variant may be more transmissible but cause milder symptoms of Covid-19 than prior variants. However, these findings are only preliminary and experts caution that there may be other factors that account for there not being as many severe disease cases yet - for example, South Africa has a younger population relative to the U.S. and has high rates of previous Covid infections, both of which may impact the initial observations. It will be weeks if not months before researchers are able to fully assess how the new variant will impact those infected with it. 

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More Covid News

The stock market surged today, extending a strong rebound from last week’s rough patch as concerns about the omicron variant continued to abate. 

The CDC added seven countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East to a Level 4 travel health notice, reflecting upticks in the spread of Covid-19.

A new poll shows that Americans generally don’t intend to change their everyday behavior as a result of the arrival of the omicron variant. 

A federal judge halted the Biden Administration’s federal vaccine mandate for federal contractors and subcontractors nationwide.

New research suggests that anorexia diagnoses among children and teens rose significantly during the pandemic. 

What Else We Are Reading

• We’re Not at Endemicity Yet (The Atlantic)

• African faith leaders combat misleading theologies that promise cures for COVID-19 (Religion News Service)

• Beyond Omicron: what’s next for COVID’s viral evolution (Nature)