It's a sibling of the first omicron variant that swept the world. Is it more contagious? Does it cause severe disease? Will it keep current omicron surges going? Researchers are looking for answers.
Though people who are vaccinated and boosted appear to be better protected against omicron, the highly contagious variant has still led to breakthrough cases and a surge in infections worldwide.
Athletes and other attendees will be in a closed "loop" with strict rules about everything from daily testing for athletes to how spectators should respond — no cheering out loud, please!
Previous versions of the coronavirus didn't transmit as easily outdoors thanks to airflow that dispersed viral particles. But what about the highly transmissible omicron variant?
Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes announced weeks ago that the raucous street parties, which draw hundreds of thousands of revelers, wouldn't proceed in the manner they did before the pandemic.
Kai Forsyth relished being the only passenger on a flight from London to Orlando. But his solo trip highlights the wastefulness of near-empty flights that environmentalists are trying to ban.
Employers from Macy's to United Airlines are having to adjust after skyrocketing omicron COVID cases have led large numbers of workers to call out sick.
The White House's top medical adviser says the virus won't go away entirely. Instead, it should eventually hit a level where it "doesn't disrupt our normal social, economic and other interactions."
Burnout and thinning substitute teacher rolls plus the fallout of the omicron surge is pushing school leaders to the brink of desperation. Lawmakers are responding by rewriting hiring rules.
Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said he canceled Djokovic's visa on "health and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so."
Some cities are so shorthanded they have temporarily stopped collecting things like recyclables or oversized junk to focus on the grosser, smellier stuff.
Omicron may cause milder disease, but the sheer number of patients makes this wave far worse for the health care system. With packed emergency rooms, patients can wait days to get moved to a bed.
