What the Omicron variant means for the holidays

Just when we thought we were heading for a more normalized holiday season, a new variant — the dreaded Omicron — has been identified as a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization. I and other public health experts are cautioning Americans to take this variant seriously, but also to be patient, as we have much to discover. But I recognize that the wait feels understandably frustrating: how is it possible that almost two years into the pandemic, we still can’t know with certainty what the next best step might be?

Just when we thought we were heading for a more normalized holiday season, a new variant — the dreaded Omicron — has been identified as a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization. I and other public health experts are cautioning Americans to take this variant seriously, but also to be patient, as we have much to discover. But I recognize that the wait feels understandably frustrating: how is it possible that almost two years into the pandemic, we still can’t know with certainty what the next best step might be?