Omicron’s Staying Power Is Key to Mild Winter as Cases Rise
- Any new variant must be more contagious, sidestep immunity
- Genetic surveillance is declining, muddying evolution picture
This article is for subscribers only.
The rhythm of pre-pandemic life is back around much of the world. Munich’s Oktoberfest tents are full, tourists are returning in Tokyo and New York, masks have come off in the subways.
The previous two autumn seasons ended with new Covid-19 variants spurring fresh waves of cases and social restrictions. This year is different: the super-contagious but less severe omicron has shown unusual staying power -- even as it spawned hundreds of sublineages.