The Omicron variant has been detected in 89 countries and has a "substantial growth advantage" over the Delta variant, the World Health Organization announced.
State of play: COVID-19 cases detected with the newest variant are doubling every 1.5 to 3 days in areas where there is community spread, WHO said.
The number of pregnant people who died of COVID-19 surged in August and September as the Delta variant spread nationwide, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention out this week.
Why it matters: The data underscore the importance of pregnant people receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, especially as the quickly emerging Omicron variant starts to spread, according to CDC director Rochelle Walensky.
With a rise in coronavirus cases across the country and the holiday season in full swing, getting a COVID-19 test has become harder with testing sites already starting to see long lines, NBC News reports.
Coronavirus cases are surging in London as the Omicron variant has officially replaced Delta — a sign of what's likely just around the corner for parts of the U.S.
The bottom line: The ratio of deaths to cases will be lower than spring 2020, simply because so many Americans are either vaccinated or have already been infected. But it's still unclear if the variant itself is less severe, and how many people are vulnerable to it.
Why it matters: The administration paused enforcement of the mandate, which requires companies to ensure their workers are fully vaccinated or tested weekly by Jan. 4, 2022, after a separate federal circuit court last month deemed it "staggeringly overbroad."
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced on Friday that he has mobilized 1,050 members of the National Guard to assist with COVID-related staffing issues in hospitals across the state.
Why it matters: More than 4,700 people are currently hospitalized in Ohio for COVID — equating to 1 in every 5 hospital patients, according to DeWine's office.
Canada will retighten its border starting Dec. 21 and require travelers who are returning to the country to show proof of a negative PCR test, the government announced on Friday.
New Orleans announced this week an expanded vaccine mandate that requires children 5 and up to receive the COVID-19 vaccine for indoor settings or have a negative test.
Why it matters: The decision comes along with a New Orleans public school system vaccine requirement for students 5 and up, the first of its kind in the United States, NOLA reports.
New York reported 21,027 COVID cases on Friday, surpassing the previous single-day record from January as Omicron reaches across the state.
Why it matters: With the new variant appearing to spread more easily than previous COVID strains, the surge will likely be replicated around the country, Axios' Caitlin Owens writes.
The U.S. is facing an imminent COVID-19 "viral blizzard," infectious disease expert Michael Osterholm told CNN Thursday.
What they're saying: "In the next three to eight weeks, we're going to see millions of Americans are going to be infected with this virus, and that will be overlaid on top of Delta," said Osterholm, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.
COVID-19 vaccines produced by Johnson & Johnson and China's Sinopharm, as well as the Russian-made Sputnik V, were found to provide little or no protection against the newly emerging Omicron variant, according to a study out this week.
Driving the news: The study, which was published as a preprint and isn't yet peer-reviewed, found that just three out of 13 people who were fully vaccinated with China's Sinopharm vaccine produced neutralizing antibodies against Omicron.
COVID continues to rip through professional sports at an alarming rate, prompting leagues around the world to update protocols, limit fan capacity, postpone games and consider temporary shutdowns.
State of play: As of Thursday evening, 60 NHL players had entered protocols in a four-day span and 52 NBA players had entered protocols in December.
New York City — America's original pandemic epicenter — is displaying warning signs of yet another drastic surge of the virus, this time likely driven by the Omicron variant.
Why it matters: Given how quickly the variant appears to spread, New York's experience will likely be replicated around the country. But this time, the city has the benefit of an above-average vaccination rate to help it avoid becoming a worst-case scenario.
New waves of COVID infections are crashing into a health care system whose workers are at a breaking point — if not already past it.
Why it matters: Hospital workers have had little relief from COVID over the past two years. And that burned-out, dispirited workforce is again being overwhelmed by surges from Delta, while facing the specter of yet another wave from Omicron.
A federal judge on Thursday rejected Purdue Pharma's $4.5 billion bankruptcy settlement with thousands of state, local and tribal governments who sued the company over the opioid epidemic. Purdue said it would appeal the ruling.
Driving the news: U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon in New York ruled Thursday the settlement should not be allowed because the court doesn't have the legal authority to release the Sackler family from liability in civil cases, per the New York Times.
President Biden warned unvaccinated Americans on Thursday that the Omicron COVID-19 variant will start to spread more rapidly in the U.S. if they do not receive their shots soon.
Driving the news: Research shows that Omicron is spreading extremely quickly, even among vaccinated people, though experts expect COVID-19 vaccines to protect against severe disease. Researchers estimate that it takes two to three days for the number of Omicron cases to double, per Axios' Caitlin Owens.
Amazon Pharmacy leaders TJ Parker and Elliot Cohen have quietly been demoted to roles as consultants for the company, two sources familiar with the matter tell Axios.
Why it matters: The leadership shakeup could either be an attempt at hammering out a clearer path forward or a sign of deeper troubles. Parker and Cohen have steered Amazon Pharmacy since 2018 when the tech giant acquired PillPack, their prescription drug startup.
The U.S. Marine Corps announced Thursday it has discharged 103 individuals from its ranks for refusing to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Why it matters: Other military branches have begun addressing service members who defy the vaccination order amidst growing concern over another wave of infections fueled by the Omicron variant.
It's beginning to look a lotlike an Omicron winter wave.
Zoom in: The U.K. recorded a record-high 88,376 cases Thursday, continuing a sharp upward trajectory over the past four days that appears to be driven by the new variant.
