U.K. health minister Sajid Javid on Sunday refused to rule out the possibility of new coronavirus restrictions ahead of Christmas, telling the BBC on Sunday that "at this point, we just have to keep everything under review."
Why it matters: The new Omicron variant has driven a surge of COVID-19 cases in the U.K., with daily infections reaching new record numbers this week.
NIAID director Anthony Fauci told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday that the U.S. will likely see record numbers of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the weeks ahead due to the Omicron variant.
The Omicron variant could drive the U.S. toward U.S. hitting a million COVID-19 cases per day if Americans are not vigilant about mitigation strategies, outgoing National Institutes of Health director Francis Collins warned on NPR's "Weekend Edition" Sunday.
Driving the news: The variant has been detected in 89 countries and is driving COVID-19 cases to double every 1.5 to 3 days in areas where there is community spread, according to the World Health Organization.
"Saturday Night Live" aired with a limited cast and crew, no live audience and pretaped sketches, citing a "recent spike" of the Omicron coronavirus variant.
Why it matters: For the first time in the show's history, producers scrapped their plans for the live taping and sent most cast members home just hours before it was supposed to air, per Washington Post. It comes amid a surge in COVID cases in New York City, largely driven by the Omicron variant.
Washinton state Sen. Doug Ericksen, a rigid conservative, died last Friday at age 52, his family confirmed in a statement Saturday.
Why it matters: The Washington Republican's death Friday came a month after he told a local radio station that he had tested positive for coronavirus while in El Salvador, per CNN. Ericksen's cause of death has not been made public.
It looked like corporate Christmas parties would get the green light this year after virtual soirees in 2020 — but along came Omicron.
Driving the news: Companies of every size and across the world are rethinking their holiday bashes as the Omicron winter wave rolls in. And a popular new option is putting the ball in workers' courts by planning hybrid parties.
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.
