Welcome to the era of omicron rules and regs
As the highly transmissible variant spreads rapidly around the world, some countries have reimposed harsh COVID measures like those seen in the early days of the pandemic.
Global Health
Staffing crisis is slamming California hospitals
California hospitals are calling in the National Guard to help with a staffing crisis. So many nurses and other health care workers are out with COVID that administrators can't fill necessary shifts.
On COVID vaccinations, Pope says health care is a 'moral obligation'
Francis says individuals have a responsibility to care for themselves "and this translates into respect for the health of those around us."
Countries reimpose lockdowns with omicron spread
As the omicron variant of COVID-19 has spread rapidly around the world, some countries have re-imposed lockdowns.
Top global TikToks of 2021: Defiant Afghan singer, Kenya comic, walnut-cracking elbow
What did the world watch on TikTok last year? We round up some favorite videos — including a mukbang ASMR Thai star (don't worry, we explain it) and a potato chip-crunching Kenyan comedian.
Kids are back in school — and struggling with mental health issues
This school year was supposed to bring a return to normalcy. But the stress of transitioning back to in-person learning and the ever-changing pandemic has caused a surge in mental health needs.
Global wishes for 2022: a gift box for everyone, greater girl power, vertical gardens
We asked global thinkers like Malala, doctors dealing with the pandemic, educators and more — if you were in charge of the world, what would you like to see happen this year.
Chinese anti-virus lockdowns add to concerns over economy
China's lockdowns of big cities to fight coronavirus outbreaks are prompting concern about more disruptions to global industries after two makers of processor chips said their factories were affected.
Japan approves new restrictions for areas hard hit by COVID
Japan has undergone periods of similar restrictions over the past two years. This time, the spread of the omicron variant appears to be first hitting prefectures that house the U.S. military.
What we know about the symptoms — and the severity — of the omicron variant
Researchers are looking at data from U.S. cases to determine if the variant causes milder disease. Even if the answer is yes, they say, rates of hospitalization could be high during the surge.