omicron BA.2

A pop-up clinic inside Los Angeles International Airport offered free vaccinations and boosters for holiday travelers last December. A new round of vaccinations may be needed before next winter.

Health & Safety

Advisers to FDA weigh in on updated COVID boosters for the fall

5:33pm April 06, 2022

by Scott Hensley

The vaccines now in use are based on the form of the virus that circulated at the beginning of the pandemic and are less effective against the omicron variant. New options are in the works.

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The U.S. omicron outbreak has dramatically slowed, cutting wait times for tests. But health officials worry a new uptick in cases fueled by the BA.2 variant could be on the way.

U.K. COVID cases are rising. Health officials are watching to see if the U.S. is next

5:00am March 19, 2022

The rise of the more infectious BA.2 variant in the U.S. — plus signals in the sewage — also point to a possible uptick in cases, and have health officials on alert.

Thousands of people test positive for the coronavirus in the U.S. daily, and a small but growing fraction of them are for the more contagious omicron variant BA.2.

Health & Safety

More contagious version of omicron spreads in U.S., fueling worries

4:30pm February 21, 2022

by Rob Stein

The omicron BA..2 variant spreads about 30% more easily and has caused surges in other countries. Its steady increase in the U.S. raises questions about the wisdom of rolling back COVID restrictions.

A computer-generated image of the omicron variant of the coronavirus.

A second version of omicron is spreading. Here's why scientists are on alert

6:36pm January 27, 2022

by Michaeleen Doucleff

It's a sibling of the first omicron variant that swept the world. Is it more contagious? Does it cause severe disease? Will it keep current omicron surges going? Researchers are looking for answers.

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