The Worst of the Omicron Wave Could Still Be Coming
A long descent from a peak in cases could exact a larger toll than even Omicron’s blistering ascent.
Aleksandar Zdravkovic / Tetra Images / Getty / The Atlantic
Calling Omicron ‘Mild’ Is Wishful Thinking
We are far past the point of hoping that this variant will spare us.
COVID-Hospitalization Numbers Are as Bad as They Look
Many supposedly “incidental” infections aren’t really incidental, and cannot be dismissed.
Should Teen Boys Get Boosted?
Third shots for adolescent boys and young men were already a hard sell. Then came Omicron.
Omicron Is Forcing Us to Rethink Mild COVID
The staggering number of infections among the vaccinated is changing Americans’ pandemic mindset.
One-Way Masking Works
If you’re vaccinated, boosted, and wearing an N95, you’re protected—no matter what others are doing.
COVID Isolation Is a Lot Like … Muffin Baking
Stay with me.
Hospitals Are in Serious Trouble
Omicron is inundating a health-care system that was already buckling under the cumulative toll of every previous surge.
America’s COVID Rules Are a Dumpster Fire
If you’re confused by the CDC’s new isolation guidelines, you’re not the only one.
Should I Just Get Omicron Over With?
If you’re vaccinated, an infection might not make you super sick, but don’t count on it making you super immune, either.
Stop Wasting COVID Tests, People
With the surge in cases, tests should be reserved for those who need them most.
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Our Relationship With COVID Vaccines Is Just Getting Started
We probably will need additional shots. But just how many depends on our immune systems, the virus, and how often they collide.
Omicron Is Pushing America Into Soft Lockdown
Nobody wants to mandate business closures, but so many people are getting sick that businesses are closing anyway.
There’s No Way Americans Will Cancel Their Travel Plans
Many people are gathering for the holidays no matter what. Here’s how to do that as safely as possible.
How Long Does Omicron Take to Make You Sick?
The new variant seems to be our quickest one yet. That makes it harder to catch with the tests we have.
We Know Enough About Omicron to Know That We’re in Trouble
More data will soon be coming in. But how much do they really matter?
Fully Vaccinated Is About to Mean Something Else
The CDC might update the definition very soon, even though we still don’t know for sure how many shots we’ll need.
The CDC’s Flawed Case for Wearing Masks in School
The agency’s director has said, repeatedly, that schools without mask mandates have triple the risk of COVID outbreaks. That claim is based on very shaky science.
America Is Not Ready for Omicron
The new variant poses a far graver threat at the collective level than the individual one—the kind of test that the U.S. has repeatedly failed.
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Don’t Be Surprised When You Get Omicron
America is in for a lot more breakthrough infections. Here’s what to do if you fall sick.
A Guide to Mixed-Vaccination-Status Holidays
We’ve broken down the chances of transmission at a gathering with one unvaccinated adult, multiple unvaccinated adults, and unvaccinated or semi-vaccinated kids.
T Cells Might Be Our Bodies’ Best Shot Against Omicron
The new variant may undermine some vaccine-derived defenses. But the immune system’s best assassins are likely to hold the line.
The Pandemic of the Vaccinated Is Here
A coming winter surge and the spread of Omicron have made it clear that COVID is everyone’s problem.
Omicron’s Explosive Growth Is a Warning Sign
We don’t know how severe Omicron is, but we do know it’s spreading very fast.
Our First Preview of How Vaccines Will Fare Against Omicron
The variant will change the risk landscape for the vaccinated. The question is, how much?
Omicron Has Created a Whole New Booster Logic
For a while I was on the fence about getting another shot. Then came the newest variant of concern.
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We’re Not at Endemicity Yet
Too many people still have no protection against the coronavirus.
Omicron Won’t Ruin Your Booster
Sometimes, dips in immunization quality can be rescued with a little extra quantity.
Omicron’s Best- and Worst-Case Scenarios
A new, highly contagious variant could have terrible consequences. But if it ends up causing milder symptoms than Delta, there’s a real upside.
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What J&J Can Still Teach Us
A vaccine’s value isn’t just in its peak performance.
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COVID Parenting Is Reaching a Breaking Point
An epidemiologist joins five Atlantic parents to discuss just how long their pandemic trade-offs can hold.
We Know Almost Nothing About the Omicron Variant
Here’s everything we do.
Even Health-Care Workers With Long COVID Are Being Dismissed
Medical professionals are used to being believed, but as patients, they found that their expertise didn’t matter.
COVID Sure Looks Seasonal Now
After two years of pandemic waves, we’re finally learning whether the disease has a predictable schedule.
The Double-Whammy COVID-Flu
It’s becoming clear that “coinfections” happen all the time. Just how bad are they?
Why Health-Care Workers Are Quitting in Droves
About one in five health-care workers has left their job since the pandemic started. This is their story—and the story of those left behind.
COVID-Vaccine Mandates for Kids Are Coming
But are they a good idea?
You’re Boosted! Now What?
No one knows exactly what the rules are for post-booster behavior.
Why Are We Microdosing Vaccines for Kids?
The age cutoffs for COVID-19 vaccine sizes (mostly) make sense.
The Pandemic Is Still Making Us Feel Terrible
Turns out, it’s hard to adjust to a new normal when that new normal keeps changing.
America Has Lost the Plot on COVID
We’re avoiding the hardest questions about living with the coronavirus long term.
Is Moderna Really Better Than Pfizer—Or Is It Just a Higher Dose?
It’s possible that a good deal of the difference in the shots’ performance can be summed up with a simple phrase: More is better.
No One Will Stop You From Getting Whatever Booster You Want
The CDC indicated that it would move toward a hands-off stance: Booster-eligible people should stick with one brand, but may mix and match at will.
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Should You Mix and Match Your Booster Shot?
We know more than ever about how to use boosters, but still very little about when to use them.
We Accidentally Solved the Flu. Now What?
America has a choice to make.
Nine Pandemic Words That Almost No One Gets Right
Actually, you’re probably not in quarantine.
Timing Is Everything for Merck’s COVID Pill
The drug, molnupiravir, is named after Thor’s hammer, Mjölnir. But its power depends on reaching the right people, in the right time frame.
A Better Way to Think About Your Risk for COVID
For months we’ve been fixated on the idea that some people are at “high risk” and others aren’t. Now scientists have a better understanding of the continuum.
We’re Already Barreling Toward the Next Pandemic
This one is far from over, but the window to prepare for future threats is closing fast.
The Lab-Leak Debate Just Got Even Messier
A new leaked document is stirring up another frenzy over the pandemic’s origins. What does it really tell us?
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‘Post-Vax COVID’ Is a New Disease
Eventually we might all have to deal with COVID-19—but a shorter, gentler version, thanks to vaccines.
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Six Rules That Will Define Our Second Pandemic Winter
The pandemic keeps changing, but these principles can guide your thinking through the seasons to come.
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You Might Want to Wait to Get a Booster Shot
There are no simple rules for timing on a third jab—but maybe don’t rush it.
Sorry, a Coronavirus Infection Might Not Be Enough to Protect You
Anyone who’d rather have COVID-19 than get vaccinated is taking two gambles: that immunity will stick around, and that symptoms won’t.
Our Most Reliable Pandemic Number Is Losing Meaning
A new study suggests that almost half of those hospitalized with COVID-19 have mild or asymptomatic cases.
We’re Asking the Impossible of Vaccines
Complete protection against infection has long been hailed as the holy grail of vaccination. It might simply be unachievable.
What We Actually Know About Waning Immunity
Reports of vaccines’ decline have been greatly overstated.
The Coronavirus Could Get Worse
Delta is far from the last variant. But what shape the virus takes next depends on us.
This School Year Is Going to Be a Mess—Again
We have the tools to keep Delta in check, but schools have to actually use them.
Delta Has Changed the Pandemic Risk Calculus
If you’re confused about what you can do right now, you should be.