Covid subvariants cast shadow over European summer
A resurgence of Covid-19 cases in Europe, this time driven by new, fast-spreading Omicron subvariants, is once again threatening to disrupt people's summer plans
‘Perfect storm’: Europe Covid rise due to fewer curbs, subvariant
Covid-19 is again surging in Western Europe due to a "perfect storm" of governments lifting restrictions, waning immunity and the more contagious BA.2 Omicron subvariant, experts say
Get vaccinated, or get punished? How jab mandates divide
Do vaccine mandates work? Austria is set to become the first country in Europe to impose Covid-19 vaccination and others could follow as nations scramble to inoculate their populations against coronavirus
Omicron less severe but still a threat to health systems
Omicron is causing record numbers of cases around the world, and though it causes less severe Covid-19 experts warn this wave still threatens to overwhelm health systems
More contagious, less severe: What we know about Omicron
A month after it was first detected in southern Africa, Omicron is now known to be far more contagious than previous variants of Covid-19 but appears to cause a less severe illness than its predecessors
Did vaccine inequality lead to the Omicron variant?
In October 2020, as scientists raced to develop a Covid shot, the head of the WHO warned against looming "vaccine nationalism". But is vaccine inequality the reason behind Omicron's emergence?