OMICRON

The Food and Drug Administration's independent advisory committee on Thursday unanimously recommended replacing Pfizer and Moderna's original Covid vaccine used in the U.S. for everyone's first two immunizations with the new bivalent omicron shots. Instead, the drugmakers' bivalent omicron shots that target the omicron BA.5 subvariant as well as the original strain would be used for the entire vaccination series. Currently, Pfizer's and Moderna's omicron shots are only authorized as a booster, while the first two doses are still their old shots based on the original Covid strain. The FDA has proposed moving to a system that resembles how the agency updates and rolls out flu shots every year. The agency would select a Covid vaccine formulation in June to target the variant that is expected to dominate in the fall and winter.

The CDC study published Wednesday provides the first estimate of the omicron shots' real-world effectiveness against the XBB family of subvariants. For people ages 18 to 49, the omicron booster reduced the risk of mild illness by about 48% two to three months after receiving the shot. The shots provided 38% protection against mild illness for those ages 50 to 64 and 42% protection for people ages 65 and older, according to the study. They had very little protection against mild illness due to waning immunity observed with the old vaccines, Link-Gelles said. It's too early to draw conclusions about how the protection from the omicron boosters holds up over time, she said.

A preliminary study finds that seniors who received an Omicron-targeting booster shot were 81% less likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than those who skipped it.

The recent attempt to limit the spread of disease from China makes no sense at all.

XBB.1.5's prevalence remains highest in the Northeast, according to the CDC's latest estimates.

Yet another new and highly transmissible subvariant of the coronavirus is taking over.

The new XBB.1.5 COVID-19 mutation is popping up in new cases across the country at a concerning speed. Health experts weigh in on the latest variant of the virus.

From mental wellness to a multitude of illnesses, the past year in health and medicine has been a roller-coaster ride.

Although reports from China about this variant's characteristics are concerning, it doesn't appear to be growing too much elsewhere in the world.

U.S. health officials have focused in particular on making sure older adults stay up to date on their Covid vaccines.

The FDA on Thursday approved the use of updated COVID-19 vaccines for children younger than 5, three days after Pfizer-BioNTech applied for an emergency use authorization.

The boosters did not trigger a robust response against BQ.1.1. People with a prior history of infection who received the booster had a stronger response

Dozens of districts in major cities have now begun lifting lockdown measures despite high case numbers.

The coronavirus has continued to mutate, and two new Omicron subvariants have become dominant in the U.S., according to the CDC. The subvariants, called BQ.1 and BQ.1.1, now account for more than half of infections nationwide.

Pfizer said the booster triggered more antibodies against omicron BQ.1.1, BA.4.6, BA.2.75.2 and XBB.1 in adults older than 55 compared to the original vaccines.

Moderna’s vaccine catered to the Omicron variant produced more antibodies than the company’s original COVID shot. About 31 million U.S. citizens have received an Omicron-tailored shot.

The airport has been working with airlines and ground handlers to prepare for the busy period.

Two independent studies suggest the new Covid booster shots don't protect better against omicron BA.5 than the original vaccines.

SARS-CoV-2 is evolving "rapidly," spawning one new variant after another. But omicron continues to dominate, raising new questions about how evolution of the virus is headed.

XBB, a new version of Omicron, is evading immunity in Asia. Experts say strategic masking will help as COVID infections rise this winter.

Researchers at Boston University say they have developed a new COVID strain that has an 80% kill rate following a series of similar experiments first thought to have started the global pandemic that began in China.

Researchers at Boston University say they have developed a new COVID strain that has an 80% kill rate following a series of similar experiments first thought to have started the global pandemic that began in China.

Photo Illustration by Erin O'Flynn/The Daily Beast/GettyA new subvariant of the novel-coronavirus called XBB dramatically announced itself earlier this week, in Singapore. New COVID cases more than doubled in a day, from 4,700 on Monday to 11,700 on Tuesday—and XBB is almost certainly why. The same subvariant just appeared in Hong Kong, too.A highly-mutated descendant of the Omicron variant of the SAR-CoV-2 virus that drove a record wave of infections starting around a year ago, XBB in many ways

The boosters, rolled out for Americans 12 and older last month, are doses modified to target today's most common and contagious Omicron relatives.

Even if you already had Covid, you might get it again this fall or winter. Here's what to know about reinfections — including their severity, and how to prevent them.

Major population areas in Japan have reached about 90% in COVID-19 herd immunity after the recent Omicron wave. However, that level is expected to diminish soon.

Experts say the booster shots are to get ahead of a COVID surge before the end of the year, when more people are indoors.

The pending arrival of an Omicron booster shot marks an ambitious new phase in the nation's vaccination campaign before a possible new COVID surge.

Everyone will probably gain something from the updated vaccines. Here’s how to make the most of it.

Dr. Anthony Fauci speaks about the Omicron coronavirus variant during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, December 1, 2021. The nation's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, plans to step down from his roles running the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and advising the White House as its chief medical advisor at the end of the year, he announced Monday. Fauci has become a household fixture during the Covid-19 pandemic, battling back misinformation, sometimes from the highest levels of government. The 81-year-old has advised seven U.S. presidents, starting with Ronald Reagan through the HIV/AIDS epidemic, West Nile virus, the 2001 anthrax attacks, pandemic influenza, various bird influenza threats, Ebola, Zika and, most recently, Covid and monkeypox. Fauci, who also runs the NIAID Laboratory of Immunoregulation, said has no intentions of retiring.

The new booster 'will become available by early to mid-September,' if the FDA and CDC authorize shots, a top White House official said this week.

Pfizer chairman and CEO Albert Bourla said he is taking Pfizer's Paxlovid pill and isolating while he recovers.

Quarantining from a sick housemate really is worth the hassle.

Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily BeastThe world has built up a lot of immunity in the nine months since the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus became dominant, driving a record wave of infections.That immunity from vaccines and past infection is helping to keep down hospitalizations and deaths even as Omicron’s offspring—a succession of subvariants—have become dominant, one after one.Now the virus is trying to find a way around our antibodies. A new subvariant, BA.4.6, is begin

The conventional wisdom is that Omicron is less likely to cause serious illness, but that might have more to do with better immunity and treatments, not the virus itself.

Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/GettyA wave of COVID infections caused by the BA.5 subvariant has crested. All over the world, daily new cases, hospitalizations and deaths are going down.But the SARS-CoV-2 virus is almost certainly here to stay. Another wave is all but inevitable as new variants and subvariants mutate, compete for dominance and find new transmission pathways.How fast that wave comes, and how bad it gets, probably comes down to a genetic competition between different mutati

U.S. regulators say they are no longer considering authorizing second COVID-19 booster shots for all adults under 50 this summer.

No one knows exactly what this will look like—only that it’s guaranteed to keep happening.

With new COVID-19 boosters expected later this year, health experts urge Californians not to put off a first or second booster shot until then.

The BA.5 subvariant of Omicron is reinfecting at record clip. We asked public-health experts to rate how concerned we should be about this COVID wave.

Top U.S. health officials warned Tuesday that an expected surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the highly transmissible Omicron subvariant BA.5 has arrived, but that the country has the tools to deal with it.

Dr. Anthony Fauci said Tuesday that the Omicron BA.5 subvariant "substantially evades" antibodies from both vaccination and prior COVID-19 infection.

Compared to its ancestors, the latest Omicron subvariant, BA.5, may have an enhanced ability to create a large number of copies of the coronavirus once it gets into human cells.

A subvariant of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, BA.5, is now the dominant strain in the U.S., and its infection rates are even more harsh.

Scientists say the new variant — named BA.2.75 — appears to spread rapidly and may be able to get around immunity from vaccines and prior infection.

The latest COVID-19 variant, Omicron 4 and 5, is as contagious as measles.

Omicron subvariant BA.5 is responsible for more than half of all new cases in the country, according to the CDC.

Viruses evolve, and vaccines should too. That was the big-picture takeaway from a pivotal meeting this week of the FDA’s expert advisory panel. The question before them was simple: Ahead of an expected winter surge, should vaccine manufacturers tweak their forthcoming booster shots to target Omicron, or should they stick with the tried-and-true 2020 recipe?

Advisers to the U.S. government are recommending that COVID-19 booster shots used this fall be modified to better match more recent variants of the coronavirus.

Pfizer's Omicron-only booster sparked the strongest immune response against that variant.

“Jurassic World: Dominion” dominated at the box office over Father’s Day weekend, beating out Disney’s “Toy Story” spinoff “Lightyear.” Meanwhile, "Top Gun: Maverick" is expected to earn $1 billion by July 4.

The message from health leaders in Northeast Florida on Friday: COVID-19 cases continue to trend down.

Scientists and health officials around the world are keeping their eyes on a descendant of the omicron variant that has been found in countries, including the United States.

The stock market is losing crucial support from the Federal Reserve.

The owners of a company operating hundreds of pop-up COVID-19 testing sites across the country, including one in Jacksonville, have been the subject of several investigations by major media outlets over how they’re spending their money.

The Minnesota Attorney General’s office is accusing the Center for Covid Control of deceptive and fraudulent practices.

Federal officials are investigating numerous complaints related to Center for COVID Control, the company that had been operating a rapid COVID-19 testing site in downtown Jacksonville, the News4JAX I-TEAM learned Friday.

A COVID-19 testing company with a location in downtown Jacksonville has suspended operations.

Just last week, we asked: If you’re a health care worker, what are you seeing lately on the job?

The nation’s top health officials testified Tuesday before United States senators about the federal government’s response to the omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Starting Monday, unvaccinated employees at big companies will be expected to wear masks to work.

Look, life as we know it right now is pretty insane. Omicron is raging across the country, it didn’t even feel like 2021 happened and America’s sweetheart, Betty White, is dead.

The White House COVID-19 Response Team held a briefing Wednesday as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to surge, fueled by the highly contagious omicron variant.

President Joe Biden is urging concern but not alarm as the United States set records for daily reported COVID-19 cases and his administration struggles to ease concerns about testing shortages.

Why are so many vaccinated people getting COVID-19 lately.

When it comes to treatment of COVID-19, options are limited, and the omicron variant has proved to be an even bigger challenge for providers.

Florida reported 58,018 COVID-19 cases for Wednesday as the omicron variant surges, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.

In a potentially ominous message for Florida’s cruise-ship industry, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that people should avoid cruise travel “regardless of vaccination status” because of the spread of COVID-19.

As the demand for testing has grown, the FDA announced at home COVID tests may not detect the Omicron variant as well as other variants.

While COVID-19 cases spike locally and across the nation, doctors worry about the youngest patients.

New cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. have soared to their highest level on record at over 265,000 per day on average, a surge driven largely by the highly contagious omicron variant.

We might not be able to claim that 2021 was *the* wildest year in recent history (2020 will likely get that credit for quite some time), but it might be a close second.

Greece’s health minister says music will be banned at all commercial venues for New Year’s celebrations as part of new restrictions announced in response to a surge in COVID-19 infections fueled by the omicron variant.

Omicron may not be as prevalent as first thought, but it does remain the dominant variant in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

UF Health Jacksonville had considered no longer ordering the Regeneron monoclonal antibody treatment but with the new numbers from the CDC, they backed off that decision and will continue to offer Regeneron treatment, Neilsen said.

The latest COVID-19 variant is upending holiday plans for tens of thousands of travelers — but it didn’t do much damage to holiday shopping.

With COVID-19 cases spiking, a local infectious disease expert shares his advice to help keep you and your family safe during the holidays.

Citing a “nationwide spike in Omicron cases,” United Airlines on Thursday announced it is canceling some of its Christmas Eve flights.

There’s now another treatment option for COVID-19.

The Florida Department of Health in Duval County offered a warning on Thursday, saying to expect another surge of COVID-19 in the coming months because of the omicron variant.

Local doctors have a strong message for the community: The omicron variant is here.

Genomic surveillance data shows omicron has overtaken the delta variant in Miami-Dade County as the dominant strain of the coronavirus in just a matter of weeks.

President Joe Biden has announced plans to deliver 500 million free COVID-19 tests to Americans, increase support for hospitals and expand the availability of vaccines to confront a winter surge of coronavirus cases driven by the fast-spreading omicron variant.

Omicron has raced ahead of other variants and is now the dominant version of the coronavirus in the U.S. Federal health officials said Monday that omicron accounted for an estimated 73% of new infections last week.

The omicron variant of COVID-19 is spreading, and infectious disease experts say it won't be long before it's detected in the Jacksonville area.

British Health Secretary Sajid Javid says the omicron variant of COVID-19 is spreading so rapidly that it has the potential to overwhelm Britain’s hospitals.

The first case of the coronavirus omicron variant in Florida was confirmed Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Florida Department of Health said.

The first case of the Omicron variant was recently reported in the United States, and now, other cases are starting to emerge.

To protect yourself against the omicron variant, experts say to do what you would against any other variant.

Health experts are warning a new ‘Omicron wave’ could cause a large surge in infections across the world in the next month as people are traveling during the holiday season.

While all eyes are on the new and little-understood omicron variant, the delta form of the coronavirus isn’t finished wreaking havoc in the U.S., sending record numbers of patients to the hospital in some states, especially in the Midwest and New England.

Lab testing has confirmed a COVID-19 case involving the omicron variant in Minnesota, state health officials said Thursday.

The omicron coronavirus variant has been confirmed in an unvaccinated Hawaii resident with no recent travel history.

The U.S. recorded its first confirmed case of the omicron variant Wednesday — a person in California who had been to South Africa.

News4JAX on Wednesday checked in with local hospitals to see what is happening at those locations and went to several testing and vaccine sites to check if more people are taking precautions now because of the omicron variant.

Scientists say it could be weeks before they better understand how dangerous the omicron variant is.

The World Health Organization says travel bans by countries are having an impact on global cooperation against the new omicron variant by causing “challenges” to the sharing of laboratory samples from South Africa that can help get better grips on the new variant.

It’s still too early to tell: That is the message from the White House COVID-19 Response Team as scientists race to find out more about the omicron variant.

Britain says it will offer all adults a booster dose of vaccine within two months to bolster the nation’s immunity as the new omicron variant of the coronavirus spreads.

President Biden on Monday told the nation that there was no need to panic about the new COVID-19 variant omicron, and a Jacksonville-area coronavirus researcher agrees with that approach.