Why Omicron Is Counterintuitive

<p>The Omicron variant is fueling record-breaking cases across the world and disrupting life. But it may not present as great a danger of hospitalization and severe illness as earlier variants. We explore why this is and what it means for the next stage of the pandemic.</p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/carl-zimmer?smid=pc-thedaily">Carl Zimmer</a>, a science writer and author of the “Matter” column for The New York Times.</p><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/signup/NTTD?smid=pc-thedaily">Sign up here</a> to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/the-daily?module=inline">subscribe to our newsletter</a>. </p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>New studies are providing the first indication of<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/31/health/covid-omicron-lung-cells.html"> why the Omicron variant causes milder disease</a> than previous versions of the coronavirus: It spares the lungs.</li><li>The decision by U.S. health officials to shorten isolation periods for many infected with the coronavirus<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/28/health/covid-isolation-period-omicron.html"> has drawn both tempered support and intense opposition</a> from scientists.</li><li>The growing consensus in nations with Omicron that the virus is moving too fast to catch is<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/28/world/europe/omicron.html"> tempered by early evidence</a> that the variant causes milder symptoms.</li></ul><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily">nytimes.com/thedaily</a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p>