Here are 10 updates: 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 said Monday.
Lawrence Young, a virologist at Britain's University of Warwick, said the rising cases in Europe were due to a combination -- "a perfect storm" -- of three factors: the lifting of restrictions, waning immunity after vaccination and BA.2.
So far, the omicron subvariant BA.2 appears to be no more severe than the initial omicron strain, but there’s concern about its ability to reinfect people and its links to long Covid.
Cases are still dropping overall in the U.S., but some health experts are worried that decline won’t last for long. Already, cases are beginning to climb in New York City, where BA.2 accounts for a larger share of cases than in other parts of the country, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.