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What to Expect From the Next Phase of the Pandemic

Published: Dec. 17, 2021, 10:50 a.m.

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus is incredibly contagious \u2014 it is able to infect people with even greater frequency than the Delta variant, and it is skilled at evading the immune system\u2019s defenses. Much is still unknown about the new variant, and scientists are racing to understand its threat. But amid the uncertainty, there\u2019s good news about a prospective new virus treatment: A pill by Pfizer is effective in reducing people\u2019s risk of hospitalization or death from Covid-19.\n\nWe explore these two developments and what they could mean for the next phase of the pandemic.\n\nGuest: Carl Zimmer, a science writer and author of the \u201cMatter\u201d column for The New York Times.