Why you should upgrade your mask as the Omicron variant spreads As the Omicron variant spreads, it's time to upgrade from your cloth face masks. Experts explain why medical-grade masks -- such as surgical/disposable masks and N95 and KN95 respirators -- are better options now and what people should do with the cloth masks they already have. Kristen Rogers, CNN CNN

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US sets shorter COVID-19 isolation rules for health workers | AP News NEW YORK (AP) — Worried that a new COVID-19 wave could overwhelm understaffed U.S. hospitals, federal officials on Thursday loosened rules that call on health care workers to stay out of work for 10 days if they test positive. AP NEWS

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Omicron is already changing how medicine fights COVID-19.

Although it only became widespread across the United States in the past week, doctors, pharmacists and drug companies said they need different tools against the new variant.

Two well-used monoclonal antibodies are unlikely to be effective against omicron. In their place, the government accelerated authorization of two antivirals that can be taken right after diagnosis to prevent illnesses from becoming severe.

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday authorized use of Pfizer's Paxlovid, a series of pills, taken at home that prevent nearly 90% of severe COVID-19 among those at high risk. On Thursday, the FDA authorized use of a second antiviral, molnupiravir, which appears to prevent progression to severe disease about 30% of the time.

"As we face omicron, the nation's medicine cabinet of treatments gives us more options to protect the American people," said Jeff Zients, the White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator. "We have tools to keep people safe and we will continue to use them."

Nigeria destroys 1 million expired donated COVID-19 vaccines | AP News LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria destroyed more than 1 million expired doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday after authorities said they could not be used before their expiration date. Faisal Shuaib, head of Nigeria’s National Primary Health Care Development Agency, said health officials in Africa's most populous country were left with little choice after receiving the donated doses that didn't have much shelf life left. AP NEWS

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Amazon revives mask mandate for warehouse workers due to rise in Covid cases Amazon is requiring all U.S. warehouse workers to wear a mask inside operations facilities. Annie Palmer CNBC

Amazon’s U.S. warehouse employees will once again be required to wear face masks at work amid a surge in Covid-19 cases due to the highly transmissible omicron variant.

UK government rules out new restrictions before Christmas | AP News LONDON (AP) — The British government said Thursday it won’t introduce any new coronavirus restrictions until after Christmas, and called early studies on the severity of the omicron variant encouraging. AP NEWS

... Health Secretary Sajid Javid said two studies suggesting omicron carries a significantly lower risk of hospitalization than the previously dominant delta strain was “encouraging news.” But he said it was “not very clear yet ... by how much that risk is reduced.” ...

FDA authorizes second COVID-19 pill, from Merck The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday authorized a COVID-19 treatment from Merck, marking the second pill to become available to fight the virus. Peter Sullivan TheHill

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This authorization is more limited than one on Wednesday for a Pfizer pill. The FDA authorized the Merck pill, developed with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, for high-risk adults "for whom alternative COVID-19 treatment options authorized by the FDA are not accessible or clinically appropriate."

Covid could take on a similar ebb and flow to the flu, but there is plenty left to figure out about just how severe and disruptive it will continue to be.

SEATTLE — Early in the pandemic, many people seized on the hope that Covid-19 could be stopped in its tracks and buried for good once vaccines rolled out.

But hope for a zero-Covid country fizzled for most scientists long ago. 

“Everyone has stopped talking about getting rid of Covid,” Dr. Elizabeth Halloran, an epidemiologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, said of her fellow researchers. “It’s not going away, and that means it’s going to be endemic.”