Curb your omicron enthusiasm

Omicron won't reach its peak in the CR until later this week, but Health Min. Vlastimil Válek is already sending the signal that a relaxation should be possible soon because of effective use of testing in companies and schools and continued application of booster shots. He hasn't made any promises with regard to a relaxation of the kinds in England and Ireland, but he argues that covid must become a standard disease that is handled in a standard way. Before making too many decisions based on such optimistic comments, it's wise to go back to the original source for pandemic information - the World Health Organization. Its director-general, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said last Tues. that the narrative that omicron is a mild disease is misleading, hurts the overall response, and costs more lives. "This pandemic is nowhere near over," he said, "and with the incredible growth of omicron globally, new variants are likely to emerge." For him, omicron is merely the "latest" wave.