Will Stone

Understaffed hospitals are already coping with increased patient demand heading into the holidays. They have few options to expand if omicron creates a huge new wave of COVID patients.

U.S. hospitals have a heads-up on omicron, but that doesn't mean they feel ready to deal with what could be a huge wave of patients infected by the new variant of COVID-19.

Many U.S. hospitals are already struggling with a wave of COVID-19 patients and now they are also racing to prepare for the omicron variant, which threatens to further accelerate hospitalizations.

Health care workers in the U.S. are eyeing the omicron variant of COVID-19 while the delta variant continues to put hospitals under stress.

The variant has spread through South Africa with remarkable speed — and been detected in at least 60 other countries. Specialists are trying to figure out the next stage for this unwelcome variant.

The omicron variant is gaining a foothold in Europe. Scientists say it is spreading faster than delta and can do so even in places where many people are vaccinated. What could this mean for the U.S.?

Scientists are scouring coronavirus samples for clues of the omicron variant. The U.S. is in a better position now than it was earlier to find the variant, but some part of the country may struggle.

Pfizer's CEO says the vaccine maker has asked federal regulators to authorize boosters for 16- and 17-year-olds. Currently, only people 18 and over are eligible for a booster in the U.S.

Booster shots have been authorized for all U.S. adults, and the government is urging people to get them. But what if you've already had COVID and the vaccine?

An expert panel of CDC advisers will meet to consider expanding COVID-19 booster eligibility to all adults. With cases rising in the U.S., how much can boosters really help?

The FDA plans to authorize Pfizer's COVID vaccine boosters for all adults 18 and older. The announcement could happen Thursday. What is the evidence for boosting younger healthier people?

After declining most of the fall, new infections are up again in more than half of U.S. states, worrying experts about what the holiday season may bring.

It's an ominous sign ahead of the holidays: coronavirus cases are again rising in the U.S. In some states, hospitals are already under siege with an influx of patients.

Colorado hospitals are on the verge of a crisis as COVID-19 cases are rising. New Mexico and Utah are not far behind.

An influential medical panel is cautioning older adults against taking a low dose of aspirin to prevent a first stroke or heart attack. It's a change in guidance for many Americans.

The U.S. is entering an uneasy stretch of the pandemic. Despite progress, the delta surge is dragging on in certain regions. Can vaccines ward off a big surge over the holidays?

Ahead of the holidays, coronavirus cases are down, but the U.S. remains stuck in a cycle of regional outbreaks, even in heavily vaccinated northern states. Can boosters and kids vaccines make a dent?

New research shows people with substance use disorders are significantly more vulnerable to a breakthrough infection of COVID-19.

You've seen the headlines about COVID boosters. But what does it all mean for you? Here's how to sort through the science and figure out if and when you need a booster and which one to get.

With high-profile stories of vaccinated people dying from COVID, how worried should you be about getting a serious breakthrough case? Here's how the data shake out.