Cover Story: The Dangling Sword of Omicron

As the world still struggles to contain the fast-moving delta version of the Covid-19 virus, a new, even more easily-spreading variant is disrupting efforts to return to normal.

Less than four weeks after the omicron variant was found Nov. 9 in South Africa, the virus has spread to at least 23 countries across four continents. Concerns over the newest coronavirus variant have triggered global panic, sending stock markets and oil prices plunging, forcing countries to close borders and restrict travel again, putting existing vaccines and drugs to the test, and posing new challenges for both the zero-tolerance and coexistence pandemic strategies.