The Omicron variant’s transmission rate is exponentially higher than Delta, leaving healthcare workers across the U.S. in dire straits. Waves are being organized by nurses, doctors, and other health professionals. Some have even quit the profession because of exploitative conditions. In addition to the increasing hospitalizations, the staffing shortage has also added to the problem. COVID-19, the limited availability of equipment and the lack of federal support for preventative actions such as paid medical leaves. “This is the cost of two years spent pushing prematurely for a return to normal,” says Ed Yong, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and science writer at The Atlantic. Yong also discusses the debate about keeping schools open during the election. COVID-19 surge, and challenges to President Biden’s vaccine mandates affecting nearly 100 million workers.
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