Cautious Optimism in the Pandemic's Next Phase

As winter begins to fade, COVID-19 maps are changing colors from those ominous dark shades to a more hopeful outlook. Infections are down dramatically in the past few weeks and death and hospitalization rates are dropping too. But there's also reason for caution.

NPR correspondent Rob Stein reports on a new version of the Omicron variant referred to as BA.2. It's been the dominant strain in some countries and it's showing up in the U.S. too.

And NPR correspondent Michaeleen Doucleff discusses whether a fourth booster dose of vaccine may be in our future.

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