The Omicron variant appears to result in less severe COVID-19 than seen during previous periods of high coronavirus transmission including the Delta wave, with shorter hospital stays, less need for intensive care and fewer deaths, according to a new U.S. study.

With a new wave of Covid-19 infections fueled by the Delta variant striking countries worldwide, disease experts are scrambling to learn whether the latest version of coronavirus is making people – mainly the unvaccinated – sicker than before.

Gargling salt water is a time-tested way to alleviate sore-throat pain. As a nasal lavage, it can help clear stuffy sinuses associated with colds and allergies. But, is gargling salt water effective against the symptoms of COVID-19?

The United Kingdom’s COVID-19 death toll exceeds 40,000, by far the worst yet reported in Europe, raising more questions about Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s handling of the coronavirus crisis.