This archive report was first published on 25 December 2021.
As the Omicron variant continues to spread globally, the US is experiencing significant disruptions to air travel.
According to Flightaware, a quarter of the more than 4,000 flights cancelled worldwide on Friday and Saturday were in the US.
The cancellations are largely due to crews testing positive for the virus or being forced to self-isolate to prevent the spread of the disease.
As the US, like many countries, sees a sharp rise in Omicron cases, scientists are concerned by the sheer number of infections.
Dr. Hallie Prescott, an associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan, warned that even a small percentage of infected individuals could overwhelm hospitals.
‘When we have millions and millions and millions of people, all sick, all together at one time, it doesn’t take a large percentage of those people to topple over the hospitals,’ Dr. Prescott told the New York Times.
Meanwhile, in the UK, volunteers are preparing for a Christmas Day booster jabs push to reduce the impact of Omicron.
