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The impact of the Omicron coronavirus variant on a largely unboosted US population going into the holiday season will create a “perfect storm” that will challenge health care systems from coast to coast, an expert said Monday.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention might consider redefining what it means to be “fully vaccinated” against COVID-19 to include a third dose of vaccine — but the question is when the definition could change.

Biotechnology company Moderna announced Monday that preliminary data suggests its half-dose booster shot increased antibody levels against Omicron compared with the levels seen when a fully vaccinated person does not receive a booster — and a larger-sized dose of the booster increases antibody levels even more.

If you need to know whether you have coronavirus but don’t want to deal with appointment scheduling and clinic wait times, a self-test can be a convenient solution. But who are self-tests right for? And how do you use them correctly?

Vaccine maker Pfizer said Friday that trials of its vaccine in children ages 2 to 5 show it did not provide the expected immunity in kids this age and it is adding a third dose to the regimen.

South Africa, the United Kingdom and Denmark are three of the countries where the Omicron variant is now surging, less than a month after it was first detected.

COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are rising once again, prompting a new wave of cancellations and disruptions as the country prepares for another pandemic holiday season.