According to the World Health Organization, new Covid-19 infections have increased by 20% globally over the past week, with more than 18 million reported cases.

But there is some positive news. Omicron infections appear to be peaking in some countries. Here in the United States new cases are dropping in a growing number of places, while rising in others. CGTN’s Jim Spellman has a report.

To discuss:

• Chris Smith is a consulting Virologist at the University of Cambridge and co-presenter of “The Naked Scientists” podcast.
• Arthur Dong is a professor at Georgetown University’s School of Business. 
• Gavin Macgregor-Skinner is senior director of the Global Biorisk Advisory Council and an infectious disease expert.
• William Haseltine is the chair and president of ACCESS Health International, and author of “Variants! The Shape-Shifting Challenge of COVID-19 Vaccine Evasion and Reinfection.”

For more:

All plan B Covid restrictions, including mask wearing, to end in England https://t.co/xDG7HQINuo

— The Guardian (@guardian) January 19, 2022

Virus update:
•WHO: Omicron slows with 18 million virus cases last week.
•Biden administration to give away 400 million N95 masks.
•Japan widens curbs as cases surge.
• Beijing residents disappointed Olympics will be a closed event.

More coverage: https://t.co/V1OE3ijBmV

— The Associated Press (@AP) January 19, 2022

Greece has begun imposing recurring fines on those over the age of 60 who are unvaccinated against COVID-19 to try to boost inoculation in the most vulnerable age group even as infection rates from the fast-spreading Omicron variant are slowing https://t.co/8Exi5YGQCa pic.twitter.com/sd2eXKEW1T

— Reuters (@Reuters) January 19, 2022