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A health worker prepares to administer the AstraZeneca jab in Abuja, Nigeria. AFP
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A young woman receives a Pfizer jab in Diepsloot Township near Johannesburg, South Africa. AP Photo
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NHWQXK3CEDDBMPFKWQBOIAC7FQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=0aec17b5d5d68cef27eca0da5971cf6b7fca18661a30addd4ddcc73b19d3eafa&width=400&height=225)
A girl wearing a face mask rides on a merry-go-round at the Christmas market in Frankfurt, Germany. AP Photo
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FW3U66BOGH2XISZIMLDJMG4TMU.jpg?smart=true&auth=a33332c4ef07b0c94478057eb51b48f4670a75be9df671e0a163740f1c3f87e6&width=400&height=225)
People travel on a London underground tube train on the Jubilee Line, in London, during the pandemic. AP Photo
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/O7GJPCN52AGF6IMFEHBRB435VU.jpg?smart=true&auth=7773871ebe33b40163865f75f66abb32d4051aa36f63bd02f822ef53c5802200&width=400&height=225)
People wait for the tram in Vienna, Austria, amid the crisis. AP Photo
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DKW2YE27XT46W3PUWDL7S2ZYSQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=391fea9246cc033915d393632c10da548ead551f0ac1f95674f5ea8451ed78b9&width=400&height=225)
A woman passes by an empty terrace in the Marrolles quarter in Brussels, Belgium. AP Photo
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A teacher gives online lessons via webcam at the temporarily closed elementary school in the town of Trebisov, eastern Slovakia. TASR via AP
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Hairdressers and clients wear masks in Amsterdam, Netherlands. AFP
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A man disinfects seats for tourists at a beach in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. EPA
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Israeli boy Itamar, 5, receives a dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at the Meuhedet Healthcare Services Organisation in Tel Aviv. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/INT42MCPTY2QWT7QNTSIRYG7KY.jpg?smart=true&auth=67c43f3e1f53ca65917de73f093821aa2f6598d3c201219bcd84f6c4f87dc4e9&width=400&height=225)
A patient suffering from Covid-19 is admitted in the intensive care unit of the Basaksehir Cam and Sakura City Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QCLSSV44SCIBBWODGU3ARZHSCY.jpg?smart=true&auth=ed8f14b01f884ef543a6f3fb9f6bf2968241c2012297ae8c7706b5d38eb309e6&width=400&height=225)
A health worker prepares to administer the AstraZeneca jab in Abuja, Nigeria. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/D43FRIQKSDEWEENLN5SP3LSUPY.jpg?smart=true&auth=084bb5fd10bbfbf8f39c98ad9cdb1b8772f143c2388607fcf3f288e3aa58b60c&width=400&height=225)
A young woman receives a Pfizer jab in Diepsloot Township near Johannesburg, South Africa. AP Photo
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NHWQXK3CEDDBMPFKWQBOIAC7FQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=0aec17b5d5d68cef27eca0da5971cf6b7fca18661a30addd4ddcc73b19d3eafa&width=400&height=225)
A girl wearing a face mask rides on a merry-go-round at the Christmas market in Frankfurt, Germany. AP Photo
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FW3U66BOGH2XISZIMLDJMG4TMU.jpg?smart=true&auth=a33332c4ef07b0c94478057eb51b48f4670a75be9df671e0a163740f1c3f87e6&width=400&height=225)
People travel on a London underground tube train on the Jubilee Line, in London, during the pandemic. AP Photo
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/O7GJPCN52AGF6IMFEHBRB435VU.jpg?smart=true&auth=7773871ebe33b40163865f75f66abb32d4051aa36f63bd02f822ef53c5802200&width=400&height=225)
People wait for the tram in Vienna, Austria, amid the crisis. AP Photo
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DKW2YE27XT46W3PUWDL7S2ZYSQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=391fea9246cc033915d393632c10da548ead551f0ac1f95674f5ea8451ed78b9&width=400&height=225)
A woman passes by an empty terrace in the Marrolles quarter in Brussels, Belgium. AP Photo
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KD3FAHN7NVMSCDD4PDDLLOW5KU.jpg?smart=true&auth=d70aee938aebbc723747c7644b551f22e0e7012413eab1bbd037bdef1e9bf004&width=400&height=225)
A teacher gives online lessons via webcam at the temporarily closed elementary school in the town of Trebisov, eastern Slovakia. TASR via AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YNUCL346RHUGLE3UIGDMTEZEHY.jpg?smart=true&auth=7ade1ee50439d68ba9b01745c68b62a7d76a5f027eacf7173b2c441b6c118e5e&width=400&height=225)
Hairdressers and clients wear masks in Amsterdam, Netherlands. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OK5EBXVJPC2PSKFACUZOS4H3EA.jpg?smart=true&auth=3d4422c3de40920e0877930e69208fa1065cc796e116f1f280dbf54bd4b2fc0f&width=400&height=225)
A man disinfects seats for tourists at a beach in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OE2UAUUFOVJGSQKEN5HDAKHUZU.jpg?smart=true&auth=86507b156816a002f39e0da28a92f633d31609aeb9a089026d18009183418940&width=400&height=225)
Israeli boy Itamar, 5, receives a dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at the Meuhedet Healthcare Services Organisation in Tel Aviv. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/INT42MCPTY2QWT7QNTSIRYG7KY.jpg?smart=true&auth=67c43f3e1f53ca65917de73f093821aa2f6598d3c201219bcd84f6c4f87dc4e9&width=400&height=225)
A patient suffering from Covid-19 is admitted in the intensive care unit of the Basaksehir Cam and Sakura City Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QCLSSV44SCIBBWODGU3ARZHSCY.jpg?smart=true&auth=ed8f14b01f884ef543a6f3fb9f6bf2968241c2012297ae8c7706b5d38eb309e6&width=400&height=225)
A health worker prepares to administer the AstraZeneca jab in Abuja, Nigeria. AFP
Omicron: how Covid-19 variants are named and classified
B.1.1.529 was named on Friday as a 'Variant of Concern' by the World Health Organisation
![Daniel Bardsley](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F4dcffed7-67d1-4c6f-b468-84a82d1ddd22.png?smart=true&auth=e4d7a6e3c76d7ec922e25339bc18538c62bc925936c2316006dc89b8a7becdc6&width=70&height=70)
Daniel Bardsley
27 November, 2021
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