The rapid spread of the omicron variant has left many vaccinated people feeling confused about which activities are safe. Four public health experts share their own personal behavior and risk calculus during this chapter of the pandemic.

Covid test kits are in short supply in the U.S. and scammers are taking advantage, according to the Federal Trade Commission, which issued an alert on Tuesday about bogus kits being sold to consumers online.

Watch this video from NBC news on the differences between the rapid antigen and PCR Covid tests and which is better for determining if you are contagious.

The CDC has changed its recommended quarantine period for people exposed to the virus to only five days if they don’t show symptoms.

The Biden administration’s vaccine rules for employers are back on—at least for now—making quick action and compliance key for HR as deadlines approach.

A Biden administration rule that requires workers at companies with 100 or more employees to be vaccinated against Covid or undergo weekly testing is back on after the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a stay on the rule.

FDA has identified three COVID-19 molecular tests that are not able to detect the omicron variant and warned that the diagnostics from Applied DNA Sciences, Meridian Bioscience and Tide Laboratories will return false negative results

Two senators are taking aim at the widespread issue of fake and ineffective masks flooding the U.S. market.

A new bill will grant more authority to the Food and Drug Administration to enforce and punish counterfeiters in the mask industry.

The emergence of the omicron variant of Covid in southern Africa and its detection around the world has sparked a host of new travel requirements and, in some cases, outright bans — further complicating international trips that were just starting to pick up.

As coronavirus cases rise again in cities throughout the United States and fear over the omicron variant grows, more companies are requiring or planning to mandate vaccines for their employees.

A workforce transformation expert shares the two mistakes companies make when enacting their vaccine policies and what their leaders should do instead.

Scientists around the world are racing to understand the Omicron variant, and there are some clearer signs than a week ago.

The New York Times answered four big questions about Omicron, with help from experts.

Abbott has been intently monitoring the mutations of COVID-19 so we can ensure our tests can detect them. We have already conducted an assessment of the Omicron variant and we’re confident our rapid and PCR tests can detect the virus. While the Omicron variant contains mutations to the spike protein, Abbott’s rapid and molecular tests – antigen and PCR – do not rely on the spike gene to detect the virus.

The World Health Organization announced Friday that it deems this strain, B.1.1.529, a variant of concern, and has named it omicron. It’s the first new variant of concern since delta.

Rapid at-home COVID-19 tests (or rapid antigen tests) have become increasingly popular over the past few months. These tests can be bought over-the-counter and administered at home, providing results in 30 minutes or less. But do they have a shelf life?

Recent weeks have seen a surge in demand for COVID-19 tests across the U.S., fueled in large part by President Biden’s mandate for weekly testing for unvaccinated employees at businesses with more than 100 employees. Specifically, employers are looking for the Rapid Antigen test, which yields results in minutes and can be administered almost anywhere including in clinics, pharmacies, offices and at home.

Ellume is recalling 2.2 million of its at-home COVID-19 tests, according to a recall notice shared by the FDA. So far, 35 false positives have been reported.

Businesses across the U.S. are facing uncertainty over the Biden administration’s new vaccine rule after a federal appeals court on Saturday temporarily halted the regulation. But legal experts say companies subject to the requirement should plan on complying with the 490-page order or risk being caught unprepared — and potentially face costly fines — if the rule moves forward.

In early September, President Biden announced he was taking steps to get more Americans vaccinated and turn the tide on COVID-19.

On Thursday, the administration rolled out two of those steps — two different vaccine rules covering more than 100 million workers.

Here are the details: