As we are now in the colder months as well as the holiday season, where gatherings become more frequent, COVID cases and hospitalizations are surging. And while the omicron variant has yet to be detected in Illinois, health officials have a degree of certainty that it has already arrived and is just a matter of time before we find it. The 21st was joined by a professor of microbiology to discuss the new variant and the state of the pandemic. 

Despite "pandemic fatigue" and a rising sentiment that people just want to be done with the COVID-19 pandemic, it's clear that the pandemic isn't done with us. A new variant of concern has emerged, and case counts are on the rise again as we head into the holiday season. The 21st was joined by the Illinois Department of Public Health Director, Dr. Ngozi Ezike.