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New variants to endgame: What coronavirus has in store for the world next

In the next six months, more countries will contend with whether to roll out a fourth shot.

A "door-to-door" vaccination team inoculates residents at a village in the Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2021. (Photo: Sumit Dayal/Bloomberg)
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A “door-to-door” vaccination team inoculates residents at a village in the Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2021. (Photo: Sumit Dayal/Bloomberg)

Michelle Cortez | Bloomberg
As a virus-weary world limps through the third year of the outbreak, experts are sending out a warning signal: Don’t expect omicron to be the last variant we have to contend with — and don’t let your guard down yet. 

In the midst of a vast wave of milder infections, countries around the world are dialing back restrictions and softening their messaging. Many people are starting to assume they’ve had their run-in with Covid-19 and that the pandemic is tailing off. 

That’s not necessarily the case. 

The crisis isn’t over until it’s over everywhere. The effects will continue to reverberate