in a moment, the ceo of pfizer joins us to talk boosters, possible new versions of the vaccines, and a pill the company has been testing to treat covid. first, cnn s athena jones on why this variant has become so troubling so quickly. reporter: tonight, the president calling for calm. this variant is a cause for concern, not a cause for panic. reporter: as omicron, a new coronavirus variant, first detected in south africa, spreads around the world. this is a new wrench that s been thrown into the fight against covid. it s certainly not good news. reporter: raising new, urgent questions. we don t know everything we need to know about this new variant, yet. we don t know, yet, what the level of severity will be. reporter: omicron has at least 50 mutations, including some shared with the highly contagious delta variant. that drove a deadly-summer surge in the united states. the new variant has become the most dominant strain in south africa less than two weeks
potential threat. there is a lot we don t know. the cdc amped up its advice on vaccine boosters. the old world is that anyone 18 and older may get a booster. joins us to talk boosters, possible new versions of the vaccines, and a pill the company has been testing to treat covid. first, cnn s athena jones on why this variant has become so troubling so quickly. reporter: tonight, the president calling for calm. this variant is a cause for concern, not a cause for panic. reporter: as omicron, a new coronavirus variant, first detected in south africa, spreads around the world. this is a new wrench that s been thrown into the fight against covid. it s certainly not good news. reporter: raising new, urgent questions. we don t know everything we need to know about this new variant, yet. we don t know, yet, what the level of severity will be. reporter: omicron has at least 50 mutations, including some shared with the highly contagious delta variant. that drove a dea
little new idea that comes up, every glimpse. tony is the music. he unites everyone. he cares about securing the future of opera and helps to train the big names of tomorrow. maestro pappano has been a great| help into nurturing talent of people like me who are young artists. he s very encouraging. i go behind the scenes at the royal opera house to see tony in action and ask if opera is losing its relevance for new audiences and whether he thinks it s making itself fit for the future. i think every major opera house wants to entice younger audiences. it must do everything and be open to the interests of many different people. let me take you to the opera! sir antonio pappano, or tony, as he prefers to be known, has the signature flair of his italian roots, combined with a detailed knowledge of music that has made him one of the most popular conductors of our age. tony has been in so much demand that over the last two decades he s simultaneously held two leading posts music
sir antonio pappano, or tony, as he prefers to be known, has the signature flair of his italian roots, combined with a detailed knowledge of music that has made him one of the most popular conductors of our age. tony has been in so much demand that over the last two decades he s simultaneously held two leading posts music director at the santa cecilia orchestra in rome and at london s royal opera house. he s such a unique personality as well as a wonderful musician and artist. there s that inimitable fire, that unquestioning commitment that he brings to every single performance that he does here. it s that level of passion which really comes across. cheering and applause he steps down from his post in rome in september 2023, and the following summer, he leaves the royal opera house after a record 22 years. but it won t mean the end of tony s love affair with opera. he will be a guest conductor here at the royal opera house in covent garden, where there have been so many key
he wins praise and plaudits for his style and brilliance. he wants to smell every little new idea that comes up, every glimpse. tony is the music. he unites everyone. he cares about securing the future of opera and helps to train the big names of tomorrow. maestro pappano has been a great help into nurturing talent of people i like me who are young artists. he s very encouraging. i go behind the scenes at the royal opera house to see tony in action and ask if opera is losing its relevance for new audiences and whether he thinks it s making itself fit for the future. i think every major opera house wants to entice younger audiences. it must do everything and be open to the interests of many different people. let me take you to the opera! sir antonio pappano, or tony, as he prefers to be known, has the signature flair of his italian roots, combined with a detailed knowledge of music that has made him one of the most popular conductors of our age. tony has been in so much deman