Omicron variant: Social gatherings

We bring together people who are considering whether to cancel social gatherings like Christmas parties because of the emergence of the Omicron variant.

Germany has announced plans for tough restrictions on the lives of people who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19. We hear about the reaction.

Health officials in South Africa say that Omicron has now become the dominant strain there, and it's driving a sharp increase in new infections. We'll speak to a doctor in the province of Gauteng where the majority of the new infections are.

We'll also talk about the concerns about the plunge in the value of the currency the lira, and how it's affecting people's lives.

(Photo: An employee of a Christmas market next to Cologne Cathedral checks a 2G rule status of visitors, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Cologne, Germany, December 1, 2021. Credit: Thilo Schmuelgen/Reuters)