Dec. 21, 2021

At a virtual meeting this afternoon, the Forum’s facilitators decided to delay until further notice any return to in-person Forum meetings. Facilitators had earlier expressed optimism that in-person meetings would resume Jan. 4.

Then along came Omicron.

The possibly less lethal Omicron variant spreads at something like 40 times the rate of Delta, which itself had spread much more rapidly than earlier variants. For those looking for a silver lining, reports out of South Africa, where Omicron was first observed, suggest that Omicron may already have peaked in South Africa. Whether Omicron will be the last major variant is, of course, unknowable.

The Forum is currently on holiday. Virtual meetings will resume Jan. 4, with a special surprise. All Forum participants are urged to attend. The Webex room is Omicron-free and there are always more chairs. The Jan. 4 meeting can also be watched via livestream on Facebook and on the Forum website.