After reprieve, NYC is rattled by a stunning virus spike

By JIM MUSTIAN and JENNIFER PELTZ
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Just a couple of weeks ago, New York City seemed like a relative bright spot in the U.S. coronavirus struggle. Now it’s a hot spot, confronting a dizzying spike in cases, a scramble for testing, a quandary over a major event and an exhausting sense of déjà vu. An omicron-variant-fueled wave of cases is washing over the nation’s most populous city, which served as a nightmarish test case for the country early in the pandemic. Health officials say there are important reasons why it’s not spring 2020 all over again. But there are some echoes — like hourslong lines at many testing sites.