“GET BOOSTED NOW. Tidal wave of Omicron likely coming to a hospital near you soon,” Dr Tom Frieden, former chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), posted on Twitter.
Preliminary data in South Africa suggests Omicron leads to milder illness than the Delta variant, which is still driving much of the current wave of infections. But a British study released on Friday found no difference in severity between the two variants.
Either way, Omicron’s extraordinary level of infectiousness means it could cause many additional deaths, the top US infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, said on Friday.
“When you have a larger number of people getting infected, the total amount of hospitalizations is going to be more. That’s just simple math,” Fauci told CNBC.
Fauci also said officials are discussing whether to redefine what it means to be “fully vaccinated” to include booster shots.
PULLING THE PLUG?
The latest surge is creating yet another round of disruptions to daily life, though widespread lockdowns of workplaces and social gatherings have not been put in place.
A federal appeals court on Friday reinstated a nationwide vaccine-or-testing COVID-19 mandate for large businesses – an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule that covers 80 million American workers.
Some Americans have reconsidered holiday plans. Winifred Donoghue, a New York City advertising writer, cancelled a Jan 8 disco party at her family’s vacation home in Highland Lakes, New Jersey, that was intended to be a joint celebration of her 60th birthday and the new year.
“Two weeks ago, everyone was boosted. Then the infections went up exponentially,” she said. “By January, who is going to feel safe? I just pulled the plug on it.”
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