Dr. Fauci said, "We're dealing with a
highly, highly transmissible variety that spreads quickly."
Cases of COVID continue to reach new highs. "The current seven-day daily average of cases is about 491,700 cases per day, up about 98 percent from the previous week," said CDC Dr. Rochelle Walensky at a COVID press briefing minutes ago. "The seven-day average of hospital admissions ranges from 14,000 to 800 every day, up 63 percent from the previous week. And the seven-day average of daily deaths is around 1,200 per day, which is up around 5% from the previous year "per week," he says. What does this mean for you? Dr. Anthony Fauci, the president's chief medical advisor and the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, joins Walensky to discuss the severity of Omicron and how to protect yourself. Continue reading.
1. Dr. Fauci Said Omicron is "Highly, Highly Transmissible."
Dr. Fauci warned, "Without a doubt, unequivocally, we are dealing with a highly, extremely transmissible variety that spreads quickly." "In that regard, the data is overwhelming. Number two, immune evasion—Omicron is immune to symptomatic disease and, to a smaller extent, severe disease... laboratory and clinical data indicate that booster shots reconstitute vaccine protection, even against Omicron."
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2. Dr. Fauci Said Omicron is Proving to Be Less Severe, But You Still Must Be Very Careful Not to Get It
According to Dr. Fauci, all evidence indicates that Omicron leads to less severe sickness, which is a positive sign. However, he issued a strong warning, "We should not be complacent, as the increased transmissibility may be negated by the sheer volume of cases, which may be of reduced severity but still stress our hospital system, as a certain proportion of a large volume of cases, regardless of severity, will be severe. So don't interpret this as a hint that we can relax our attitude on the need for immunization, booster shots, masks, and all of the other CDC recommendations."
3. Dr. Walensky Said Omicron Represents 95% of Cases in America
"We've seen a big and rapid spike in COVID-19 cases during the previous several weeks and over the holidays. This rise reflects both cases caused by the Delta variant and, more importantly, those caused by the Omicron variant, which is presently on the rise. According to CDC genomic sequencing, we've observed the number of Omicron cases rise, and the percentage of Delta cases fall over the last month. We now estimate that Omicron accounts for around 95% of cases in the state. "It's a country," Dr. Walensky remarked. "Delta manages the remaining 5% of the cases."
4. Dr. Walensky Said Here are Some New Vaccine and Booster Rules
"The rapid increase in cases, as well as the emergence of the more transmissible Omicron form, highlight the importance of immunizations and boosters. FFDA issued multiple vaccination authorizations this week, and the CDC followed up with further vaccine recommendations. First, the FDA approved and the CDC suggested that the six-month window for persons who had the Pfizer COVID 19 vaccine obtain a booster dose be reduced to five months. Second, the FDA has approved and the CDC has recommended that children aged five to eleven who are moderately or severely immunocompromised have a second primary shot of the Pfizer COVID 19 vaccine 28 days after their first shot to give them with additional protection. Following the FDA's approval on Monday, the CDC's advisory committee on vaccination practices is meeting today to discuss boosters for children aged 12 to 15."
He continued, " "According to existing evidence, a booster dose is required for protection against COVID-19 and the Omicron version. The benefit of a booster dosage after just getting a primary series has been established by CDC surveillance data and other trials worldwide, including a lower risk of infection, severe sickness, and death caused by COVID-19. In major national studies in Israel, a booster dose reduced infection by ten times in all age categories compared to completely vaccinated people. Similarly, boosters reduced severe disease in people over 60 years old by 18 times. Severe disease in people 40 to 59 years old by 22 times and people who received a boost shot had 90 percent lower COVID-19 mortality than those who did not receive a booster shot, while these studies are performed "I'm done."
5. How to Stay Safe Out There
Get vaccinated as soon as possible; if you live in an area with low vaccination rates, wear an N95 face mask, avoid large crowds, don't go indoors with people you aren't sheltering with (especially in bars), practice good hand hygiene.
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