Travel during the Christmas period will increase the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, even among those who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19., warned yesterday, Sunday, the leading US epidemiologist, Anthony Fauci, speaking to American media outlets.
«There is no doubt about it, (Omicron) has an amazing ability to spread,» Fauci said on NBC's Meet the Press.
The epidemiologist advising the US government on pandemic management pointed out that the Omicron strain is now «sweeping across the world,» while expressed concern about the large number of Americans who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19.
«This virus is amazing,» Fauci emphasized. «It will gain the upper hand, and we will see difficult weeks or months as we approach winter.».
«It's spreading really fast, literally all over the world and definitely in our country,» he pointed out in another interview with ABC, explaining that nearly 50 million Americans are unvaccinated.
«When we have this level of vulnerability and a virus like Omicron that spreads so quickly, it is very likely that we will see significant pressure on the healthcare system in some areas of the country as well as healthcare workers who are exhausted because of this,» he added, calling on Americans to get a booster shot.
«The difference between a vaccinated person and someone who has had the booster shot when they become infected (with COVID-19) and an unvaccinated person who becomes infected is significant in terms of the risk of severity» of the disease, Fauci emphasized.
«Those who are fully vaccinated cope better (with a possible infection) ...Optimal protection is provided by administering a booster dose.», he noted.
Nearly 73% of Americans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). So far, approximately 30% have received a booster dose.
Based on the latest estimates from the CDC, the Omicron strain is responsible for about 31% of current infections, with most cases reported in New York State.
Since the start of the pandemic in the US, more than 50 million cases of COVID-19 have been identified and more than 800,000 people have died from the disease.
