Omicron fuels rapid spread, but data offer hope
Global coronavirus cases are now surging to levels far higher than at any previous point of the pandemic — with an average of nearly 1.5 million new cases every day — but recent data provide some encouraging news.
People infected with the Omicron variant, which appears to have fueled the recent increase, are far less likely to be hospitalized than those infected with the Delta variant, a British study determined. And for those who have been vaccinated, hospitalization with Omicron is even less likely. Boosters are especially effective.
With that data in mind — and in an effort to lessen the load on hospitals without reinstating lockdowns — governments are now redoubling their focus on vaccinations and boosters, which are increasingly seen as the world’s ticket to “living with Covid.”
What’s next: In the U.S., Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, said that hospitalizations were a more important indicator than reported cases of the severity of the Omicron wave.
Here are the latest updates and maps of the pandemic.
In other developments:
-
South Korea’s vaccine passes now expire after six months, unless people receive booster doses.
-
Vietnam urged China to ease Covid-related border restrictions that it said were causing supply chain issues.
-
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared Pfizer booster shots for 12- to 15-year-olds.
