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It is not yet clear whether the variant causes milder illness than earlier variants. “I still can’t quite wrap my head around how quickly this is moving,” said Joseph Fauver, a genomic epidemiologist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Biden encouraged people to gather and celebrate the holidays, so long as they were vaccinated and took standard precautions.Īt the same time, he warned that the variant was spreading at unprecedented speed, and said there would be Omicron infections among the vaccinated, apparently resigned to the fact that even those who have received boosters may get infected with the highly contagious variant. But while the tests are sold over the counter, prices start at $14 for a two-pack, and many stores are sold out.Īnd in sharp contrast with the advice given out last year, Mr. The crisis is brewing just as Americans prepare to travel to holiday gatherings, college students return home for vacation, and young and old converge for New Year’s parties or set off on trips that may further spread the virus.įederal health officials asked health care providers on Monday to advise their patients to conduct rapid home tests for Covid before holiday gatherings, and ask their guests to do the same. Sources: State and local health agencies (cases) Census Bureau (population data). Some expressed frustration and alarm about what they described as a timid public health response, and bemoaned the apparent lack of will among politicians and society at large for more aggressive steps.
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In interviews on Tuesday, some scientists argued that the variant’s rapid spread requires more vigorous mitigation measures. Biden explicitly ruled out lockdowns and other harsh measures of the kind put in place as the pandemic first unfolded in early 2020. Federal officials will direct resources, including Army doctors, to support health care systems and distribute rapid tests to Americans.īut Mr. The administration’s strategy includes doubling down on vaccination campaigns and propping up hospitals as they confront a large influx of patients. Joseph Prezioso/Agence France-Presse - Getty ImagesĮven as President Biden on Tuesday outlined new plans for battling the highly contagious Omicron variant, public health experts warned that the measures would not be sufficient to prevent a rise in infections and hospitalizations over the next few weeks. Rapid at-home Covid-19 test kits at the Chelsea Community Connections in Chelsea, Mass.