Omicron in the US, increased transmissibility confirmed

Omicron now in 24 countries and California. Now clear it is highly transmissible.

Cases seem mild so far

Omicron rapidly dominating in South Africa

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-tightens-covid-19-travel-rules-countries-race-quell-omicron-threat-2021-12-01/

Omicron is rapidly becoming the dominant in South Africa

Less than four weeks in

South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD)

https://www.nicd.ac.za

74% of all genomes last month, omicron

The first Omicron detected in the U.S.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/01/health/omicron-first-us-case-california.html

California Wednesday, 1st December

California from South Africa on 22nd November

Mild symptoms started 25th November

Mild symptoms that are improving

Not hospitalized

In isolation

Aggressive contact tracing is underway

Person fully vaccinated

Had received two doses Moderna within the six-month window

Close contacts have tested negative

Dr. Anthony S. Fauci

We have 60 million people in this country who are not vaccinated who are eligible to be vaccinated

Let’s get them vaccinated.

Let’s get the people vaccinated, boosted.

Let’s get the children vaccinated.

Get boosted now

We may not need a variant-specific boost.

(EU, vaccine rollout for five-to-11-year-olds 13th December)

Dissent from Mike Ryan

There is no evidence that I’m aware of

that will suggest that boosting the entire population is going to necessarily provide any greater protection for otherwise healthy individuals

against hospitalization or death

WHO, coronavirus will keep producing new variants for as long as it is allowed to circulate freely in unvaccinated


US

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-tightens-covid-19-travel-rules-countries-race-quell-omicron-threat-2021-12-01/

Must have a negative test 24 hours prior to departure