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
Source