a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Study published Tuesday found that while the omicron variant has broken records for COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, other factors have shown it to be still less severe than other waves of the pandemic.
The highly contagious variant has pushed the US to break 1 million cases in one day multiple times and the rate of reported deaths is currently over 15,000 a week.
But even though omicron saw the highest reported hospitalization numbers during the pandemic, the ratio of emergency department visits and hospitalizations to case numbers was actually lower compared to the delta variant COVID waves and during the winter of 2020-21, the study says.
Intensive care unit admission, length of stay and hospital deaths were lower during omicron, the CDC report says, likely in part due to vaccinations and booster shots. 207 million Americans have been vaccinated during the omicron period, compared to 178 million during the delta period and just 1.5 million during the 2020-21 winter period.
Although omicron is apparently less severe, its contagiousness is still pushing the medical system to its limits: The number of people with COVID who visited emergency departments was 86% higher than during the delta, according to the CDC.
the federal government recently dispatched military medical teams to six states to help hospitals overwhelmed by the coronavirus, and governors have ordered the Ohio Y Kansas National Guard to hospitals to help alleviate staffing problems.
The CDC report tracked the data back to January 15, when the increase in hospital admissions appeared to be slowing.
Also in the news:
►Only 40% of the US population. have received the extra dose of vaccination against COVID-19, considerably lower than the 63% who are fully vaccinated against the virus.
►California Governor Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers reached an agreement Tuesday to reorder that employers must provide up to two weeks of COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave. Last year’s paid vacation plan expired in September 2021.
►US Senator Mark Warner of Virginia has tested positive for a breakthrough case of COVID-19 and is working from home with “extremely mild” symptoms, his office said Tuesday.
📈 Today’s numbers: The United States has recorded more than 72 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 871,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Global totals: more than 357 million cases and more than 5.6 million deaths. More than 210 million Americans (63.5%) are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
📘What we are reading: With symptoms ranging from shortness of breath to blood clots to loss of smellwhat has been called prolonged COVID could actually be a constellation of problems, not a general condition.
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Omicron’s new variant cousin has arrived in the US.
Don’t panic just yet, experts say.
Unlike two years ago, when the whole world was learning about COVID-19, there are now many tools to fight the disease and, like its cousin, omicron BA.2 is expected to remain relatively mild.
“I don’t think it’s going to cause the degree of chaos and disruption, morbidity and mortality that BA.1 caused,” said Dr. Jacob Lemieux, an infectious disease specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “I’m cautiously optimistic that we’re going to keep moving towards a better place and hopefully one where every new variant on the horizon isn’t news.”
While COVID-19 cases have started to decline in places like Massachusetts, where omicron hit hard late last year, BA.2 cases are rising in the Philippines, India, Denmark and South Africa, Lemieux said. Cases have also been reported in the United States, so far in California, New Mexico, Texas, and Washington state.
It’s not yet clear whether the BA.2 is powering the original omicron variant, now known as the BA.1, he said.
— Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY
Free N95 masks are on their way to store pharmacies. what to know
as the government commands free covid tests to homes across the country, 400 million free masks are also on their way.
Unlike free test kits that are ordered through a government website and shipped through the United States Postal Service, the free N95 masks will be available for pickup at “tens of thousands” of pharmacies and drug stores. community health providers that have partnered with the federal government. COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
While the White House said the masks would be available for distribution beginning this week, specific dates for all stores and locations are not yet available.
White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients said Friday it was the “largest deployment of personal protective equipment in American history.”
Mask distribution has already begun at Meijer and Hy-Vee stores and is expected at Walgreens later in the week. Read more about how many masks you can get, which pharmacies offer free masks, and more.
—Kelly Tyko, USA TODAY
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism