For the first time in two months, the US is averaging more than 100,000 new COVID19 cases each day. 9News
The seven-day moving average of new cases was 121,437 as of Saturday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University . Prior to this week, the US last topped the 100,000-cases-a-day mark in early October.
The Omicron variant has been alarming officials because early indications show it could be more contagious than the original strain, and the significant number of mutations it carries poses a potential risk of reducing some of the effectiveness the current vaccines provide. Scientists are working to determine the severity and transmissibility of Omicron - but that could take weeks, officials have said.
The surgeon general stressed that even though there's a lot to learn about the new variant, mitigation efforts, including masks and hand hygiene combined with physical distancing, remain effective in providing some protection. The Delta variant managed to take over the entire nation in the early weeks of summer, changing the outlook as vaccines were rolling out and becoming more widely available. The variant continues to rage in hotspots across the country.More than 59,000 Americans are hospitalised with COVID-19, according to data from US Department of Health and Human Services. And overall, hospitalisations have been on the rise for more than three weeks.
"Just as I said and I'll say it again, if you have a vaccinated situation, enjoy the holidays with your family in a family setting," said Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, at a CNN Global Town Hall.
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