Omicron Scare | US Advises People To Avoid Large Holiday Gatherings, Says Not Safe Even With Booster

According to US CDC, Omicron currently accounts for approximately 73 per cent of all Covid-19 cases across the country. At some places, it is as high as 90 per cent.

A file photo of Dr. Anthony Fauci, Chief Medical Advisor to the US president, speaks at a White House briefing | Photo: AFP

New Delhi: With a surge in Covid-19 cases, and the fast-spreading Omicron variant adding to the concerns, people in the United States have been advised to reconsider travels and large gatherings for Christmas and New Year. 

At a White House briefing Wednesday, top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said people can spend the Christmas holidays with family but it won’t be safe even for those vaccinated and boosted against Covid-19 to be in large gatherings, Reuters reported.

"There are many of these parties that have 30, 40, 50 people in which you do not know the vaccination status of individuals. Those are the kind of functions in the context of Omicron that you do not want to go to," Fauci was quoted as saying.

Citing studies from South Africa and Scotland, he said early evidence indicates Omicron could be less severe than the Delta variant, but said people should still remain cautious.

"...we must wait to see what happens in our own population which has its own demographic considerations," Fauci said.

Omicron Represents 73% Covid Cases In US 

Quoting US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky, the Reuters report said the seven-day average of Covid-19 cases rose 25 per cent to about 149,300 cases per day, while the average daily deaths (at 1,200) went up 3.5% from the previous week.

Walensky said Omicron currently accounts for approximately 73 per cent of all Covid-19 cases across the country. At some places, it is as high as 90 per cent.

She said this increase in Omicron proportion was “anticipated”, and that they had been preparing to tackle this.