“There’s no doubt about it: [Omicron] has a tremendous capacity to spread,” Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), told Meet the Press on Sunday.
Dr Fauci, who advises the US government on the pandemic said the strain is “raging throughout the world now.” As the dangerously altered strain spreads, countries are adopting stronger controls.
The Netherlands has enacted a stringent lockdown throughout the Christmas period, and several other countries, including France and Germany, have imposed travel restrictions.
After researchers claimed that the extra shot provided around 85% protection against severe disease, government officials have begun to increase their Covid booster vaccination efforts.
On Sunday, Dr Fauci said the fast spread of Omicron in the United States might have a major impact on health services across the country.
Hospitals will be “extremely stressed” if conditions appear to be heading in that direction, according to the chief.
People must take precautions such as wearing face masks and social distance, according to Dr Fauci. He went on to say that people should get their vaccines and boosters more often.
Unvaccinated individuals were at a substantially higher risk of serious illness and hospitalization, according to Dr Fauci.
Dr Fauci made the cautions as two United States Senators, Elizabeth Warren, 72, and Cory Booker, 52, announced that they had been infected with it.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 73% of Americans have been vaccinated with Covid. Almost 30% of the patients have received a booster injection thus far.
The Omicron variant is the newest CDC prediction, with around 3% of current cases said to be caused by it. The most prevalent variety in New York is the Omicron variant, according to recent CDC data.
More than 50 million instances of coronavirus have been detected in the United States, with more than 800,000 deaths linked to Covid-related illnesses.