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Denmark has some of the world's best data on the omicron variant, and the country's top epidemiologists say the outlook has never been more dire. Danish disease models show infections spiraling out of control in the coming weeks, marking what one scientist called “the hardest period of the pandemic.” Even in the best-case scenario laid out by Danish experts, the country's daily hospitalizations match last year's peak. In most other forecasts, they climb to unprecedented heights. Scientists expect similar patterns will follow in much of the world. The best hope for now lies in early evidence suggesting omicron might cause less severe illness, but there's still not enough data to know for sure.
In the United States, Anthony S. Fauci said the country could soon see record numbers of infections and hospitalizations. The nation's leading infectious-disease expert described omicron as “extraordinary” in its transmissibility, with a doubling time of two to three days, meaning it will swiftly overtake delta as the dominant variant. For many Americans, a grim sense of déjà vu is setting in. “It feels like 2020 all over again,” one D.C. resident said. “Same vibes,” said a woman in New York, where new cases are shattering previous daily records.
Vaccine booster shots appear to protect against severe illness from omicron, based on the little data we have so far. Moderna's chief executive said Monday that a third dose of the company's vaccine significantly raised antibody levels, offering people “some good level of protection.” Pfizer and its partner BioNTech also recently said boosters of their vaccine are effective against the new variant. But only about 60 million booster doses have been administered in the United States, enough to cover just 30 percent of the fully vaccinated population. Health officials are using increasingly urgent messaging to encourage people to get the additional shots. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could eventually change its definition of “fully vaccinated” to include boosters, Fauci told CNBC Friday.
Two years into the pandemic, it's still hard to find a coronavirus test. Many Americans spent the weekend scouring stores and websites looking for at-home or laboratory tests only to come up empty-handed. Store shelves were cleared, appointments were booked up. “You feel like you are penalized for doing the right thing,” said one father who struggled to find tests for his sick daughters.
In Washington, the coming omicron wave is rekindling concerns about the U.S. economy. Lawmakers, business leaders and consumer advocates worry that there might not be enough federal aid to shield Americans from another financial blow brought on by rising caseloads. Funding has dried up for key programs meant to keep businesses afloat and help households pay bills. But the White House has expressed confidence that billions of dollars in aid from this year's American Rescue Plan remain available to blunt the variant's impact.
(Sources: The Washington Post)
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