JAKARTA - The Omicron virus, the coronavirus, is raging around the world as the Christmas and New Year's holiday season approaches, making COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots more important than ever.
The Omicron variant has been found through testing in 43 of the 50 US states and about 90 countries so far, having first been identified in southern Africa and Hong Kong in late November.
The number of cases has doubled in 1.5 to 3 days in areas with community transmission and is spreading rapidly in countries with high levels of population immunity, the World Health Organization said on Saturday.
"This (Omicron variant) is just, you know, raging around the world," said US health expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, on NBC's "Meet the Press," citing Reuters Dec. 19.
The impact of the virus is spreading across the United States, with hospitalizations soaring, sporting events rescheduled, and entertainment venues canceling shows.
Since the start of the month, US COVID cases and deaths have increased by about 50 percent and the number of hospitalized COVID patients is up 26 percent, according to a Reuters analysis.
President Joe Biden is set to give a speech on Tuesday about the fast-spreading variant and plans to combat it, delivering his message to unvaccinated Americans to get the shot and for those vaccinated to get a booster.
Part of President Biden's plan is to focus on increasing testing, Fauci said on CNN's "State of the Union" program.
"We have to do better. We really need to flood the system with testing. We need to have tests available to anyone who wants them."
Fauci further urged Americans traveling during the holidays to get boosters, wear masks and avoid crowded public spaces to help slow the spread of the Omicron variant.
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"Traveling increases the risk of infection even among vaccinated people. We will see a breakthrough in infection - there is no doubt about that. Booster injections greatly increase protection against severe disease from Omicron infection," Fauci said.
He added that the Omicron variant is likely to beat the existing Delta as the dominant variant in the United States.
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