Dr. Anthony Fauci said early studies suggest the omicron variant of COVID-19 causes less severe illness but again warned of its virulence, as it sparks an explosion of cases nationwide.
Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, the famed pandemic doctor cited clinical data from South Africa, where the fast-spreading variant was first identified, and Britain, where it has quickly become the dominant strain of the deadly virus.
The studies say omicron infects far more people, even those who are vaccinated and boosted. But it appears to cause fewer hospitalizations, severe illness and deaths.
“The pattern … strongly suggests there will be a lower hospitalization-to-case ratio,” Fauci said. “The data are encouraging but still in many respects preliminary.”
Fauci also warned Americans to avoid large New Year’s Eve gatherings, although he said small family gatherings with people who are all vaccinated and boosted are relatively safe.
“If your plans are to go to a 40- to 50-person party with all the bells and whistles and people hugging and kissing,” Fauci said, “I strongly suggest you not do that.”
Fauci spoke alongside public health experts including Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in their final scheduled briefing of 2021, the second year of the pandemic.
The New Year looms with COVID-19 cases setting new all-time records for cases as omicron lives up to its reputation as the most contagious variant the world has seen so far.
The seven-day average daily caseload has soared to about 250,000, up about two-thirds since last week. The past two days have seen the nation record close to 500,000 cases, and doctors are bracing for an unprecedented surge to 1 million daily cases or even far more.
He said virtually any American can see for themselves how transmissible the new strain is by simply “looking around them.”
Despite the explosion of cases, hospitalization admissions have so far risen by 11%. That number is expected to rise, but in other countries, omicron has so far caused fewer than half the number of hospitalizations as previous more-virulent strains like delta.
Walensky defended the CDC’s new guidance that cuts the recommended isolation period in half to five days for those who test positive for COVID-19.
The CDC director called the response of the new rule to studies showing that very few people are still contagious after five days have elapsed, and they can limit the risk to others by wearing masks and other precautions.
“This virus has shown its ability to adapt, and we must adapt with it,” said Walensky. “We are standing on the shoulders of two years of science.”
Critics say the new rules are confusing and do little to clear up uncertainty about when and how to get tested for the virus, especially given hourslong lines for tests spreading across the country.
