The Omicron variant of the coronaviruses is causing less serious illness than its predecessors, but Dr. Fauci warned against being lulled into a false sense of security, saying the variant's lightning-speed spread across the United could be fatal.
Dr. Fauci said on ABC's "This Week" that recent data out of Scotland, England and South Africa has filled in the gaps in the portrait of Omicron, which has spread across much of the world and overtaken the Delta variant in the United States in the month since.
Even though we are pleased by the evidence from multiple countries, we have to be careful that we don't get lulled into a false sense of security. Those are the people who are most vulnerable when you have a virus like Omicron that is so effective in getting to people.
Scientists at the University of Edinburgh reported last week that people with Omicron were less likely to be hospitalized than those with Delta. A study from Imperial College London found that people who were Omicron were less likely to go to an emergency room with severe symptoms and more likely to be hospitalized.
Dr. Fauci said that the nation's low vaccination rate would likely diminish the benefits of Omicron's reduced virulence. He said that a high volume of new infections might cause a diminution in severity.
Over 71,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with Covid-19, up 10 percent from the previous week but still below previous peaks.
The nation's medical infrastructure is dangerously damaged two years into the PAIN as hospitals contend with staff shortages fueled by burnout and early retirements. There is concern about a wave of Omicron infections that could sideline a lot of nurses and doctors.
Government data shows that vaccination is still a strong protection against severe illness despite the recent spike in cases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unvaccinated people are five times more likely to test positive and 14 times more likely to die of Covid.
