WASHINGTON (AP) – The Biden administration is calling on people to take renewed precautions about COVID-19, stressing the importance of getting booster shots for those who are eligible and Wearing masks indoors as two new highly permeable variants spread rapidly across the country.
The new variants, labeled BA.4 and BA.5, are offshoots of the Omicron strain that is responsible for nearly all viruses spread in the Americas and is more contagious than their predecessors. White House doctors stressed the importance of taking a booster dose, even if you have recently been infected.
“Currently, many Americans are under-vaccinated, which means they are not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines,” said Dr. Rochelle Valensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Staying up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines provides the best protection against serious consequences.”
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Valensky said the US has seen a doubling in the number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 since April, reflecting the spread of the new subtypes, although deaths remain steady at around 300 per day.
The country’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said the new variants are related, with boosters, indoor masking and treatments in the country to keep them from becoming disruptive.
“We shouldn’t let it disrupt our lives,” he said, “but we can’t deny that it’s a reality we need to deal with.”
He said that even if someone has had COVID-19 recently, they should get a booster.
“Immunity goes down, so it’s important to stay up to date with COVID 19 vaccines,” he said.
According to the CDC, all Americans age 5 and older should get a booster five months after their initial primary series, and people age 50 and older — or those who are immune — should get a second booster four months after their first. should meet. According to the CDC, millions of eligible Americans have not received their first booster, and of those over 50 who got their first booster, only 28% received their second booster.
“If you’re over 50 and you haven’t got a shot this year, you should get a shot,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, White House COVID-19 coordinator. “It’s going to save your life.”
Jha and Fauci said the US is regularly discussing expanding eligibility for a second booster shot for all adults, but no decision has yet been made.
“This is a regulatory decision on the part of the FDA,” Fauci said.
Jha said those who are eligible for boosters but have not received them should not wait for upcoming vaccines targeted at Omicron strains other than the original form of the coronavirus. The US has ordered 105 million of those updated shots, which studies show offer better protection against the Omicron variants, but they won’t be available until the fall.
“Let me be clear, if you get vaccinated today, you’re not going to be ineligible to receive the variant specific vaccine, as we get into the fall and the later part of winter,” Jha said. . “So, it’s not a tradeoff, we have a lot. It’s a great way to protect ourselves.”
“The danger for you is now,” added Fauci.
Valensky noted that CDC data shows that nearly a third of Americans are living in areas the agency classifies as experiencing high levels of COVID spread, where the agency requires people to wear masks in public indoor spaces. gives advice. The other 41% live in the CDC’s “moderate” level, where it recommends that people consider their own personal risk and consider masking.