Omicron: Fauci says US should 'prepare for the worst' as fifth wave of COVID-19 possible

Amid rising global panic over Omicron, US infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci said that Americans need to be prepared to do “anything and everything” to fight new COVID-19 variant. Speaking on ABC’s ‘This Week’ on Sunday, 29 November, Fauci said that it is “too early” still to say wher lockdown or new mandates will be appropriate. He, however, ded that United States just really need to “prepare for worst”. 

Omicron variant h first appeared in a specimen collected on 9 November and was reported from South Africa, as per WHO. new strain has alrey been discovered in several countries, including UK, Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, Israel and Hong Kong. No confirmed cases h been reported in US as of Saturday, however, nation has imposed a ban on travel from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi, and ditionally US State Department has formally warned Americans against travelling to South Africa and seven of its neighbours. 

On Sunday, Fauci said, “Inevitably, it (Omicron strain) will be here. question is will we be prepared for it? If and when, and it's going to be when, it comes here hopefully we will be rey for it.”

'Prepare for worst'

US infectious disease expert met with US President Joe Biden to discuss variant and ministration’s response. Speaking to ABC News, a White House official informed that during meeting, Fauci said that while it will take about two more weeks to have more definitive information on transmissibility, severity, and or characteristics of variant, he believes existing vaccines are likely to provide a degree of protection. Fauci also reiterated that booster shots for fully inoculated individuals provide strongest available protection from COVID-19. 

Furr, top US official emphasised that ults and children who are not yet fully vaccinated should get jab immediately. He said that unvaccinated people should also get available COVID-19 vaccinations, per recommendations of CDC. "We just really need to, as I've said so often, prepare for worst. And it may not be that we're going to have to go route people are saying," Fauci told ABC, ding, "We'll make decisions based on science and evidence as we always do."

Omicron variant has been deemed a Variant of Concern (VoC) by WHO. A WHO official said that researchers are investigating source of virus that led to recent spike in African country, AP reported. Currently, experts are worried about how fast it may spre and wher it will cause people to become sicker than existing delta strain of virus. 

US might experience a fifth wave of COVID-19 infections

Dr. Anthony Fauci also warned that US might enter a fifth wave as worries over  Omicron variant looms. "We certainly have potential to go into a fifth wave," he told CBS News' "Face Nation." "And fifth wave, or magnitude of any increase, if you want to call it that it will turn into a wave, will really be dependent upon what we do in next few weeks to a couple of months," he ded.

(Image: AP/PIxabay)