BA.2.12.1 made up 19% of total U.S. cases the week ending April 16, increasing its spread by almost 67% from the week before. The CDC says omicron variants overall cause less-severe illness, although they spread faster than previous variants like delta. AdvertisementMutations in COVID variants are allowing the virus to dodge protection offered by vaccines in some cases, Andy Pekosz, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told CNN. Biden on Tuesday told reporters it’s up to Americans to decide whether to mask up aboard airplanes. AdvertisementDr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 response coordinator, said he would continue to follow CDC guidance and mask up on planes.

Source: Huffington Post April 20, 2022 20:50 UTC