Federal health authorities in America have said the Omicron Covid-19 variant is so contagious it is likely most people in the US will be infected, and compared the pandemic to a “natural disaster”. With several major mutations, the Omicron variant has spread rapidly around the globe and shattered records for new daily cases in the US. Even as Omicron stresses essential systems, severe illness is not inevitable, and health authorities stressed the importance of vaccination to reduce the likelihood of severe illness. The CDC is also considering a recommendation for Americans to wear N95 and KN95 masks, rather than cloth ones, if possible. People who have not been vaccinated are far more likely to, “get the brunt of the severe aspect of this”.

Source: The Guardian January 13, 2022 19:53 UTC