CDC to Recommend You Wear Better Masks as Omicron Spreads

Jan. 12, 2022 — The CDC is getting ready to replace its COVID-19 masks suggestions to emphasise using N95 and KN95 masks that higher filter the virus, Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, stated Wednesday.

“We are preparing an update to the info on our mask website to best reflect the options that are available to people and the different levels of protection different masks provide, and we want to provide Americans the best and most updated information to choose what mask is going to be right for them,” she stated at a White House information briefing.

While the higher-quality masks present higher safety, they are often uncomfortable to put on, costly, and more durable to search out. That’s why Walensky added an essential caveat.

“Any mask is better than no mask, and we do encourage all Americans to wear a well-fitting mask to protect themselves and prevent the spread of COVID-19. That recommendation is not going to change,” she stated.

 “Most importantly, the best mask that you wear is the one you will wear and the one you can keep on all day long and tolerate in public indoor settings.”

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization was extra targeted on vaccines.

WHO officers burdened Wednesday that international vaccine distribution is first precedence in defeating the extremely contagious Omicron variant, in addition to different variants which will evolve. 

The WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition — a bunch of consultants assessing how COVID-19 vaccines carry out in opposition to Omicron and different rising variants — says there may be an “urgent need” for broader entry to vaccines, together with reviewing and updating present vaccines as wanted to make sure safety. 

The WHO additionally disputed the concept COVID-19 might develop into endemic in a single largely vaccinated nation, whereas the remainder of the world stays unprotected. 

“It is up to us how this pandemic unfolds,” Maria Van Kerkhove, PhD, the WHO’s technical lead on COVID-19 response, stated at a information briefing. 

The WHO has a aim of vaccinating 70% of the inhabitants of each nation by the center of the yr. 

But proper now, 90 nations have but to succeed in 40% vaccination charges, and 36 of these nations have lower than 10% of their populations vaccinated, in accordance with WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD.

A staggering 85% of the African inhabitants has not obtained a primary dose.

But progress is being made, Ghebreyesus stated on the briefing. 

The WHO stated there have been over 15 million COVID-19 instances reported final week — essentially the most ever in a single week — and that is doubtless an underestimate. 

The Omicron variant, first recognized in South Africa 2 months in the past and now discovered on all seven continents, is “rapidly replacing Delta in almost all countries,” Ghebreyesus stated.

Back on the White House in Washington, Walensky stated this week’s U.S. every day common COVID-19 case depend was 751,000, a rise of 47% from final week. The common every day hospital admissions this week is nineteen,800, a rise of 33%. Deaths are up 40%, reaching 1,600 per day.

But she additionally reported new knowledge that helps different analysis displaying Omicron could produce much less extreme illness. Kaiser Permanente Southern California launched a research Tuesday displaying that when put next with Delta infections, Omicron was related to a 53% discount in hospitalizations, a 74% discount in intensive care unit admissions, and a 91% decrease danger of loss of life.

In the research, no sufferers with Omicron required mechanical air flow. The pressure now accounts for 98% of instances nationwide.

But Walensky warned the decrease illness severity isn’t sufficient to make up for the sheer variety of instances that proceed to overwhelm hospital programs.

“While we are seeing early evidence that Omicron is less severe than Delta and that those infected are less likely to require hospitalization, it’s important to note that Omicron continues to be much more transmissible than Delta,” she stated. “The sudden rise in cases due to Omicron is resulting in unprecedented daily case counts, sickness, absenteeism, and strains on our health care system.”