Omicron
Omicron drives US deaths higher than in fall’s delta wave
Omicron, the highly contagious coronavirus variant sweeping across the country, is driving the daily American death toll higher than during last fall’s delta wave, with deaths likely to keep rising for days or even weeks.
The seven-day rolling average for daily new COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. has been climbing since mid-November, reaching 2,267 on Thursday and surpassing a September peak of 2,100 when delta was the dominant variant.
Now omicron is estimated to account for nearly all the virus circulating in the nation. And even though it causes less severe disease for most people, the fact that it is more transmissible means more people are falling ill and dying.
“Omicron will push us over a million deaths,” said Andrew Noymer, a public health professor at the University of California, Irvine. “That will cause a lot of soul searching. There will be a lot of discussion about what we could have done differently, how many of the deaths were preventable.”
The average daily death toll is now at the same level as last February, when the country was slowly coming off its all-time high of 3,300 a day.
Read: Hope seen once omicron wave increases global immunity, even as new version of variant found
More Americans are taking precautionary measures against the virus than before the omicron surge, according to a AP-NORC poll this week. But many people, fatigued by crisis, are returning to some level of normality with hopes that vaccinations or prior infections will protect them.
Omicron symptoms are often milder, and some infected people show none, researchers agree. But like the flu, it can be deadly, especially for people who are older, have other health problems or who are unvaccinated.
“Importantly, ‘milder’ does not mean ‘mild,’” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said this week during a White House briefing.
Until recently, Chuck Culotta was a healthy middle-aged man who ran a power-washing business in Milford, Delaware. As the omicron wave was ravaging the Northeast, he felt the first symptoms before Christmas and tested positive on Christmas Day. He died less than a week later, on Dec. 31, nine days short of his 51st birthday.
He was unvaccinated, said his brother, Todd, because he had questions about the long-term effects of the vaccine.
Also read: Covid in Bangladesh: 11,434 more cases, 12 deaths and positivity rate rises to 28.49%
“He just wasn’t sure it was the right thing to do — yet,” said Todd Culotta, who got his shots during the summer.
At one urban hospital in Kansas, 50 COVID-19 patients have died this month and more than 200 are being treated. University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas, posted a video from its morgue showing bagged bodies in a refrigeration unit and a worker marking one white body bag with the word “COVID.”
“This is real,” said Ciara Wright, the hospital’s decedent affairs coordinator. “Our concerns are, ‘Are the funeral homes going to come fast enough?’ We do have access to a refrigerated truck. We don’t want to use it if we don’t have to.”
Dr. Katie Dennis, a pathologist who does autopsies for the health system, said the morgue has been at or above capacity almost every day in January, “which is definitely unusual.”
With more than 878,000 deaths, the United States has the largest COVID-19 toll of any nation.
During the coming week, almost every U.S. state will see a faster increase in deaths, although deaths have peaked in a few states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Maryland, Alaska and Georgia, according to the COVID-19 Forecast Hub.
New hospital admissions have started to fall for all age groups, according to CDC data, and a drop in deaths is expected to follow.
“In a pre-pandemic world, during some flu seasons, we see 10,000 or 15,000 deaths. We see that in the course of a week sometimes with COVID,” said Nicholas Reich, who aggregates coronavirus projections for the hub in collaboration with the CDC.
“The toll and the sadness and suffering is staggering and very humbling,” said Reich, a professor of biostatistics at University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Clinical guideline finalised to fight off Omicron
The clinical guideline to curb the spread of the Omicron strain of Coronavirus has been finalised, said the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Dr Nazmul Islam, spokesperson of the DGHS, came up with the information at a virtual bulletin over the Covid situation across the country on Wednesday.
Read:Covid in Bangladesh: Positivity rate slightly declines to 31.64%
Urging people to be careful about the spike in Omicron cases, Dr Nazmul, said, “The infection rate is on the rise due to the new variant of Coronavirus. A clinical guideline has been prepared for preventing the transmission of the new variant and sent to the organisations concerned.”
“The symptoms of Omicron have been added to the guideline and we’re working to find out whether there’re any new symptom of the infection,” he said.
He laid emphasis on maintaining health guidelines.
Mentioning that the infection rate of Covid-19 is over 32%, Dr Nazmul said, “The proper use of masks, maintaining health guidelines, ensuring social distance, washing hands with soaps can control the virus transmission.”
Over 16,000 people have been tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday, he added.
Bangladesh logged 17 more Covid-linked deaths with 15,527 fresh cases in 24 hours till Wednesday morning.
The daily positivity rate slightly declined to 31.64 per cent from Tuesday’s 32.40 per cent after testing 49,275 samples, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The fresh numbers took the country’s total fatalities to 28,273 while the caseload mounted to 1,731,524 on Wednesday.
Read: Symptoms of Omicron: How is it different from Covid-19 Variant Delta?
Meanwhile, the mortality rate further declined to 1.63 per cent.
Bangladesh’s total tally of Omicron cases reached 69 with the detection of five more cases till Sunday, according to GISAID, a global initiative on sharing all influenza data.
Symptoms of Omicron: How is it different from Covid-19 Variant Delta?
Panic over omicron has increased around the world as it is spreading faster than other variants of the corona. Moreover, omicron has the ability to infect many people quickly in less time. However, compared to the previous deadly variant Delta, the symptoms of omicron are much milder. Scientists have already begun extensive research into this variant identified in South Africa, which is now available all over the world. However, the researchers have already found out the omicron symptoms. Let's get to know the omicron symptoms and how this variant is different from the delta variant.
Symptoms of Omicron
Mild to moderate symptoms are observed in those affected by omicron. Further, the death and hospitalization rates are also somewhat lower. But even then, medical experts are reluctant to take it lightly. Because, through such, the corona is sustaining its existence. Can it be said for sure that it will not emerge as a terrifying new variant at any time?
Read Hope seen once omicron wave increases global immunity, even as new version of variant found
Omicron is quite different from the original types of the corona. It was first found in South Africa last November. After that, it spread rapidly in many countries of the world. A recent study found that omicron inherited some genetic traits from the common cold virus outside its genus. Although the virus is not deadly, everyone should be aware of the symptoms.
Tiredness
Similar to previous variants, omicron can cause fatigue or extreme fatigue. A person may experience excessive fatigue, lack of energy, and a strong desire to rest, which can disrupt his daily activities. However, it should be kept in mind that not only because of covid but also other causes and health problems can make anyone feel tired. That is why it is necessary to do the covid test to be sure of your physical condition.
Read How to Improve Your Central Nervous System?
Sore Throat
People infected with omicrons are experiencing sore throats, which is unusual. The former variant is associated with pain in the throat and full body.
Mild Fever, Goes Away on its Own
Mild to moderate fever has been one of the symptoms of covid since the onset of the novel coronavirus. But although the previous strain fever had a long-term effect on patients, omicron brings a lighter temperature to the body then goes away on its own.
Sweating and Body Aches at Night
Night sweats can be one of the symptoms of the Omicron variant. As per the reports, the patient may feel sweaty at night even if the person sleeps in a cool place. The clothes and bed will get wet too. According to doctors, this can be accompanied by other symptoms, including 'severe body aches.'
Read Taking Omicron lightly may cause great damage, warns Health Minister
Cough
Omicron patients may also experience dry cough, which was also the most common symptom of previous other strains.
Congestion or Runny Nose
During the recent omicron wave, it was noticed that a runny nose or congestion in the nose was a commonly reported symptom. However, the flu season is also going on, so it is difficult to say if a runny nose or congestion is a definitive omicron symptom. But, it can be one of the symptoms. Hence, it is advised to do the covid test if you have such problems.
How is Omicron Different from Delta?
Although both Omicron and delta are covid-19 variants, they are different from each other. According to experts, fatigue, joint pain, chills, and headaches are the four symptoms of omicron that differ from Delta. Furthermore, losing taste and odor, one of the symptoms of Delta, is occasionally found in the case of COVID variant omicron.
Read 5 more Omicron cases detected in Bangladesh
Omicron may not have the same difficulty as Delta, but this can infect the lungs. Unlike Delta, omicron may cause less damage to the lungs.
Omicron is highly transmissible and has already broken the record for daily infection rates. Although it is not deadly, the infection rates are exponentially increasing compared to Delta.
Another thing is that Omicron sufferers rarely lost their taste buds, while it was common for Delta. Even in this variant, the oxygen level in the corona patient's blood does not drop suddenly.
Read Omicron replacing Delta through community transmission: DGHS
There are differences in the incubation period too. A small study by the Centers for Disease Control has found that the incubation period for omicron is 3 days while it is 4 days for Delta.
How Long Does It Take for the Omicron Symptoms to Appear?
Imagine Covid entering your body today. However, the symptoms will not appear right away. It will then take possession of one cell at a time and begin to replicate itself. After a while, if the body's immune system loses to this disease, the symptoms will appear.
The question is, how long is this time? Experts have found that in the case of the previous variants, the symptoms appeared within 5 to 6 days after the virus entered. In some cases, the symptoms appeared within 14 days.
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However, in the case of omicron, the symptoms appear within 2 to 10 days. Hence, the omicron symptoms show up faster than any other corona variants.
What to do If you have omicron Symptoms?
If you think you have omicron symptoms, isolate yourself first and consult a doctor immediately. Do the covid test and follow the Covid rules. The mask must be worn maintaining all the rules. Wash your both hands properly using sanitizer or soap for at least 20 seconds.
Read New Zealand adds new COVID restrictions as omicron spreads
How to Prevent Covid-19 Variant Omicron?
To prevent omicron, one should follow the regular covid-19 protocols. For example, maintaining one meter physical distance, wearing a good quality mask, keeping the windows open for proper ventilation, avoiding the crowded place, using tissues in the case of cough or sneeze, and keeping hands clean.
Final Words
Omicron is considered less deadly than the delta variant. But in terms of infection, it has surpassed the Delta as well. Omicron is now the most influential type of coronavirus all over the world. So, knowing the symptoms will help us to stay alert about omicron.
Read Panic Attacks: Symptoms, Causes, Remedies, and Treatment
Hope seen once omicron wave increases global immunity, even as new version of variant found
World health officials are offering hope that the ebbing of the omicron wave could give way to a new, more manageable phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, even as they warn of difficult weeks ahead and the possibility of another, more dangerous variant arising - as reports emerged of a new version of the variant in some countries.
In the U.S., cases have crested and are dropping rapidly, following a pattern seen in Britain and South Africa, with researchers projecting a period of low spread in many countries by the end of March. Though U.S. deaths — now at 2,000 each day — are still rising, new hospital admissions have started to fall, and a drop in deaths is expected to follow.
The encouraging trends after two years of coronavirus misery have brought a noticeably hopeful tone from health experts. Rosy predictions have crumbled before, but this time they are backed by what could be called omicron’s silver lining: The highly contagious variant will leave behind extremely high levels of immunity.
On Sunday, Dr. Anthony Fauci talked on ABC “This Week” about a “best-case scenario” where COVID-19 would fall to manageable levels so the United States could get “back to a degree of normality.”
And on Monday, the World Health Organization issued a statement anticipating an end to the “emergency phase” of the pandemic this year and saying that the omicron variant “offers plausible hope for stabilization and normalization.”
Both Fauci and the WHO’s Europe regional director, Dr. Hans Kluge, cautioned that new variants are likely to emerge, but with vaccination, new drug therapies and — during surges — testing and masks, the world could reach a less disruptive level of disease in which the virus is, as Fauci put it, “essentially integrated into the general respiratory infections that we have learned to live with.”
In the U.S., new cases are averaging a still extraordinarily high 680,000 a day, down from an all-time peak of over 800,000 a little more than a week ago.
The places in the U.S. where omicron struck first are seeing the sharpest declines. New cases in the Northeast are nose-diving, while other states — Arizona, Texas, Oregon, Kansas and North Dakota among them — are still waiting for relief.
Falling, too, are new U.S. hospital admissions of patients with confirmed COVID-19. They are averaging nearly 20,000 per day, down about 7% from the previous week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Those numbers include patients who went to the hospital for other reasons and tested positive. But even after accounting for these incidental infections, the trend is hopeful.
One influential model projects that nearly all nations will be past the omicron wave by mid-March, including China and other countries with “zero COVID” policies. The wave will leave behind high levels of immunity — both from infection and vaccination — that could lead to low levels of transmission for many weeks or months.
“What do we end up with at the end of this?” said Dr. Christopher Murray of the University of Washington, who developed the closely watched Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation model. “We end up with the highest levels of global immunity that we’ve seen in the pandemic.”
The model estimates that 57% of the world’s population already has been infected with the virus at least once.
Another research group, which combines several models and shares the projections with the White House, predicts a strong decline in U.S. infections by April, unless a new variant emerges that can sidestep the growing levels of immunity.
“It would be dangerous to forget that possibility, as it has caught us before,” said Katriona Shea of Pennsylvania State University, a leader of the team that pulls together the models.
She noted, too, that the projections show 16,000 to 98,000 more Americans dying before the omicron wave is through. The U.S. death toll stands at close to 870,000.
“Even if we project a more optimistic future, right now we still have a lot of COVID spreading, a lot of strain in our hospital systems, and our deaths have not yet peaked,” said Lauren Ancel Meyers, director of the University of Texas COVID-19 Modeling Consortium.
READ: Taking Omicron lightly may cause great damage, warns Health Minister
“There’s still a lot of pain before omicron has run its course,” she said, but added: “It’s very plausible that omicron will be a turning point in terms of our relationship with this virus.”
New version not a cause for alarm
A new version of the highly contagious omicron variant been spreading in parts of Asia and Europe, with the WHO recommending Monday that officials begin investigating its characteristics to determine whether it poses new challenges for pandemic-weary nations.
Known as BA. 2, the new version of the virus is a descendant of the omicron variant. Virologists are referring to the original omicron variant as BA. 1.
"The BA. 2 descendant lineage, which differs from BA. 1 in some of the mutations, including in the spike protein, is increasing in many countries," the WHO wrote on its website. "Investigations into the characteristics of BA. 2, including immune escape properties and virulence, should be prioritized independently (and comparatively) to BA. 1."
Viruses mutate constantly, mostly in harmless ways. There is no current evidence that BA. 2 is more virulent, spreads faster or escapes immunity better than BA. 1.
BA. 2 has been detected in India, Denmark and Britain, among other countries, according to health officials and media reports abroad. In Europe, it appears the most widespread in Denmark, but that may be because the Scandinavian nation has a robust program of sequencing the virus's genome.
At least three cases have been found in the United States at Houston Methodist Hospital in Texas, which also is studying the genetic makeup of virus samples from its patients.
READ: 5 more Omicron cases detected in Bangladesh
Kristen Nordlund, a spokeswoman for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, "Although the BA.2 lineage has recently increased in proportion in some countries, it remains a very low proportion of circulating viruses in the United States and globally. Currently, there are insufficient data to determine whether the BA.2 lineage is more transmissible or has a fitness advantage over the BA.1 lineage. CDC continues to monitor variants that are circulating both domestically and internationally."
Global Covid cases near 350 million
The overall number of Covid cases has surpassed 350 million amid the rise in Omicron infections across the global.
According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 350,970,885 while the death toll from the virus reached 5,595,929 Monday morning.
Read:14 more die in Bangladesh as Covid positivity rate hits 31.29%
The US has recorded 70,699,416 cases so far and 866,540 people have died from the virus in the country, the university data shows.
India's COVID-19 tally rose to 39,237,264 on Sunday, as 333,533 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours across the country, showed the federal health ministry's latest data.
This is the fourth consecutive day when over 300,000 new cases were registered in a day in the country in more than eight months.
Besides, as many as 525 deaths were recorded since Saturday morning, taking the death toll to 489,409.
Meanwhile, the country's Omicron tally has reached 10,050. Most of the Omicron cases have been reported from the states of Maharashtra, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Delhi.
Brazil, which has been experiencing a new wave of cases since last January, registered 24,054,405 cases as of Monday, while its Covid death toll rose to 623,370.
Covid situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh logged 14 more Covid-linked deaths with 10,906 fresh cases in 24 hours till Sunday morning.
The daily positivity rate increased to 31.29 per cent from Saturday’s 28.02 per cent after testing 35,051 samples, according to the Directorate general of health Services (DGHS).
Read:Covid-19 infections rise to 50 % in Bagerhat
Bangladesh reported 9,614 fresh cases with 17 deaths on Saturday.
The fresh numbers took the country’s total fatalities to 28,223 while the caseload mounted to 1,685,136 on Sunday.
Bangladesh’s total tally of Omicron cases reached 69 with the detection of nine more cases till Sunday, according to GISAID, a global initiative on sharing all influenza data.
5 more Omicron cases detected in Bangladesh
The cases of Omicron variant of Covid-19 have jumped to 69 in Bangladesh, with five more infections detected till Sunday, according to GISAID, a primary source that provides open access to genomic data of Coronavirus.
The latest cases were detected at the virology lab of the Dhaka-based international health research institute icddr,b.
On January 20, nine more cases were found to be Omicron positive, pushing the tally of the new Coronavirus variant, through highly time-consuming and scarcely available genomic sequencing, to 64.
Scientists can confirm if a case is positive with Omicron or Delta by looking closely at the genetic material provided through testing.
Bangladesh reported its first two Omicron cases on December 11 last year in two members of the Bangladesh women's cricket team that had been forced to return early from the ICC Women's World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe, deep in southern Africa, where the most transmissible variant of SARS-CoV-2 till now is believed to have originated.
Doctors in South Africa, the continent's most developed country, were the first to alert the world of this new variant.
Omicron is gradually replacing Delta through community transmission in Bangladesh, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said Sunday.
The variant is spreading at the community level, and its symptoms have similarities with that of seasonal flu, DGHS spokesperson Dr Md Nazmul Islam said.
Omicron replacing Delta through community transmission: DGHS
The Omicron strain of Coronavirus is gradually replacing the Delta variant through community transmission in Bangladesh, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
DGHS spokesperson Dr Md Nazmul Islam said this at the daily briefing on Covid-19 on Sunday.
Nazmul Islam said the Omicron variant is spreading at the community level and its symptoms have similarities with that of seasonal flu.
Read:Bangladesh reports 17 more deaths as Covid getting deadlier
About 73% of Omicron patients have runny noses while 68% have headaches, 64% have fatigue and 7% percent of patients sneeze, he added.
Besides, 7% percent of patients have sore throat and 40% have coughing. “These’re the things we need to keep in mind.”
He further said that everyone should consult a doctor in any case.
Dr Nazmul also warned, “If we continue to defy the hygiene rules, then the number of patients will increase further, which will put additional pressure on healthcare systems as a whole.”
The DGHS spokesperson said the Covid infection began to increase in Bangladesh from the end of December. As of January 22, the positivity rate rose to over 28 per cent which was 17.82 per cent on January 16, the beginning of the week.
Read: Hospitals in Dhaka overwhelmed with Covid patients: Minister
The number of patients in hospitals is growing, the official said, adding that this uptrend has been noticed since the end of last year till the beginning of this year.
“If we want to overcome this pandemic, we must follow the health protocols,” the official advised.
Global Covid cases surpass 348 million
Amid the rising Omicron cases across the world, the overall number of Covid cases has surpassed 348 million.
According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 348,592,351 while the death toll from the virus reached 5,590,277 Sunday morning.
The US has recorded 70,464,222 cases so far and 865,310 people have died from the virus in the country, the university data shows.
India's Covid-19 tally rose to 38,903,731 Saturday as 337,704 new cases were registered in 24 hours across the country, as per the federal health ministry data.
Friday was the second consecutive day when over 300,000 daily cases were registered in more than eight months.
READ: Global Covid cases top 340 million
Besides, 488 deaths due to the pandemic since Friday morning took the total death toll to 488,884.
Brazil, which has been experiencing a new wave of cases since last January, registered 23,931,609 cases as of Saturday, while its Covid death toll rose to 623,191
Covid situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh logged 17 more Covid-linked deaths with 9,614 fresh cases in 24 hours till Saturday morning with a slight decline in the infection rate.
The daily positivity rate declined to 28.02 per cent from Friday’s 28.49 per cent after testing 34,311 samples, according to the Directorate general of health Services (DGHS).
The country last logged 17 deaths on October 13 last with 513 cases.
Bangladesh reported 1,434 fresh cases with 12 deaths on Friday.
The fresh numbers took the country’s total fatalities to 28,209 while the caseload mounted to 1,674,230 on Saturday.
Among the new deceased, 11 were men and six women.
Eleven cases were reported in Dhaka division while two each in Chattogram, Khulna, one each in Barishal and Mymensingh divisions.
READ: Global Covid cases top 337 million
Meanwhile, the mortality rate further declined to 1.68 per cent.
New Restrictions
All schools, colleges and universities in the country will remain closed from January 21 to February 6 in an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19 pandemic, the government announced on Friday.
The Cabinet Division issued a notification in this regard, imposing restrictions on the overall activities and movement of people in the country amid a worrying spike in Covid cases.
The notification asked all to wear masks and maintain health rules at public places like markets, shopping malls, mosques, bus stands, launch terminals, railway stations. Local authorities have been instructed to monitor and ensure compliance.
Bangladesh reports 17 more deaths as Covid getting deadlier
Bangladesh logged 17 more Covid-linked deaths with 9,614 fresh cases in 24 hours till Saturday morning with a slight decline in the infection rate.
The daily positivity rate declined to 28.02 per cent from Friday’s 28.49 per cent after testing 34,311 samples, according to the Directorate general of health Services (DGHS).
The country last logged 17 deaths on October 13 last with 513 cases.
Bangladesh reported 1,434 fresh cases with 12 deaths on Friday.
The fresh numbers took the country’s total fatalities to 28,209 while the caseload mounted to 1,674,230 on Saturday.
Read: Govt primary school shut after all teachers test Covid-19 positive in Cumilla
Among the new deceased, 11 were men and six women.
Eleven cases were reported in Dhaka division while two each in Chattogram, Khulna, one each in Barishal and Mymensingh divisions.
Meanwhile, the mortality rate further declined to 1.68 per cent.
Booster shots needed against omicron, CDC studies show
Three studies released Friday offered more evidence that COVID-19 vaccines are standing up to the omicron variant, at least among people who received booster shots.
They are the first large U.S. studies to look at vaccine protection against omicron, health officials said.
The papers echo previous research — including studies in Germany, South Africa and the U.K. — indicating available vaccines are less effective against omicron than earlier versions of the coronavirus, but also that boosters doses rev up virus-fighting antibodies to increase the chance of avoiding symptomatic infection.
The first study looked at hospitalizations and emergency room and urgent care center visits in 10 states, from August to this month.
Read: Omicron cases rise to 55 in Bangladesh
It found vaccine effectiveness was best after three doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines in preventing COVID-19-associated emergency department and urgent care visits. Protection dropped from 94% during the delta wave to 82% during the omicron wave. Protection from just two doses was lower, especially if six months had passed since the second dose.
Officials have stressed the goal of preventing not just infection but severe disease. On that count, some good news: A third dose was at least 90% effective at preventing hospitalizations for COVID-19, both during the delta and omicron periods, the study also found.
The second study focused on COVID-19 case and death rates in 25 states from the beginning of April through Christmas. People who were boosted had the highest protection against coronavirus infection, both during the time delta was dominant and also when omicron was taking over.
Those two articles were published online by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Journal of the American Medical Association published the third study, also led by CDC researchers. It looked at people who tested positive for COVID-19 from Dec. 10 to Jan. 1 at more than 4,600 testing sites across the U.S.
Three shots of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were about 67% effective against omicron-related symptomatic disease compared with unvaccinated people. Two doses, however, offered no significant protection against omicron when measured several months after completion of the original series, the researchers found.
“It really shows the importance of getting a booster dose,” said the CDC’s Emma Accorsi, one of the study’s authors.
Read: Govt school in Chandpur charging students Tk 50 per jab of vaccine!
Americans should get boosters if at least five months have passed since they completed their Pfizer or Moderna series, but millions who are eligible have not gotten them.
“If you are eligible for a booster and you haven’t gotten it, you are not up to date and you need to get your booster,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a White House briefing Friday.