Dr. Walensky said the U.S. has seen a doubling in the number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 since April, reflecting the spread of the new subvariants, though deaths have remained steady around 300 per day.
The new variants, labeled BA.4 and BA.5, are offshoots of the omicron strain that has been responsible for nearly all of the virus spread in the U.S. and are even more contagious than their predecessors.
“Currently, many Americans are under vaccinated, meaning they are not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Staying up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines provides the best protection against severe outcomes.”, reflecting the spread of the new subvariants, though deaths have remained steady around 300 per day.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said while the new variants are concerning, with boosters, indoor masking and treatments the country has the tools to keep them from being disruptive.“We should not let it disrupt our lives,” he said, “but we cannot deny that it is a reality that we need to deal with.”“Immunity wanes, so it is critical to stay up to date with COVID 19 vaccines,” he said.