U.S. sees high demand for COVID-19 booster shots amidst Omicron fears

The U.S. is witnessing a record high surge in demand for COVID-19 booster doses amid rising concerns regarding the newly found Omicron coronavirus variant, prompting millions of Americans to get these shots.

The government data shows that each day around a million people received booster shots of one of the approved vaccines last week. This was the highest rate since U.S. regulators approved additional shots for adults in September.

Jeff Zients, White House COVID-19 response coordinator, mentioned that in the past week, over 7 million people have been given the booster shots, and at a rate higher than ever before. He added that nearly 55% of the population aged 65 and older that is eligible for booster doses have received one.

Zients mentioned that boosters are a fundamental part of President Joe Biden's response plan to the new variant, and the White House is collaborating with local authorities and pharmacies to cater to the increasing demand.

Broadly speaking the U.S. administered nearly 12.5 million vaccines over the past week, at a rate highest since May. U.S. regulators had made all adults eligible for booster shots since mid-November.

Dr. William Schaffner, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, mentioned that news of the Omicron variant, public health messaging, and people wanting to reunite with their families over the holiday season, have bolstered the demand for boosters.

According to Anthony Fauci, a renowned U.S. infectious disease expert, primary evidence shows that the variant probably has a higher transmission rate but is less severe. He added that even though more data is required to reach any definitive conclusions, it seems early cases of Omicron require fewer hospitalizations and patients are not as likely to require oxygen support.

Notably, data from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that around 47 million people i.e., almost a quarter of all fully vaccinated adults in the country have now received booster shots.

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https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2021-12-07/fauci-says-early-evidence-points-to-omicron-being-more-transmissible-but-less-severe