WASHINGTON (AP) — The administration of President Joe Biden is calling on people to renew their caution about COVID-19, emphasizing the importance of those eligible getting a booster shot and wearing masks indoors at times in which two highly contagious variants spread rapidly throughout the country.
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The new variants, known as BA.4 and BA.5, are derived from the omicron mutation that is responsible for nearly all of the spread of the virus in the United States, and are even more contagious than their predecessors. White House doctors stressed the importance of receiving booster shots, even if a person recently contracted the virus.
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“Right now, many Americans don’t have the necessary vaccinations, so they need to catch up on their COVID-19 vaccinations,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (CDC for its initials in English). “Keeping their vaccination schedule up to date gives them the best protection against a serious illness.”
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Walensky has said the number of hospitalizations for COVID-19 in the United States has doubled since April, laying bare the spread of new subvariants, though the number of deaths remains stable at around 300 a day.
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Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said that while the new variants are worrisome, with the enforcement of boosters, indoor mask wearing and treatments, the country has the tools to prevent a chaos.
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“Let’s not allow them to alter our lives,” he stressed. “But we cannot deny that it is a reality that we need to face.”
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He added that even if someone recently got sick with COVID-19, the booster dose should be given.
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“Immunity wears off, so it’s crucial to keep your COVID-19 vaccinations up to date,” he stressed.
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