December 6, 2021 – According to The Washington Post, the Centers for Disease Control has identified omicron variant cases of the coronavirus in at least 17 states in the U.S. since it was first detected in California on December 1. Vaccine developers are researching whether the current iterations of the COVID vaccines will be effective against omicron, while most health officials agree that current vaccines should offer some level of protection.
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky has said that cases will likely increase as scientists work to determine whether omicron is more transmissible or resistant to the current iterations of vaccines. While the delta variant is still the dominant strain in the United States, health officials are working to better understand where the omicron variant fits in the scope of things.
In an effort to prevent outbreaks, the federal mandate for transportation that requires people to wear masks on trains, buses, and airplanes has been extended through March 18. Fauci told CNN’s State of the Union, “Though it’s too early to really make any definite statements about it, thus far, it does not look like there’s a great degree of severity to it.”