SHAYNA: MEANTIME, THE NEW OMICRON VARIANT OF COVID-19 IS NOW FORECAST TO BECOME THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF COVI19D- INFECTIONS IN THE U.S. HERE TO ANSWEROU YR QUESTIONS IS DR. HELEN BOUCHER, THE INTIMER DEAN OF TUFTS MEDICAL SCHOOL AND AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST AT TUFTSED MICAL CENTER. WELCOME. N:BE LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT TSHI NEW DATA FROM THCDC.E FOR THE WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 4, OMICRON ACCOUNTEDOR F .1% OF ALL SEQUENCED COVID-19 CASES IN THEL U.S.. FAST-FORWARD ONE WEEK LATER, THAT NUMBER HAS RISEN TO ABOUT 3%. A PRETTY EXTREME RISE IN A SPAN OF SEVEN DAYS? DR. BOUCHER: TTHA IS RIGHT, AND WE HAVE TO KPEE OUR EYES ONA DAT DECEIVE ONLY GROUND WILL REPLACE DELTA AS THE VIRUS. IT IS IMPORTANT TO STRESS THE PAIN WE ARE FEELING NOW IS FROM DELTA AND THERE ARE STILL LOTS OF THINGS WE CAN DO ABOUT TTHA AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON THAT TODAY. SHAY:NA IT IS THAT TIMEF O YEAR WE’RE QUICKLY APPROACHING p, CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S’ RECEIVED A BOOSTER SHOT YET NEED TO AVOID INDOOR GATHERINGS, OR EVEN CONSIDER CHANGING TRAVEL PLS?AN DR. BOUCHER: EVERYBODY NEEDS TO CONSIDER THE RISKS THEY ARE WILLING TO TAKE. DAN WE KNOW BEING FULLY VA CCINATED AND GATHERING WITH OTHER VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS IS SAFER, AND THAT THOSE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE SHOULD GET THAT BOOSTER BECAUSE THAT WILL FURTHER PROTECT UYO FROM GETTING SICK ENOUGH TO BE IN THE HOSPITAL OR WORSE, A PNDROTECT YOU FROM OMICRON. SO, DECISIONS ABOUT GATHERING WITH OTHER IS, THINK EXTRA LETTERS OF PROTECTION, MASKING WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW THE VACCINATION STATUS OF OTHERS, CONSIDERING A TEST JUST BEFORE A GATHERING BECAUSE ANOTHER LAYER OF PROTECTION, THESE ARE THINGS YOU CAN DO RTOEDUCE THE RISK OF THAT GATHERING. TRAVEL IS ANOTHER DECISION THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE CAREFULLY. AND IF YOUO D TRAVEL, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND MASKING AND FOLLOWING OTHER NEGATION MEASURES IN ADDITION TO BEING VACCINATED, TO LOWER YOUR RISK. BEN: AS YOU ARE WELL AWARE BOSTON HOSPITALS LIKE TUFTS ARE , ALREADY DEALING WITH A SURGE OF PATIENTS FROM DELTA. SO COULD A TAKEOVER BY OMICRON , MAKE THE HOSPITALIZATION SITUATION WORSE? DR. BOUCR:HE YOU KW,NO IT’S GOOD. THAT DELTA SITUATION COULD GET WORSE. IT IS EXTRA IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON THE THINGS WE KNOW WORK. WE ARE IN A BETTER PLACE TODAY THAN WE WERE A YEAR AGO, THEAY D OF THE FIRST VCIACNATION. WE KNOW THAT VACCINES WORK. THEY KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF THE HOSPITAL, OR WORSE. SO, GETTING BACK VACCINE IF YOU HAVEN’T, GETTING A BOOSTER, VERY IMPORTANT. TH INK ABOUT MASKING UP IF YOU ARE AROUND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE TNO VACCINATED. IT DEFINITELY WORKS. INKING ABOUT OTHER MEASURES LIKE TESTING ARE ALSO VERY IMPORTANT — DON’T COME TO WORK OR SCHOOL IF YOU ARE SICK YOUR THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WILL KEEP US SAFE AND KPEE OUR HOSPITALS ABLE TO CARE FOR THE PATIENTS WHO NEEDS U — THOSE WITHOUT COVID AS MUCH AS THOSE WITH COVID. SHAYNA: WE HAVE VIEWERS WATCHING RIGHT NOW WHO MAY HAVE SURGERIES SCHEDULED OR REQUIRE ROUNETI TREATMENT FOR A CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITION. OTHERS MAY BE PREGNANT WENOM WAITING FOR THEIR DELIVERY DATE. WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR THEM? SHOULD THEY TALK WITH THEIR DOCTOR ABOUT BACK-UP PLANS? DR. BOUCHER: IT IS IMPORTANT TO GO TO YOUR APPOINTMES.NT IF YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR DOCTOR FOR YOUR CHRONIC ADDITION, KEEP THAT APPOINTMENT. IF YOURE A HAVING A BABY, THAT IS AN EMERGENCY. YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE THAT BABY. IF YOU ARE HAVGIN ELECTIVE SEIZURE, SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE PUT F,OF CALLED TO TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR. IT MIGHT BE NECESSARY TO PUT THAT OFF A FEW WEEKS AS WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS SEARCH.

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Video: Boston doctor reacts to new CDC data on omicron coronavirus variant cases

Updated: 6:29 PM EST Dec 14, 2021

The new omicron coronavirus variant is now forecast to become the primary source of infections in the United States.

BOSTON —

The new omicron coronavirus variant is now forecast to become the primary source of infections in the United States.

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