ERIKA: A CDC MODEL NOW PREDICTS, THE OMICRON VARIANT WILL TRIGGER A NEW SURGE OF COVID-19 CASES IN THE U.S. WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS DR. PAUL SAX, CLINICAL DIREORCT OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES AT BRIGHAM AND WOMEN’S HOSPITA ED: SOME HEAH LTOFFICIALS BELIEVE, THIS VARIANT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DOUBLE EVERY TWO DAYS. WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN FOR BOSTON HOSPITALS, SUCH AS THE BRIGH?AM >> OBVIOUSLY WHENEVER THERE’S A LARGE NUMBER OF NEW CASE, WE WORRY ABOUT THE MOST VULNERAEBL POPULATIONS. IN ADDITION, WHEN PEOPLE HAVE A VERY — PEOPLE COME IN CONCTTA HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS VARIANT TYHE COULD END UP GETTING COVID-19 THEMSELVES. WE CAN FIND PEOPLE IN THE WERE HERE FOR OTHER REASO.NS THEY NEED TO BE PUT ISPN ECIAL ISOLATION. THISOE DS PUT A GREAT DEMAND ON ALL HOSTAPI SYSTE.MS ERIKA: ARE YOU TESTING FOR THE SPECIFIC VARIANT? >> THE AWAY VARIANT TESTING IS DONE IS NOT THE SAMES A THE PCR TESTS THAT’S DEON TO DIAGNOSE PEOPLE WITH CORONAVIRUS. VARIANT TESTING IS DONE IN SPECIALIDZE LABORATORIES. THAT’S BNEE DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER HOSPITALS AND DEPARTMENT OF PUICBL PELT. WE HEAR UPDESAT EVERY WK.EE ED: WE HAVE CUSTOM GREAT QUTIESONS. THISNE O FROM PAT. THIS ONE IS FROM PAT. I’M 69-YEARS-OLD. I GOT BOTH SHOTS OF PFIZER, AND THEN I GOT COV.ID WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT GETTING A BOOSTER SHOT? HOW LONG SHOULD I WAIT? >> THE GOOD NEWS PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD COVID AND VACCINESRE N AOW QUITE PROTECTED TMSHEELVES. I WOULD STILL RECOMMEND GETTING A BOOSTER. TIME TO WAIT IS NOT KNOWN. IN GENERAL, WHEN PEOPLE ARE RECOVERED FROM COVID-19 AND ARE NO LONGER ANY KIND OF CONTAGIOUS ISOLATION THEY CAN GET THE BOOSTER. PEOPLE WHO GOTTEN THE BOOSTER VACCINES ARE QUITE PROTECTED AGAINST OMICRON IN PARTICURLA PROTECTED AGAINST SEVERE DISEASE. THAT’S ONE OF THE SMALL PIECES OF GOOD NEWS THAT WE HEARD. THREE SHOTS FOR THE MRNA VACCINES PROTECTS AGAINST OMICRON. ERIKA: HERE’S ANOTHER ONE, THIS TIME FROM KATHLEEN. MY SON COMES HOME FROM COLLEGE THIS SATURDAY. ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS WEHO SULD TAKE? ALL OF US ARE FULLY VACCINATED AND HAVE OUR BOOSTER SHO. >> I’M GLAD THEY HAVE. ONE WAY OF LOOKING AT THESE VACCINES IS THAT FULLY VACCINATED IS THREE SHOTS, NOT TWO. IF THAT COLLEGE STUDENT COMING HOME HASN’T HAD THEIR THEIR SHOT, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THEY GET IT. IN ADDITION, THIS IS A GOOD SETTING FOR USE OF RAPID TESTING. MOST COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ARE DOING TESNGTI ALREADY. THAT’S GOOD. HAVING YOUR CHILD GET A TEST A HOME TEST BEFORE THEY COME AND SPEND TIME WITH YOU IS REASONABLE. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND IT. ED: THANK YOU FOR YOUR T

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Video: What could spread of omicron cases mean for Boston hospitals? Doctor weighs in

Updated: 6:24 PM EST Dec 15, 2021

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A CDC model now predicts the omicron coronavirus variant will trigger a new surge of U.S. cases within the next few weeks.

BOSTON —

A CDC model now predicts the omicron coronavirus variant will trigger a new surge of U.S. cases within the next few weeks.

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