Story at a glance
- World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is urging people across the globe to consider cancelling their holiday gatherings.
- “There can be no doubt that increased social mixing over the holiday period in many countries will lead to increased cases, overwhelmed health systems and more deaths,” Tedros said.
- White House medical adviser Anthony Fauci on Tuesday reiterated his claim that vaccinated Americans can feel comfortable communing with other vaccinated individuals.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is urging people across the globe to consider canceling their holiday gatherings amid a wave of COVID-19 cases brought on by the omicron variant.
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“There can be no doubt that increased social mixing over the holiday period in many countries will lead to increased cases, overwhelmed health systems and more deaths,” Tedros said on Monday.
“All of us are sick of this pandemic,” he continued. “All of us want to spend time with friends and family. All of us want to get back to normal,” noting the best path to return to normalcy is to choose to protect one’s self and others.
“An event canceled is better than a life canceled,” Tedros added. “It’s better to cancel now and celebrate later, than to celebrate now and grieve later.”
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Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the omicron variant accounts for 73.2 percent of all new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. And public health officials have cautioned that the variant could spread rapidly over the next four to six weeks.
Yet, White House medical adviser Anthony Fauci on Tuesday reiterated his claim that vaccinated Americans can feel comfortable communing with other vaccinated individuals.
“If you don’t have the availability of the test and you are fully vaccinated and boosted, you should feel comfortable having a holiday meal or gathering with family members who are also vaccinated and boosted,” Fauci said on NBC’s “Today.”
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