'Omicron will drive record cases and COVID deaths', US' top medical advisor Dr Fauci warns

The highly mutated variant of concern ‘Omicron’ B.1.1.529 lineage of the novel coronavirus now ravaging across the world will drive a record number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in the coming weeks, US top infectious diseases expert and director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Anthony Fauci said in televised remarks on CNN’s "State of the Union" on Sunday, Dec. 19.

The Omicron variant has now spread to at least 89 countries and Dr. Fauci warns of a gigantic winter surge due to the variant's high transmissibility. He expressed concerns about the strain’s ability to evade immune protection. 

When asked by his host Jake Tapper if the US is likely to see an upsurge in the COVID-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant, Dr. Fauci stressed: "Unfortunately, Jake, I think that that is going to happen.”

US President Joe Biden’s chief medical advisor then went on to add, that the United States was going to witness “a significant stress in some regions of the country on the hospital system, particularly in those areas where you have a low level of vaccination.” 

Omicron 'extraordinary' with doubling of 2-3 days, warns Fauci

Fauci warned that the Omicron variant, as compared with all other previous variants, is “extraordinary”. The B.1.1.529 has a doubling time of anywhere from two to three days, said Fauci, adding that the variant is "going to take over.”

“It is going to be a tough few weeks to months, as we get deeper into the winter,” he warned. Separately, at MSNBC’s Meet The Press, Dr. Fauci elaborated on the extraordinary capability of the Omicron of spreading at a very fast rate. He stressed that the variant is now "raging" throughout the world. 

Commenting on the fact that the Omicron is being reported as causing less severe COVID-19 infection than the Delta and is being said to have mild symptoms, Fauci warned that as the strain is set to become dominant, its implications may not be fully understood at this time.

"As a virus, it inherently may not be less severe," he warned. "We have so many people in this country who are eligible to be vaccinated who have not yet been vaccinated. And that's going to be a real problem for stress on the hospital system," Fauci added.