Omicron ‘is going to take over’ this winter, Dr. Anthony Fauci says adding that the mutant will become dominant and “we will face difficult weeks or months as we enter the depths of winter”.

He urged Americans to get vaccinated and get their booster shots. “And be prudent in everything else you do: When you travel in your indoor settings that are congregated, wear a mask.”

According to the World Health Organization, Omicron cases are doubling every 1.5 to 3 days with documented spread.

Since the start of the pandemic, the United States is the most country affected by the virus, with more than 800,000 deaths.

The US is now facing a resurgent coronavirus as the pandemic marches into its third year: The country was averaging 126,967 new cases per day as of Saturday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University — up from an average of just over 70,000 new cases per day at the beginning of November.

“This Omicron variant is extraordinarily contagious. It’s as contagious as measles, and that’s about the most contagious virus that we’ve seen,” CNN medical analyst Jonathan Reiner said Saturday, warning there was a “tsunami” coming for unvaccinated Americans.

US Senators Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker, the two former candidates for the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, announced on Twitter, Sunday, that they had “COVID-19” and that their symptoms were mild, despite receiving the vaccination and the booster dose, but they did not mention whether they were infected with the mutator. “Omicron”.

Scientists say it’s still too early to tell whether Omicron causes a milder form of Covid-19. But regardless, it will put pressure on the health care system, said Reiner a professor of medicine and surgery at George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences.

“Why would you go into that kind of battle completely unarmed?” said Reiner.

“Our vaccines will protect you, particularly if you are triple vaxed. People who are unvaxed should start the process now. Go ahead and go to your pharmacy and get vaccinated.”

It’s important to remain vigilant to help prevent hospitals from getting “swamped,” he added. Even if Omicron ends up causing less severe infection than Delta, the sheer number of infections Omicron could generate could overwhelm US hospitals.

“We need to protect our health care system,” Reiner said, “and that’s why every American needs to mask up and vax up right now because our health care infrastructure is at stake right now.”

President Joe Biden will meet with his Covid-19 response team regarding the latest developments with the Omicron variant, according to the White House.

The meeting comes ahead of remarks Tuesday in which the President will discuss the variant, new steps the administration is taking and will issue another “stark warning of what the winter will look like for Americans who choose to remain unvaccinated,” the White House said.

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, more than 69,000 people are hospitalized with Covid-19 across the US and more than 20% of all ICU beds are occupied by Covid-19 patients.