Several US states at or near all-time peak Covid-19 hospitalization levels
https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/omicron-variant-coronavirus-news-12-28-21/h_094b52637b30a14ed1a34932367314da

Four states — Michigan, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire — hit their all-time pandemic peak hospitalization numbers this month, according to a CNN review of data from the US Department of Health and Human Services.

All four have seen hospitalizations decline in the last few days.

Other areas are seeing hospitalization numbers near pandemic peaks.

Washington, DC, with 363 hospitalized as of Monday, is nearly tied with its peak of 383 in January. Ohio, Indiana and Delaware are all seeing hospital numbers at least 80% as high as their all-time records last winter, according to a CNN analysis of HHS data.

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CDC lowers estimates of Omicron prevalence, saying the variant caused under 60% of Covid-19 cases last week

https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/omicron-variant-coronavirus-news-12-28-21/index.html


The Omicron variant caused 58.6% of new coronavirus cases in the US last week, which is significantly lower than previously thought, according to estimates posted Tuesday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Last week, the agency estimated Omicron accounted for 73.2% of cases the week ending Dec. 18.

A CDC spokesperson told CNN last week there was a broad range of uncertainty for those numbers — as low as 34% and as high as 95%. She added agency would "adjust based on additional sequencing.” The agency has adjusted the estimate for that week even lower, from 73.2% to 22.5%.

Over the past four weeks, Omicron has risen rapidly in estimates – accounting for 0.6% of cases ending December 4, to 6.9% the following week, then 22.5% and now 58.6%. The Delta variant makes up nearly all of the rest.

More on the CDC estimates: Not every Covid-19 test is sent for the extra genetic sequencing needed to detect which variant has infected someone. The CDC works off samples and extrapolates its estimates based on that extra testing.

Omicron’s estimated prevalence varies widely based on geography. For example, in the region that includes New York and New Jersey, as well as the region covering Texas and its bordering states, Omicron was estimated to have caused upwards of 86% of cases last week.

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Texas runs out of monoclonal antibody treatment to fight omicron variant of COVID-19

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/12/28/texas-runs-out-monoclonal-antibody-sotrovimab-treatment-fight-omicron-covid/9031897002/


On Monday, the Texas Department of State Health Services announced that its regional infusion centers in Austin, El Paso, Fort Worth, San Antonio and The Woodlands have run out of the monoclonal antibody sotrovimab.

That antibody has been shown to be effective against the omicron variant. Other monoclonal antibodies have not been shown to be effective against omicron.

REALTED ARTICLE:
Gov. Abbott calls out Biden administration as Texas runs out of omicron antibody treatment

https://www.kxan.com/news/coronavirus/texas-antibody-infusion-centers-run-out-of-treatment-shown-to-fight-omicron/

Fuck Abbott. he can blame everything on someone else.

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CDC cuts isolation time recommended for people with asymptomatic coronavirus infections

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/12/27/cdc-cuts-isolation-time-asymptomic-covid-infections/

Federal health officials on Monday shortened the recommended time Americans infected with the coronavirus should isolate from 10 days to five if they are asymptomatic — a decision they said was driven by a growing body of research about when people are most infectious.


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Omicron could make the world more resistant to Delta COVID strain, South Africa study says

https://fortune.com/2021/12/28/omicron-infection-delta-covid-strain-resistance-south-africa-study-ahri/

Very early paper with only 15 participants but maybe it'll bear out in the next few months.