CDC Nowcast: BA.2 Now Estimated 86% of COVID Cases In The U.S.

 

#16,689

As expected, this week's CDC Nowcast has Omicron BA.2 continuing to increase across the nation, having nearly completely supplanted the original (B.1.1.529) Omicron variant (now at 1%), and heavily eroding the BA.1.1 variant's position (now at 13.1%). 

While some areas in the midwest are only reporting just over 70% of cases from BA.2, in the North East, they are over 90%. 

Earlier today, in Philly Announces Level 2 Mask Precautions, we looked at recent surges in cases reported in Philadelphia, and in Los Angeles County, California. Both regions with a heavy presence of BA.2.

Although BA.2 does appear responsible for an increase in cases, its hasn't produced the sort of spike in hospitalizations and deaths here in the U.S., and in Europe, as have recently been reported from Hong Kong.  

A recent MMWR report (COVID-19 Mortality and Vaccine Coverage — Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China, January 6, 2022–March 21, 2022) suggests this may be due to the lower uptake of the COVID vaccine in Hong Kong by those ≥ 60. 

What is added by this report?

Among persons aged ≥60 years in Hong Kong, 49% had received ≥2 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, and vaccination coverage declined with age. During January–March 2022, reported COVID-19–associated deaths rose rapidly in Hong Kong. Among these deaths, 96% occurred in persons aged ≥60 years; within this age group, the risk for death was 20 times lower among those who were fully vaccinated compared with those who were unvaccinated.

While nearly 90% of Americans > 65 have received 2 doses of the vaccine (67.8% are boosted), that still leaves millions of unvaccinated or undervaccinated individuals still at risk from this Omicron variant. 

A reminder: It is never too late to get vaccinated and/or boosted.  It may not protect as well against breakthrough infection as we'd like, but it does greatly reduce the risks of severe illness or death from COVID.