Coronavirus Watch: All adults should get a booster because of omicron, CDC says
The CDC is recommending that all adults get a COVID-19 booster shot following the emergence of the new omicron variant.
Previously, the CDC advised that people over 50 or living in a long-term care facility "should" get a booster, while all other adults "may" get boosters at least six months after their previous shots. Now all adults should get a booster, the CDC said Monday.
It's Tuesday, and this is Coronavirus Watch from the Paste BN Network. Here's more news to know:
- Reports indicate omicron was already spreading in parts of Europe before South African officials alerted the globe. Dutch officials said Tuesday that samples dated from Nov. 19 and Nov. 23 in the Netherlands were omicron variants. South Africa reported the variant to the World Health Organization on Nov. 24.
- France and Japan reported their first cases of the variant Tuesday.
- An FDA panel was meeting Tuesday to discuss whether it will recommend use of Merck's antiviral COVID-19 pill. An FDA analysis released last week found the pill waseffective against the virus but identified several potential risks, including possible toxicity and birth defects.
- China plans to donate 600 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccines to Africa, Chinese President Xi Jinping said. Another 400 million doses will also be supplied through other means, including from Chinese companies operating in Africa.
- The majority of U.S. employers already have or will require their employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19, a national survey conducted in mid-November found.
Today's numbers: The U.S. has recorded more than 48.4 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 779,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Global totals: More than 262.4 million cases and 5.2 million deaths. More than 196 million Americans – roughly 59.3% of the population – are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.
– Ryan Miller, Paste BN breaking news reporter, @RyanW_Miller