US CDC: Most Omicron Cases in the US Are Fully Vaccinated

On December 10th, according to a U.S. report published on Friday, most of the 43 COVID-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant found in the U.S. so far, most of them have been fully vaccinated. One third of the people have already received a booster dose. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said 34 of 43 cases of the Omicron variant have been fully vaccinated. Fourteen of them also received a booster vaccine, although five of the cases occurred less than 14 days after the additional injections before full protection took effect. Although these numbers are very small, they increase the concerns that the current COVID-19 vaccine may provide less protection against new, highly-spreading variants. 

The report stated that most of them had only mild symptoms such as cough, nasal congestion and fatigue, and one was hospitalized for two days. Other less reported symptoms include nausea or vomiting, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, diarrhea, and loss of taste or smell. 

The first known case of Omicron in the United States was discovered on December 1. It was a fully vaccinated person who had traveled to South Africa. The CDC said that the earliest date of onset of symptoms for people with a history of international travel is November 15. 

Delta variants still account for more than 99% of all U.S. cases. However, reports from South Africa indicate that the Omicron variant is highly transmissible.