A person takes COVID-19 test in Times Square on Friday, Dec. 3, 2021, in New York. The omicron variant of COVID-19, which had been undetected in the U.S. before the middle of this week, was found in Pennsylvania on Friday, and had been discovered in at least five states by the end of Thursday, showing yet again how mutations of the virus can circumnavigate the globe with speed and ease.
AP Photo / Yuki Iwamura
AP Photo / Yuki Iwamura
A person takes COVID-19 test in Times Square on Friday, Dec. 3, 2021, in New York. The omicron variant of COVID-19, which had been undetected in the U.S. before the middle of this week, was found in Pennsylvania on Friday, and had been discovered in at least five states by the end of Thursday, showing yet again how mutations of the virus can circumnavigate the globe with speed and ease.
More than 260,000 people are testing positive for COVID-19 in the U.S. each day. Until last Monday, a positive test meant you should stay home for 10 days to avoid infecting others. Now, those who don’t have symptoms after five days can go back to their regular activities as long as they wear a mask, according to updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
There are critics of the new recommendations, especially at a time when the Omicron variant of the virus is infecting so many people. So far, it appears that Omicron doesn’t make those it infects as sick as other forms of the virus. However, some hospitals across the country are overwhelmed with patients.
COVID testing is lagging too. Home antigen test kits are hard to find because so many people are buying them and there’s even some question about their accuracy.
Joining us on Monday’s Smart Talk to provide some context is UPMC Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. John Goldman.
