Pfizer Effectiveness Against Omicron Infection Is 33%, Data Shows – NBC New York
What to Know
- New York and New Jersey are detecting the omicron variant at a much higher rate (13%) than the U.S. average (3%), the CDC says; the vast majority of new cases are delta, but that may soon change
- While the severe cases are linked to the delta variant, omicron is believed to be fueling a nationwide increase in infections and appears to be more evasive when it comes to existing vaccines
- NY is among a growing list of states adopting strict measures to curb omicron’s spread — and the ongoing threat posed by delta — as it faces its worst across-the-board COVID surge in more than half a year
The highly infectious omicron variant is rapidly increasing prevalence across the U.S. but even more so in New York and New Jersey, where genomic sequencing is detecting it at a rate of about 13% versus 3% nationally, the head of the CDC says.
Delta, which early evidence indicates appears to lead to more severe cases than the new variant that first emerged in South Africa, remains America’s predominant strain (96.7% of all sequenced positive COVID samples) and is fueling the nationwide hospitalization spike, Dr. Rochelle Walensky said on “Today” Tuesday.
But omicron could overtake delta before long, just as the latter overwhelmed alpha this past spring, Walensky said. It already accounts for 3% of all U.S. cases tested.
The good news, Walensky says, is that early data shows omicron “is demonstrating some decreased severity, shorter lengths of stay, fewer people on oxygen, fewer people in the ICU.” Even better, “We have the tools now,” the head of the CDC said.
That said, Walensky acknowledged that even if omicron proves to be less severe, “you still have a lot of people who are getting sick,” and some of the most vulnerable people could experience severe COVID-related illness or death. The alarming spread rate of omicron makes vaccinations all the more crucial, she said.
Pfizer released data Tuesday showing its vaccine is 70% effective at preventing omicron-associated hospitalizations but just 33% effective in preventing new infections — a concerning statistic particularly for parents of younger kids who only recently became eligible for vaccination and have a much lower full protection rate than adults. More insight on Moderna’s effectiveness is expected this week.
The omicron COVID variant is a growing cause of concern during the holiday season as New Yorkers anticipate travel and group events, but should we cancel plans? Here’s what several experts suggest. News 4’s Linda Gaudino reports.
Nationally, 9.6% of kids in aged 5 to 11 are fully vaccinated, CDC data shows. More than 52% of the next youngest group (aged 12-17) can say the same.
New York state and city both boast higher full vaccination rates for the youngest eligible. Almost 12% of kids aged 5 to 11 are fully vaccinated statewide, while New York City, the one-time epicenter of the U.S. COVID outbreak, has a 38.5% full vaccination rate for that age group.
Walensky said Tuesday that while the definition of “fully vaccinated” isn’t expected to change, meaning a booster wouldn’t be added to the definition, the vast number of mutations…
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