US can manage BA.2 variant 'without disruption', top Covid adviser predicts

[marmar]

(Guardian UK) The White House Covid response coordinator Ashish Jha appeared to undercut the Biden administration’s efforts to reinstate the federal mask mandate on Sunday, stating that the spreading BA.2 variant in the US was unlikely to have much effect on the nation’s pandemic recovery.

The justice department announced last week it would appeal the decision of a federal judge in Florida to prematurely lift the mandate on air, rail and bus travel in the US, based on the assertion by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that “an order requiring masking in the indoor transportation corridor remains necessary for the public health”.

With cases rising again in the US, Anthony Fauci, the government’s leading infectious diseases expert, told CNN he was “disappointed” by the judge’s ruling and that “this is a CDC issue – it should not have been a court issue.”

But in an interview on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday, Jha said that while he was “concerned” about the spread of Omicron variants including BA.2, he did not see it having any significant impact. .................(more)

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/24/biden-covid-adviser-ashish-jha-variant

[Blues Heron]

1. Hospitalizations are up 9 percent from previous week according to the CDC- link

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#new-hospital-admissions

“We’re going to see cases go up, we’re going to see cases go down, the key things [are] making sure that hospitalizations and deaths are not rising in any substantial way,” he said. “I’m concerned, I’m gonna watch those numbers. But at this point, I remain confident that we’re gonna get through this without disruption.”

Right now cases are on the rise and hospitalizations are as well. It’s not a good time to drop our guard.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

2. Lol I guess it depends on what you mean by "disruption."

[BumRushDaShow]

3. "he did not see it having any significant impact"

The main issue right at this moment is that the GOP loons are chipping away at the public health authority of CDC. They have been doing it to Public Health officials in states where they control the state legislatures and/or Governor's offices and have been doing everything they can to neuter both the medical professionals and any Democratic governors.

This is why the appeal needs to go forward although some of the media are speculating that not immediately capitulating could be worse. IMHO, they should instead use their column inches or microphones to ask why Republicans have not stopped distorting the facts and continue to push fabricated CT to make public health a "hyper-partisan" issue.

[CrackityJones75]

4. I just tested positive in the last hour

Wonder which variant I have.

[Maru Kitteh]

7. Depends on where you are, but BA.2 is dominant in most regions

now, I believe.

[abqtommy]

5. I don't want 'predictions', I want positive results. That's why I keep wearing my mask

and getting vaxxed.

[Meowmee]

6. I knew he was a bad choice for the job