OF OMICRON WHICH MEANS IT'S GOING TO TAKE OR.VE ANCHOR: SOME PEOPLE ARE GETTING THREI BOOSTER ST.HO ANCHOR: WE SPOKE TO A LALOC DOCTOROW H EFFECTIVE THE CURRENT VACCINES A AREGAINST THE OMICRON VIRUS. REPORTER: THE HOLID TAYRAVEL THAT WERE A TALKING HAS BEGUN. ONE OF THE FACTORS THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE SPREAD OF COVID-19. WHEN WE WEPT TO A LOCAL CLINIC SAID THEY HAVE BEEN SINGEE MORE PEOPLE TO GET THEIR VACCINEN PREPARATN. [DR BELL] >> TSHI IS THE BOOSTER. REPORTER: JUST BEFORE SPENDING TIME WITH FAMILY. >> WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD WITH THE FAMILIES AND THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE BEEN ROUGH WITH THOSE WHO HAVE BIG FAMILIES. REPORTER: THEY HAVE SNEEN A UPTICK IN PEOPLE LIKE BRODERICK GETTING THE STHO BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS. GOOD NEWS, DOCTORS S,AY AS EXPERTS EXPERT A SUR.GE >> WE WILL PROBABLY SEE TWICE AS MANY CASES TOWARDS THE ENDF O JANUARY AS TODAY. WE WILL SEE THE INCREASE IN OMICRON. REPORTER: THE DOCTOR SSAY BECAUSE ITS I MORE CONTAGIOUS THERE WILL BE MORE BREAK-THROUGH CASES. >> WE ARE SEEING MORE CASES BETWNEE TWO AND FIVE TIMES MORE TRANSMIBL THAN DELTA. REPORTER: HE SAYS THE VACCINE ISN'T WORKING BECAUSE THE POINT OF T VACCINE IS S PREVENT SEVERE INFECTION. ANDEO PPLE WITH TIRHE BOOSTER SHOTAD H 70% AGASTIN HOSPITALIZATION. >> VACCINATIONS I OUR NUMBER ONE WAY TO PROTECT AGASTIN AND MASKINISG A CLOSE SD.ON REPORTER: MODERNA SAYS THAT ITS BOOSR INCREASED OMICRON BOOSTER LEVELS 37-FOLD AND IT WILLET GN A OMICRON BOOSTER IN CLINICAL TESTING IF IT BECESOM NECESSARY IN
How effective are vaccines against the COVID-19 omicron variant?
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Updated: 8:10 AM PST Dec 21, 2021
A Sacramento clinic said it's seeing an uptick in people getting their COVID-19 vaccine as we approach the holidays.James Broderick is one of those people who stopped by Urgent Care Now. He was getting his booster shot. "We're just looking forward to the holidays," Broderick said. "The last couple years have just been real rough on everybody and particularly those of us who have big families."Federal health officials announced Monday that omicron is now the dominant version of the coronavirus in the U.S., accounting for 73% of new infections last week. And experts expect a surge of new cases following family gatherings during the holidays. "We'll probably see almost twice as many cases towards the end of January as we're seeing today," said Dr. Dean Blumberg, who specializes in pediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Health. "So, we're already going to get that increase, and omicron will just make that worse.| MORE | Here’s how to find free COVID-19 testing locations in Northern CaliforniaBlumberg also explained that with a more contagious variant, there will likely be more breakthrough infections."The early reports suggest we're seeing more breakthrough infections with omicron, that it's somewhere between two and five times more transmissible than delta, and that's why we are seeing more cases," Dr. Blumberg said.However, he said, the purpose of the vaccine is not to prevent infection entirely but rather to prevent severe infection. Dr. Blumberg said early data shows people with their booster shots had about 70% protection against hospitalization with the omicron variant."Vaccination is still the number one way to protect against infection, including omicron, and masking is a close second," Dr. Blumberg said. Related Content:COVID-19 in California: Track COVID cases, vaccine rates, omicron variant updates, booster shot and testing infoCOVID-19 testing kits you can use at homeWhat you should know about taking an at-home COVID-19 test
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Sacramento clinic said it's seeing an uptick in people getting their COVID-19 vaccine as we approach the holidays.
James Broderick is one of those people who stopped by Urgent Care Now. He was getting his booster shot.
"We're just looking forward to the holidays," Broderick said. "The last couple years have just been real rough on everybody and particularly those of us who have big families."
Federal health officials announced Monday that omicron is now the dominant version of the coronavirus in the U.S., accounting for 73% of new infections last week. And experts expect a surge of new cases following family gatherings during the holidays.
"We'll probably see almost twice as many cases towards the end of January as we're seeing today," said Dr. Dean Blumberg, who specializes in pediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Health. "So, we're already going to get that increase, and omicron will just make that worse.
| MORE | Here’s how to find free COVID-19 testing locations in Northern California
Blumberg also explained that with a more contagious variant, there will likely be more breakthrough infections.
"The early reports suggest we're seeing more breakthrough infections with omicron, that it's somewhere between two and five times more transmissible than delta, and that's why we are seeing more cases," Dr. Blumberg said.
However, he said, the purpose of the vaccine is not to prevent infection entirely but rather to prevent severe infection. Dr. Blumberg said early data shows people with their booster shots had about 70% protection against hospitalization with the omicron variant.
"Vaccination is still the number one way to protect against infection, including omicron, and masking is a close second," Dr. Blumberg said.
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