U.S. may not mirror U.K. BA.2 variant surge

The omicron subvariant BA.2 accounts for 35% of U.S. COVID-19 cases nationwide and more than 50% in the Northeast, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CDC wastewater surveillance data also show COVID-19 on the rise in much of the United States. The fast-spreading BA.2 variant led to a sharp rise in hospitalizations in the United Kingdom (U.K.) in March, when restrictions on mask-wearing and social gathering were also loosened. In several media appearances, Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the U.S. will likely see an uptick in COVID-19 cases, but it may not lead to a surge in hospitalizations and deaths. (Beckers Hospital Review article, 3/22/22)