US officials prepare for pandemic’s next phase as Omicron wanes

The number of new coronavirus cases globally fell by 19 per cent in the last week while the number of deaths remained stable, according to the World Health Organisation. The UN health agency said late on Tuesday in its weekly report on the pandemic that just over 16 million new Covid-19 infections and about 75,000 deaths were reported worldwide last week.

WHO said that all other coronavirus variants, including alpha, beta and delta, continue to decline globally as omicron crowds them out.

US health officials said on Wednesday they are preparing for the next phase of the Covid-19 pandemic as Omicron-related cases decline, including updating CDC guidance on mask-wearing and shoring up US testing capacity.

The plans come as a growing number of US states have begun to ease Covid-19 restrictions as cases decline. The seven-day average of daily cases dropped 40 per cent from the previous week, while the daily hospital admission average dropped 28 per cent and the average daily deaths dropped 9 per cent, according to CDC data.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is weighing new Covid-19 guidance, including on when to wear face masks, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said at the same briefing, adding that hospital capacity will be a key metric.

For the first time in two years for many people, the American workplace is transforming into something that resembles pre-pandemic days.

Tyson Foods said Tuesday it was ending mask requirements for its vaccinated workers in some facilities. Walmart and Amazon — the nation’s No. 1 and 2 largest private employers respectively — will no longer require fully vaccinated workers to don masks in stores or warehouses unless required under local or state laws. Tech companies like Microsoft and Facebook that had allowed employees to work fully remote are now setting mandatory dates to return to the office after a series of fits and starts.

Microsoft, based in Redmond, Washington, on Monday announced plans to open its West Coast buildings on Feb. 28 with a hybrid mix of working in the office and home. Facebook parent Meta Platforms, which had planned to bring workers back to the office on Jan. 31, will now require them to return — with proof of a booster shot — on March 28.

Many office workers will still be required to wear masks in the office and get regularly tested. Front-line workers like store clerks and restaurant staff who were already physically going to work will have to adjust to maskless colleagues and customers — whether they like it or not. India Today