White House to prioritize boosters, testing for Omicron BA.5 subvariant, urges Americans to get vaccinated

White House to prioritize boosters, testing for Omicron BA.5 subvariant The White House said on Tuesday it will ensure Americans continue to have easy access to COVID-19 vaccines, treatments and testing to contain the fast-spreading Omicron BA.5 subvariant that now makes up a majority of U.S. cases. Ahmed Aboulenein,Jeff Mason Reuters

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Officials said they are prioritizing booster shots, making at-home testing and high-quality masks widely available, and supporting people who are immunocompromized.

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“Currently, many Americans are under vaccinated, meaning they are not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Staying up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines provides the best protection against severe outcomes.”

Walensky said the U.S. has seen a doubling in the number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 since April, reflecting the spread of the new subvariants, though deaths have remain steady around 300 per day.

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