Health officials bracing for massive US omicron surge

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Health officials are on edge as the country braces for a massive surge of omicron.

The CDC says the nation could see up to 15,000 coronavirus deaths per week by Jan. 8, 2022. That’s about 60% of the death total compared to the same week in January of this year.

News 8 spoke with Moderna chief medical offer, Dr. Paul Burton, who attributes this to omicron’s impressive ability to multiply and infect.

“While we haven’t seen the death rates — and that’s a fantastic thing — in terms of hospitalizations, this remains a severe and serious variant, and we need to take it very seriously,” he said.

Burton also says Moderna is working on an omicron specific vaccine because of this impending threat As one of the leaders in the field in the battle against COVID-19, he says it’s incumbent on Moderna to stay ahead and drive forward with new safe and effective vaccines if needed.