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COVID surge raises concerns about holiday travel
The latest report from the Georgia Department of Public Health shows the state had over 3,000 new COVID cases Friday - the highest number seen in months.
ATLANTA - Worrying numbers show Georgia could be on the edge of yet another COVID surge.
The latest report from the Georgia Department of Public Health shows the state had 3,094 new cases Friday - the highest number seen in months.
FULL CORONAVIRUS IN GEORGIA COVERAGE
The Peach State's seven-day new case average has more than doubled in December and the positivity rate is back above 8%.
Experts fear the spread of the new omicron variant could overwhelm hospitals once again.
The rising numbers couldn't come at a worse time, as millions of Americans prepare to travel for the holidays.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta expects omicron to be the dominant strain in the U.S. within the next couple of weeks.
The World Health Organization says the omicron cases are doubling every two to three days.
When it comes to travel plans, health experts say gathering with loved ones should be safe as long as everyone who can be is vaccinated and boosted.
An illustration of what a coronavirus looks like. (CDC illustration) (Photo Courtesy: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading infectious disease expert, told NBC’s "Meet the Press" that "the real problem" for the U.S. hospital system is that "we have so many people in this country who are eligible to be vaccinated who have not yet been vaccinated."
"The one thing that’s very clear, and there’s no doubt about this, is its extraordinary capability of spreading, its transmissibility capability. It is just, you know, raging through the world, really," Fauci said. "And if you look even here in the United States, you have some regions that start off with a few percent of the isolates that are positive, now going up to 30%, 40%, and some places 50%."
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Health officials, including Fauci, also say it's important to wear a mask in any crowded indoor setting like a plane or in an airport.
Officials recommend getting tested before holiday gathering and say to expect long lines at testing sites.
To schedule an appointment for a COVID vaccine or booster shot, go to the Georgia Department of Public Health's website or https://vaccinefinder.org/.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.