LOS ANGELES (KNX) — Southern California is unavoidably going to face a significant swell of COVID-19 cases this winter, a former COVID-19 advisor to President Joe Biden predicted Friday on KNX In Depth.
As infectious disease experts try to understand the potential impact of COVID’s latest variant of concern—Omicron—Michael Osterholm, director at the Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy at the University of Minnesota, said the Delta variant continues to be the biggest threat to Americans.
“I still believe that Southern California is prime for a surge in the days ahead,” Osterholm ominously warned.
The most concerning group — unvaccinated people.
An estimated 75% of Los Angeles County residents 12 and older are fully vaccinated, according to recent records from the Department of Public Health.
Although Southern California boasts an above-average vaccination rate compared to the rest of the country, Osterholm pointed to countries with much higher vaccination rates that are currently grappling with new surges.
Osterholm warns the greater Los Angeles region won’t be exempt from a similar strain on resources and manpower.
“It’s gonna happen in Southern California,” he said. “People can say it won’t, they don’t want to hear this, but it’s going to.”
He continued, “Many people think they can outrun the clock with this virus. They think that, ‘you know, I haven’t been infected yet and in 18 months I’m not going to.’ That’s simply not the case. You can’t outrun the clock. This virus will find you.”
Despite the development of antiviral pills to protect against the virus, Osterholm maintains vaccination remains the best protection against COVID and all its variants.
“If you’re not protected through vaccination or from having previously had infection with immunity, then you’re really putting your life at risk right now.”
Hear more on why infectious disease expert Michael Osterholm said new COVID-19 pills “aren’t going to be magic” and what he believes continues fueling the pandemic on the KNX In Depth podcast.
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