Coronavirus weekly need-to-know: Isolation guidelines, cruise travel, omicron & more

Millions of people in the U.S. remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 — and local, state and federal officials seem to be running out of creative incentives to change their minds.

But experts say one move may convince some to roll up their sleeves: a vaccine mandate for all flights within the U.S. The idea has been brought up several times throughout the pandemic, but the omicron variant’s high transmissibility has renewed talks of a vaccine travel mandate as hospitals and businesses overwhelmed with sick employees struggle to stay afloat.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief White House medical adviser, fancied the concept during a Dec. 27 interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

Here’s what officials are saying about the idea and what data shows about flying amid the omicron surge:

Why did the CDC change isolation guidelines?

The CDC recently changed its COVID-19 isolation guidelines as the omicron variant spreads, which received some push back from experts.

The agency said its decision to shorten the isolation period was “motivated by science.” Here’s what experts had to say about the change:

Is the omicron coronavirus variant more severe in children?

Although early data hints the now-dominant omicron variant is associated with more mild illness compared to other versions of the coronavirus, we still don’t have solid answers, especially regarding how the mutant affects different age groups.

But emerging evidence shows children are getting infected with the coronavirus and being hospitalized at alarming rates relative to pre-omicron days, particularly those who are unvaccinated. As a result, kids younger than 5 years old, who are not yet eligible for vaccination, are making up large portions of pediatric COVID-19 surges across the globe.

Still, many experts advise heightened caution rather than panic. Here’s what to know:

Don’t assume omicron is behind your coronavirus infection — delta still lurks

Although the omicron coronavirus variant is dominating positive cases in the U.S., don’t assume it’s behind your infection. The delta variant still lurks amid the nation’s coronavirus surge.

If omicron’s symptoms prove to be less severe as early data suggests — and delta is still around with a potential to create more severe symptoms — a false sense of security should be avoided if you test positive for COVID-19, assume its omicron and think it to be more mild.

Read on to learn what experts are saying:

CDC: Americans should ‘avoid cruise travel’ regardless of vaccine status

The CDC is urging people to avoid cruise travel — regardless of vaccination status — amid an uptick in COVID-19 cases propelled by the omicron variant.

In doing so, the CDC changed the COVID-19 Travel Health Notice level for cruise travel from a Level 3 to a Level 4, which the agency described as the “highest level.”

Officials said anyone who does decide to travel on a cruise should be fully vaccinated with their booster shot, if eligible.

Mayo Clinic asks patients, visitors to wear surgical face masks

As the omicron coronavirus variant spreads quickly across the United States, a prestigious hospital is asking patients and visitors to forgo cloth masks in favor of ones that can offer more protection.

Mayo Clinic, the highly regarded hospital based out of Rochester, Minnesota, said Wednesday, Dec. 29 it is asking people to not wear the popular cloth masks at their facilities. Mayo Clinic will provide a surgical mask upon entry if patients and visitors do not have one.

The announcement comes as the country has seen its highest number of COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic, with an average of 265,000 cases per day being driven by the omicron variant.

Watch out for COVID-19 testing scams, price gouging as demand surges

Increased demand for COVID-19 testing has state and federal officials warning consumers to keep a watchful eye for potential scams, especially as the omicron coronavirus variant drives a surge in new cases.

The spike in demand has snarled lines at drive-thru test sites, and at-home testing kits have all but disappeared from drug store shelves, presenting thieves with the perfect opportunity to peddle phony, costly products.

Be wary of anyone trying to charge you for an in-person COVID-19 test. Buying an at-home testing kit from someone on the street or going door-to-door is likely also a scam.

You can apply for money to help cover COVID-19 funeral costs

If you lost a loved one to COVID-19, you can apply for some financial assistance to cover funeral costs, including cremation, burial plots, officiant services and caskets.

To be eligible for the government aid, the death must have occurred on or after Jan. 20, 2020 and be attributed directly or indirectly to COVID-19 on a death certificate, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Here’s how to apply:

Can weight loss reduce risks of severe COVID-19 in people with obesity?

Obesity is a complex and chronic disease that can affect several organs in the body, and can cause other related conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer — all known risk factors for severe COVID-19.

Studies have shown people with obesity who develop COVID-19 face higher risks of hospitalization, invasive mechanical ventilation and death, but could weight loss before coronavirus infection reduce their likelihood of progressing to severe disease?

Among more than 20,000 people with obesity, those who had weight loss surgery years before their coronavirus infection had a 60% lower risk of experiencing severe COVID-19 complications than people without prior weight loss, according to Cleveland Clinic research.

Flu cases on the rise as omicron rages across the US

Back from its 2020 hiatus, the flu is cropping up across the U.S. as a growing number of states report “high” to “very high” rates of seasonal influenza, public health data shows.

The CDC reported roughly 4,500 flu cases and over 1,200 hospitalizations for the week that ended Dec. 18, citing nationwide clinical testing. The resurgence comes as the highly contagious omicron variant drives a surge in new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and beyond.

The data, released in the CDC’s weekly “FluView” surveillance report, suggests the nation could be in for double trouble if cases continue trending in the wrong direction.