Stay In Or Go Out? What Experts Recommend To Do For New Year's Eve
STUDIO CITY (CBSLA) - There's no question that everyone is rushing to get tested for COVID-19.
With the Omicron variant emerging as the most common and contagious strain, people are lining up to get tested for COVID.
As the pandemic's fifth waive continues, people are looking to get checked if they caught the virus during Christmas or to ensure they don't have it before going out to party for New Year's Eve.
Dr. Sumin Radhakrishna told CBSLA Reporter the Omicron variant is fierce.
"It is a lot more contagious than Delta, it infects people who are vaccinated," Radhakrishna said. "It also infects people who had COVID before."
Dr. Radhakrishna indicated it's likely testing this week will show a spike in Christmas cases.
With New Year's celebrations just days away, she has two words of advice: small and outside.
"You're better off being with a group of people who are all vaccinated, limit the number of families of households that gather together because that way you have some level of control in case somebody tests positive it's easier to disseminate information," Dr. Radhakrishna said.
For anyone vaccinated and boosted who are not concerned about getting COVID, Dr. Radhakrishna is pleading for them to think of others.
On Tuesday, Los Angeles County Health reported more than 9,600 new COVID cases and an additional 22 deaths. Almost a thousand people are hospitalized in LA county due to the virus.
Just last week, the county reported just under 740 new cases of COVID.
As a result, several events around the Southland have been canceled, including Hamilton performances at the Pantages Theater and the Rose Bowl's ancillary indoor events such as the Beef Bowl, which takes place annually at Lawry's The Prime Rib in Beverly Hills between the two teams competing in the Rose Bowl game.
