Experts question Biden’s ability to keep American companies and schools operating in the face of Omicron: The Guardian
(Xinhua) – LONDON, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) – While US President Joe Biden has pledged to keep businesses and schools open, some experts are sceptical, according to The Guardian, given the extremely contagious nature of Omicron and the absence of sufficient means to battle it.
The storey quoted Margaret Thornton, an educational researcher at Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, as saying, “The economy and schools cannot stay open when so many people are falling sick.”
“We must take action to prevent the spread in order to keep schools and businesses open,” Thornton said, noting how delayed much of that effort has been.
The Omicron variety follows a catastrophic Delta wave in the autumn, as well as existing personnel and supply constraints, leaving little time for recovery, according to the research, which cited a seven-day average of infections in the United States of over 750,000 cases, significantly more than during Delta’s peak.
Hospitals throughout the country may already be overcrowded, according to the research, and schools have battled to keep students in the classroom.
“It’s a shambles.” Thornton described the situation as “total mayhem.”
According to the research, in order to contain Omicron and future surges, US officials must rely on tried-and-true techniques such as testing, high-quality masks, and greater ventilation.
