Washington D.C. 12 January 2022 (PAHO) – With COVID-19 infections accelerating in the Americas and the detection of the Omicron variant in at least 42 countries and territories in the region, the Pan American Health Organization Director Carissa F. Etienne has called on countries to ensure health workers have access to protective equipment and additional COVID-19 vaccine doses where available.

As cases jump three-fold in some countries, the region’s ability to respond to the current wave depends on the personnel that keep primary health care centers, clinics and hospitals up and running.

“We must make sure they are protected from the worst consequences of this virus,” she said in a media briefing today.

Over the past week, countries in the Americas reported 6.1 million new cases of COVID-19 – a 250% increase from the same period last year.

Thanks to increased vaccination in the region, the COVID-19 death rate remains stable but the hike in emergency room visits and hospitalizations has left many health systems struggling to cope.