• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

2

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

3

Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026

1

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

2

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

3

Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
Health

Fauci says not all COVID tests are detecting Omicron, adding even more confusion to the holiday season

Megan Leonhardt
By
Megan Leonhardt
Megan Leonhardt
Down Arrow Button Icon
Megan Leonhardt
By
Megan Leonhardt
Megan Leonhardt
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 16, 2021, 4:07 PM ET

With the holiday season in full swing, many health experts are recommending Americans get a COVID test before traveling or visiting with friends and family, especially if they’re feeling sick.

That’s because some people who are infected are asymptomatic, COVID vaccines aren’t 100% effective at preventing infection, and they also appear to be particularly vulnerable against the new Omicron variant.

“A test is better than no test,” said Dr. Riccardo Valdez, director of the Division of Clinical Pathology at University of Michigan Health. “Use an at-home test as directed by the test insert and know that the more frequently you use them if you are feeling sick, the more likely you are to detect the infection.”

Roughly one in four Americans is already planning on asking family and friends to get a COVID test before holiday visits. About 63% of Americans say that if asked, they would take a COVID test before visiting family, according to a recent poll by Rapid Test & Trace USA published last week. 

But on Thursday, Dr. Anthony Fauci said not all COVID tests are picking up Omicron infections. “We’re getting preliminary information that not all of the diagnostic tests will be accurate with Omicron,” said the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden.

“Some, and many of the commonly used ones, appear to pick up and detect Omicron quite well,” Fauci said during a U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation webinar. “We’re in the process of doing large screenings to determine which of these antigen, point-of-care rapid tests still maintain their accuracy of diagnosis. But clearly there are some that do. We’re trying to find out those that don’t reflect an accurate result, and if we do, then to make sure that those tests are not used to diagnose Omicron.”

Fauci did not name specific tests that did or did not detect the Omicron variant. A spokesperson for the Food and Drug Administration told Fortune Thursday that the agency has been monitoring tests authorized to detect SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) for potential effects of genetic variation on test performance. “The agency is currently collecting data for the Omicron variant and will continue to communicate information about whether and how it affects authorized tests as it becomes available,” the spokesperson said.

The FDA has already identified three COVID tests it believes will not detect the Omicron variant: Applied DNA Sciences’ Linea COVID-19 Assay Kit, Tide Laboratories’ DTPM COVID-19 RT-PCR test, and Meridian Bioscience’s Revogene SARS-CoV-2 test (which has not been made available for distribution). 

Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a number of measures his administration is implementing Thursday to reduce the spread of COVID, including distributing 500,000 at-home, rapid COVID tests through community organizations for free. 

“We want to use at-home testing a lot more. We want to make it more available to New Yorkers,” de Blasio said Thursday. New York City joins several states—including Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Washington—in now working to distribute free, at-home tests.

At-home testing provider Vault, which has partnered directly with Minnesota, New Hampshire, and New Jersey, says its tests are detecting Omicron cases. “Vault Health’s tests can detect the presence of Omicron without additional sequencing,” a company spokesperson told Fortune. Vault, which uses a PCR test, helped detect the second known case through the company’s partnership with Minnesota.

While some COVID tests may not be as effective at detecting Omicron, Dr. Fauci is still recommending Americans get fully vaccinated, and get a booster. He acknowledged Thursday that the current vaccines have reduced protection against contracting an Omicron infection. However, research shows there is still less of a chance of severe hospitalization or death from Omicron among vaccinated individuals, and getting a booster shot does help, Fauci said, adding that means it’s more important than ever before to be not only vaccinated, but to get a booster.

“The antibodies that are induced by [COVID] vaccination lose much of their potency. That’s the sobering news. The somewhat encouraging news is that when you boost someone who’s been doubly vaccinated, you can reconstitute a lot of that diminished protection that occurs because of Omicron,” Fauci said. “It is essential for people, particularly the elderly and the vulnerable, but quite frankly everyone who has been vaccinated to get a booster shot.”

Never miss a story: Follow your favorite topics and authors to get a personalized email with the journalism that matters most to you.

About the Author
Megan Leonhardt
By Megan Leonhardt
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Health

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Health

A person holds an iPhone as someone next to them points at the screen.
EconomyApple iPhone
You can blame America’s plummeting fertility rate on the iPhone, study finds: ‘People are all depressed and alone and doomscrolling’
By Sasha RogelbergJune 12, 2026
3 hours ago
fda
HealthTobacco
Why is the FDA approving kid-friendly, fruit-flavored e-cigarettes?
By Matthew Perrone and The Associated PressJune 12, 2026
3 hours ago
Testosil Review (2026): Testosterone Supplement Reviewed
HealthDietary Supplements
Testosil Review (2026): Testosterone Supplement Reviewed
By Christina SnyderJune 11, 2026
14 hours ago
BrickHouse Nutrition Field of Greens Review (2026)
HealthDietary Supplements
BrickHouse Nutrition Field of Greens Review (2026)
By Emily PharesJune 11, 2026
14 hours ago
worm
HealthFood and drink
The pest that could devastate the American cattle industry was in Texas, but now it’s in New Mexico, too
By Jeffrey Collins and The Associated PressJune 9, 2026
3 days ago
A man put a drink in front of Trump
HealthFood and drink
A Biden-era study told Americans to drink less alcohol. The Trump admin ‘sidelined’ the research facing pressure from the alcohol lobby
By Laura Ungar, Ali Swenson and The Associated PressJune 9, 2026
3 days ago

Most Popular

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
Energy
Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
By Sasha RogelbergJune 10, 2026
2 days ago
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
Environment
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
By Catherina GioinoJune 9, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 11, 2026
21 hours ago
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
Innovation
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
By Amanda GerutJune 9, 2026
2 days ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Success
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
4 days ago
SpaceX's record IPO has Wall Street torn between a Musk 'holy grail' and a $135-per-share leap of faith
Startups & Venture
SpaceX's record IPO has Wall Street torn between a Musk 'holy grail' and a $135-per-share leap of faith
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 11, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.