ST. PETERSBURG — Among the new measures to confront the omicron wave, President Biden announced on Tuesday the administration is launching a website for any American who needs one to order an at home COVID-19 rapid test.

What You Need To Know

  • New data is emerging about the speed of omicron's transmission and incubation period or the time you get sick

  • A recently published study from Norway shows omicron's faster at getting people sick after exposure

  • The omicron variant on Monday became the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States; federal health officials said the strain made up 73% of new infections last week

Although, officials also revealed first deliveries won't happen until next month.

As we learn about that start date, new data is emerging about the speed of omicron's transmission and incubation period or the time you get sick.

Health officials are concerned about this and it's why many are saying to take precautions now such as ramping up vaccinations, boosters, masks and encouraging outdoor events.

"Much overdue step in the right direction, BUT the administration suspects they won't be available til Jan (and things moving kinda fast w omicron)" tweeted USF Professor of Epidemiology Dr. Jason Salemi tweeted about the at home tests.

How fast is omicron getting people sick from the time of exposure to symptom onset?

Former CDC Director during the Obama Administration, Dr. Tom Frieden tweeted about how fast omicron is spreading.

“I've worked on infectious disease outbreaks for 30 years. I've NEVER seen anything like the speed of Omicron,” tweeted Dr. Frieden.  “It's as infectious as measles spreading in a non-immune population, with a much shorter incubation time therefore much faster doubling time. Hope it's a lot less severe."

While there are now ways to combat the coronavirus, on the other end, the virus is mutating and becoming faster at getting people sick.

A recently published study from Norway shows omicron's faster at getting people sick after exposure.

It involved a Christmas party at a restaurant where about nine out of 10 people with an average age of 39 had been fully vaccinated had become infected.

None had taken boosters.

Eighty-one people out of 110 became infected with the omicron variant.

"Assuming exposure occurred at the party, the incubation period for symptomatic cases ranged from zero to eight days with a median of three days," the study found.

Since the study was published, none of the breakthrough cases have required hospitalization.