Omicron spikes, Mexican president calls it “a little COVID”

MEXICO CITY (AP) — As coronavirus cases spike in Mexico and tests become scarce, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador told Mexicans to just assume they had COVID-19 if they had symptoms. The number of confirmed cases spiked by 186% last week. López Obrador said Monday the Omicron variant is “a little COVID,” arguing that hospitalizations and deaths had not increased at the same rate. Reading advice posted on Twitter by a supporter, the president said Mexicans with symptoms should just stay at home, take paracetamol and isolate, rather than going out and trying to find tests. Since Christmas, private pharmacies and the few available testing centers have been overwhelmed by long lines.