WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – U.S. experts warned Americans on Thursday that a rising tide in COVID-19-related cases caused by Omicron variant could cause major disruptions to their daily lives. They urged Americans to be prepared for a difficult month ahead.

A Reuters tally revealed that the United States reported a record number new infections for the second consecutive day. This was based on the 7-day average.

The tally shows that at least 18 US states and Puerto Rico set new pandemic records. As the overall U.S. COVID hospitalizations rose by 27%, Maryland, Ohio, and Washington, DC saw records in hospitalizations.

This surge is due to increased holiday travel and New Year’s festivities. Schools also have to deal with the return of students after winter break.

MSNBC’s Dr. Michael Osterholm told MSNBC that “We will see the number of patients in this country so dramatically, it is going to be difficult to keep everyday life functioning.” He is an infectious disease specialist at the University of Minnesota.

He stated, “The following month is going to become a viral storm.” All of society will be affected by this.

The nation’s most senior infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Wednesday that the number of cases is likely to rise until January. While he and U.S. officials believe Omicron is less severe in early data, they continue to advocate vaccinations, masks, and physical distancing.

Experts are warning that there will be a surge of cases and testing shortages in hospitals and emergency services.

CNN’s Dr. Peter Hoetz told CNN that Omicron is an infectious disease expert from Baylor College of Medicine.

Hoetz noted that there is an increase in hospitalizations due to healthcare workers having to deal with COVID cases. There are also fewer therapeutic options. “We are in for some serious times.”

Data showed that 825,663 Americans have already died from COVID in the United States since the beginning of 2020. The latest wave was driven by non-vaccinated patients.

This month, President Joe Biden presented new plans for combating the Omicron-driven wave. These included federal reinforcements of hospitals and additional tests. Experts disagree, however, and say it’s too little too late.

However, the economy has remained steady despite some warnings from economists.

Although airline travel was severely disrupted, and certain areas were hit hard with closed businesses and cancelled events due to the disruptions, some other activities such as holiday sales have been able to continue.

The labor market remains stable. The Labor Department reported that new claims for unemployment benefits were down last week, to the lowest levels since the pandemic.

Jason Greenberg from Homebase is still the head of economics and says he believes January’s first week will be slower that was projected by Omicron.

Greenberg stated that the remainder of January would likely be determined by state and municipal health policies and epidemiological data.

The way schools respond to the increase is crucial, especially for working parents. New York and Washington have pledged that they will continue open for more testing.

Miguel Cardona (US Education Secretary) acknowledged the need to address staffing concerns, but advised schools to make every effort to ensure that children are enrolled in their classrooms.

“We have better tools” than last year’s shut downs. He said they should be open and that testing is still possible with federal funding.

Some U.S. colleges are relocating online, or have postponed their next semesters.

Osterholm stated that there is light at the end. “But, for now you will have to buckle down.”