Disclaimer: Written on Dec. 23. Information is constantly being updated and added. Also, this is meant to be a short overview and not at all medical information. Please visit the CDC website (cdc.gov) or your primary healthcare provider for more information.
On November 24, 2021, a new variant of COVID-19 was discovered in South Africa and reported to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since we don't know much about it, such as the severity of the illness or how easily it spreads, we have been giving it a lot of attention. However, the Delta variant continues to be the most common variant circulating in the United States. I have written a detailed post on the Delta variant on my blog, so I would love for you to read it (It's titled "Quick update: COVID Variants").
Every state in the United States, except for Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Oklahoma, have been detected with at least one positive Omicron Covid case.
Here are a couple questions (and their answers!) to the questions you may be having about Omicron:
Q: How easily does Omicron spread?
A: How easily the Omicron virus spreads compared to Delta remains unknown, however, the CDC expects that Omicron will spread faster than the original virus, regardless of vaccination status or symptoms.
Q: Will vaccines work against Omicron?
A: Vaccines are expected to prevent severe symptoms, hospitalizations, and deaths because of the Omicron virus, but it is not said to completely protect against ANY virus strain.
As a reminder, vaccinating and masking up remain the most effective tools to fighting ALL strains of COVID-19. Please use them!
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