What Should We Know about New COVID Variant, Omicron? Do Vaccines Work Against It 🦠 ?

World Health Organization announced the new name of Coranvirus Friday, Omicron. The B.1.1.529 variant was first reported to WHO from South Africa on 24 November 2021. Already, Omicron accounts for most of the 2,300 new daily cases in the province of Gauteng, South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday. Nationally, new infections have more than tripled in the past week, and test positivity has increased to 9 percent from 2 percent.

Also, the first case of the omicron variant of COVID-19 has been identified in the U.S.on December 1, 2021., health officials said on Wednesday. The case was detected in a person in California, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The individual was a traveler who returned from South Africa on November 22,” the CDC said in a news release. “The individual, who was fully vaccinated and had mild symptoms that are improving, is self-quarantining and has been since testing positive. All close contacts have been contacted and have tested negative.”

Severity of disease

Preliminary data suggests that there are increasing rates of hospitalization in South Africa, but this may be due to increasing overall numbers of people becoming infected, rather than a result of a specific infection with Omicron.

Physicians around the world have suggested the Omicron variant may cause milder illness than other forms of the coronavirus. But actually understanding Omicron’s severity is an open question, experts caution — one that requires more patient data and more time to answer.

Do Vaccines Work Against It?

The vaccines may well continue to ward off severe illness and death, although booster doses may be needed to protect most people. Still, the makers of the two most effective vaccines, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, are preparing to reformulate their shots if necessary.

According to Bloomberg News, the current generation of Covid-19 vaccines will still protect against severe disease in people infected by the omicron variant. Vaccines are expected to protect against severe illness, hospitalizations, and deaths due to infection with the omicron variant.

Everyone 5 and older is currently eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Visit Vaccine Locator or Vaccines.gov to make an appointment today. If you have questions, visit DOH’s COVID-19 Vaccine 

Tools to Fight Omicron

Vaccines remain the best public health measure to protect people from COVID-19, slow transmission, and reduce the likelihood of new variants emerging.

– Boosters for All Adults

– Social distancing

– Wear mask in public place

– Wash your hands frequently and stay home if you’re sick and distance yourself from others.