COVID Omicron, What to Know

On December 1, 2021 a new variant of the famous COVID virus has made its way to the United States from South Africa 1. There has been growing concerns about how dangerous it could be since the previous delta variant was deadlier than the original strain. However, we as a nation have been quick to respond to the threat, figuring out how deadly it is and if the vaccinated, unvaccinated, and previously infected people should be worried. The good news is that so far, it isn’t nearly as dangerous as past strains and the Omicron is still close enough to the original that most people’s immune systems should be able to recognize it 2. Also, the most reported symptoms are cough, fatigue, and congestion or runny nose with a single hospitalization an NO deaths 1. Despite Omicron not being as deadly, vaccination and masking can help slow the spread and slow the rise of more variants!

1. SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant — United States, December 1–8, 2021. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2021;70(50):1731-1734. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7050e1

2. Redd AD, Nardin A, Kared H, et al. Minimal cross-over between mutations associated with Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 and CD8+ T cell epitopes identified in COVID-19 convalescent individuals. bioRxiv. 2021:2021.12.06.471446. doi:10.1101/2021.12.06.471446