For the past one and a half years, we’ve been in a worldwide pandemic and this has taken a toll on many aspects of our lives. The pandemic has affected our physical and mental health, social life, and education. As someone who has always loved having the option to go out and have a date with friends or just myself, the pandemic has really limited me. Approaching the end of the year, I was finally ready to start going out again with precautions in 2022, however, Omicron, the new COVID19 variant decided to come out and surprise me and the other billion people on Earth.
What exactly should we know about this new variant?
- The first reported case of Omicron in the U.S. dates back to December 1, 2021, but the variant was reported to the World Health Organization on November 24, 2021.
- According to CDC (2021), the new Omicron variant has been studied to be more transmissible than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus. Compared to the transmissibility of the Delta variant, however, not enough data is available yet.
- Although getting vaccinated is expected to help aid individuals from getting severely affected by different COVID19 variants, when it comes to the Omicron variant, getting infected after getting fully vaccinated is a more likely scenario to occur compared to other variants. With that said, it’s definitely better to make sure you follow COVID19 social distancing and mask precautions! According to CDC (2021), with the Omicron variant now existing, the importance of COVID19 vaccines and boosters has been amplified even further.
- According to The New York Times (2021), compared to the Delta variant, individuals who get COVID19 from Omicron are less likely to be hospitalized. Despite this, the effect of the Omicron variant is only a little milder than the Delta variant on unvaccinated individuals.
- Based on early Omicron cases, NBC News writer Edwards (2021) states that common symptoms of the Omicron variant include cough, fatigue or tiredness, and congestion, and runny nose. Unlike other variants, loss of smell and taste are not common symptoms. The new variant also seems to resemble a common cold.
- Omicron’s incubation period seems to be shorter than that of other variants.
As much as we all want to go back to life before the pandemic, with the new variants, it seems very hard. At this point, the best that we could do is stay aware of COVID19 updates and follow COVID19 precautions: social distancing, wearing a mask, and if possible, getting vaccinated. Other than that, we could also learn to live with the pandemic and make the best out of our situations. Despite all of this, I hope this year be full of prosperity, healing, and growth for everyone.
Happy New Year and stay safe out there, everyone!