Syllabus
Bio120: Introduction to Microbiology
City College of San Francisco
Instructor - Matthew Schweitzer
Contact Information:
Preferred Methods of Contact
Email via the CANVAS Dropbox
(linked to dschweitzer@ccsf.edu)
Response Time: 24 hours or less
OFFICE: OCEAN S318
Lab Room - S323
Lecture Room - Remote for Fall 2021
OFFICE PHONE: 210-846-3086
Course Description
PREREQ.: CHEM 32 (Links to an external site.) or CHEM 101A (Links to an external site.) or an equivalent course. If you have not had a basic biology course prior to enrolling in this class, it is imperative that your study a few key concepts prior to the beginning of the semester. These include Cell Morphology and Organization, DNA replication, Transcription and Translation, Cellular Respiration, and Basic Evolutionary Concepts.
Bio120: An introductory microbiology course, surveying eukaryotic, viral, and bacterial microbes. The course will cover six themes: a) Microbial cell biology; b) Microbial genetics; c) Human-microbe interactions; d) Microbial ecology; e) Microbial evolution and diversity; and f) Historical development of microbiology. Additionally, students will learn laboratory skills essential to microbiology, which will develop problem-solving skills.
Apply scientific inquiry and investigation of evidence to critically evaluate scientific arguments.
Communicate scientific ideas and theories effectively
Apply scientific principles, theories, or models to explain the behavior of natural phenomena
Apply scientific knowledge and reasoning to human interaction with the natural world and issues impacting society
Greetings!
Hello! Just a little about me.... I was born at Travis AFB here in California, so I suppose you can technically consider me a native. My father was in the Air Force and was transferred to Texas when I was 2 years old, and there I stayed until late 2012 when a need of a change of scenery brought me back to California. I grew up in San Antonio, but have also lived in Galveston, Texas City, Universal City, and Corpus Christi. I received both my BS (2005) and MS (2008) in Biology with an emphasis on Marine Ecology from Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi. I have been teaching college Biology since 2009, and think it is the best and most fun job I can imagine! I love science, and nature, and critters of all kinds. I love living in the Bay Area, especially since there is such great access to all things outdoors! My husband and I live in a small East Bay community that is peaceful with lots of green spaces around to explore. I keep fish, tarantulas and other arachnids and creepy-crawlies for pets and I garden, hike, take nature photos and paint to relax.
In June 2021 my husband and I adopted this little cutie! His name is Sir Gadget Fluffy Butt of the House of Royal Corgis (Gadget) and he will be my office mate from now on!
A rose from my garden
This is WyldeHair, my Curly Hair Tarantula
This is Gadget, or Wonder Corgi!
My husband and I being silly on a hike in Sedona, Arizona
Bio120: Introduction to Microbiology Course Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course a student will be able to:
- Outcome 1: Explain in an evolutionary context, the molecular and cellular unity of microbial life and describe how microbial biodiversity is generated, perpetuated and adapts to distinct environments.
- Outcome 2: Demonstrate knowledge of how genetics, biochemistry and biotechnology are used to determine the organization and function of microorganisms.
- Outcome 3: Apply classical and molecular methods to identify and classify microorganisms isolated from natural environments.
- Outcome 4: Differentiate how microorganisms interact with animals, plants, other microbes, and the environment in beneficial, neutral, or detrimental ways.
- Outcome 5: Describe and employ good microbiological practices in a laboratory setting.
- Outcome 6: Demonstrate scientific quantitative skills: express and analyze data in standard formats such as lab reports, research papers and oral presentations.
Lecture Text
OER: Openstax Microbiology
Found at:
FREE ONLINE TEXTBOOK
Printed copies may be purchased through the CCSF bookstore for $52.00
(ISBN 9781506698113)
Lab Text
Custom CCSF Micro Lab Manual - $60
Available through CCSF Bookstore ONLY
- ISBN-13:
9781640430822
**Beginning Fall 2020 this is available through the bookstore as an ebook at a reduced price
October Birds by Jessica Smartt Gullion
Required Reading
162 pages
Summary: En route to a conference, a physician from Jakarta boards a plane to the US. He does not know he is the index patient for the next global influenza pandemic. From this catalyst, thousands of people will get sick, hundreds of people will die. October Birds follows the healthcare and emergency responders in the town of Dalton, Texas, as they cope with the unfolding pandemic. Dr. Eliza Gordon, Chief Epidemiologist for the city, struggles to control the outbreak and be a mother. Infectious disease specialist Dr. Ben Cromwell tries to maintain control of the increasing numbers of patients at Memorial Hospital, while Memorial's infection control specialist fights to limit the spread of the disease to the healthcare workers and other patients. Dalton's emergency manager copes with an ever increasing logistical nightmare, and the incident commander tries to hold everything together. Meanwhile a currendera in town searches for a cure. October Birds is grounded in real-life public health practice, sociological research, and emergency management. Is is a/r/tographical research, sociological inquiry within the science/art intersection.
This will be part of our unit on Epidemiology towards the end of the semester and will have a writing assignment attached to it.
Can be purchased through the school bookstore or you can get it new or used through Amazon.com.
Other Materials Needed:
Lectures:
Computer/Internet
Online Access to CCSF CANVAS (REQUIRED). Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the lecture portion of this course will be taught FULLY online. You must have a reliable computer and internet access to be successful.
Notebook
I will be asking you to write down stuff during each recorded online lecture. You will need a spiral-bound notebook or something similar for this.
Index Cards
Highly recommended for making flash cards for studying
Laboratory :
Lab Manual (see above)
Laptop or tablet (highly recommended to bring with you to lab)
A long-sleeved shirt or lab coat that covers you below the waist. Color unimportant.
Nitrile or latex gloves (make sure that you are not allergic to latex)
Hair ties for long hair
Rubber bands
Colored pencils or pens (include purple, pink, red, green & blue)
A sharpie or two (thick point) permanent marker or wax pencil - several colors are helpful here
Box of microscope slides (one box per student) - cover slips NOT NEEDED
Lens and blotting (bibulous) paper
bound lab notebook to collect lab data and take notes
**Purchase these items as soon as possible, the bookstore often runs out!
How Will Pandemic Bio120 Spring 2022 Work?
It looks like we are going to be repeating the same scenario this coming term that we had for Fall 2021 in that we are allowed to have face-to-face labs only and lectures will be remote. We have arranged though to have another lab space, so we are going to be meeting for lab TWICE A WEEK as we should! We are very excited about this change from Fall 2021. This means that your lab will meet both MW or TR depending on your section on the Ocen Campus.
IF YOU CANNOT MEET IN PERSON DURING THE SCHEDULED LAB TIME OR BE AVAILABLE FROM 6:00pm UNTIL 7:30PM ON YOUR ASSIGNED DAY(S) YOU NEED TO DROP MY CLASS IMMEDIATELY AND MAKE ROOM FOR SOMEONE WHO CAN. THIS IS NON-MUTABLE AND NON-NEGOTIABLE.
Lectures will be fully online and you will have assignments due each day that we would normally meet as well as weekly quizzes, some online labs, and other assignments. I will hold Zoom office hours on your class day from 6:00pm until 7:00 pm. They will be in an open format that anyone can join in on.
I will say that this course is very demanding of your time and has a lot of work associated with it, so I do not recommend taking it with a heavy load of other courses, especially not other nursing pre-reqs like Anatomy or Physiology. Also, if you English comprehension is developing still or you are not familiar with scientific and medical terminology, you may struggle in this course.
Class Meetings - What to Expect
Hybrid Spring 2022
**THIS IS MOST LIKELY THE SITUATION**
It looks like we will be having a hybrid situation again, so you will come to lab on campus TWICE a week at the time indicated by your section number. Exams will be in person on campus as well as labs.
Lectures will be remote with drop-in office hours from 6:00pm - 7:00pm on the days you are scheduled for (MW or TR). You will not have to make an appointment, but can drop in with any questions. Please be respectful of other students' time and need to ask questions as well. You may also need to be available from 6:00pm until 7:30pm on your scheduled class day for class Zoom meetings with the whole class from time to time, but especially on the last class day when we will have project presentations.
MW and TR for FALL 2021 SCHEDULES AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS SYLLABUS
Prerequisites
You are required to have passed Chem 23 or Chem 101A or an equivalent course at another institution prior to taking this class. If you took a class at another institution you will be blocked from computer registration until you present your unofficial transcripts, course description, and ID to the Biology Department Chairperson. Make sure you do this BEFORE the completion of the add period. Late adds to classes are not permitted. Unregistered students are not allowed to attend or audit classes.
If you have little to no Biology background, or feel you struggle with scientific terms and concepts, I would highly recommend taking a basic biology class before tackling Micro. CCSF's Bio9: Human Biology is a good place to start!
Language Skills
If English is your second language, you are strongly recommended to complete ESL and English courses BEFORE attempting this class. Microbiology uses much scientific and technical vocabulary. A medical/biology dictionary and book of scientific word roots and combining forms may help you with this class.
Note:
Any students not in attendance during the meeting on the first day of class will be dropped from the roll…no exceptions. This course is in high demand and usually has full wait lists. If you are absent on the first day we meet, regardless of circumstances, you will be dropped from my roll and your position will be given to a wait listed student that did indeed show up.
Attendance
You are responsible for the information in the CCSF catalog concerning class attendance and tardiness:
Students who are “no-shows” on the first scheduled lab meeting will be dropped. If lecture is being held online, you are still responsible for attending the scheduled Zoom class meetings at the time that the in-person lectures would normally be held.
Attendance is required to pass this class and is particularly critical in lab as missed labs are often hard or impossible to make up. Obviously if we are having to conduct labs online, there will be changes to this and other attendance policies accordingly.
You must inform the instructor of any absences and the reason for them.
All absences must be officially documented (e.g. doctor’s note) or be excused by the instructor ahead of time.
NOTE: Two unexcused absences or habitual lateness may result in an instructor-initiated withdrawal from the class, especially during the “add” period. An unscheduled holiday or non-emergency event will generally not be considered a viable excuse.
Habitual lateness and/or failure to stay in class for the required period will be considered an absence. Again, two tardies equal one unexcused absence, and after two unexcused absences a student may be dropped form the course.
If you stop coming to class, YOU are responsible for dropping yourself from the class on Web4. If you do not remove yourself from the course, you will receive an F at the end of the term.
Your Time Commitment
This course is challenging. If we are fully remote again, remember that online classes can be very difficult for some folks, especially science classes. Some students that I talk to feel they are harder than in-person classes, because you must stay self-motivated to keep up with the materials being given. In addition to attending Zoom classes and watching the online lectures, most students find that they need to spend about 10-15 hours per week studying and completing assignments. You will be most successful if you devote an hour each day to staying "on-top" of the material we are covering. If you have any questions about ways to improve your study habits or what it takes to be a successful college student, check out the resources available at the Learning Assistance Center (Links to an external site.)! From online assessments to short workshops and even semester length classes - you can develop skills that will benefit you in college and beyond.
Student Conduct
Students enrolled in this course are expected to comply with the City College of San Francisco Student Code of Conduct. For your reference, you can view a copy of this code here: CCSF Student Code of Conduct (Links to an external site.). The Code of Conduct is also printed in the CCSF College Catalog.
The information in the CCSF College Catalog entitled “College Rules and Regulations” and “Academic Policies and Procedures” applies to this course.
My classes are set up to be a "brave space" environment. We will talk more about this concept in our first class meeting.
Safety and Respect
Students at City College of San Francisco have the right to an environment in which there is freedom to learn. The College believes that each student has an earnest purpose and that he/she will adhere to acceptable standards of personal conduct. We believe students deserve a safe, civil, and respectful environment that will enable them to reach their full potential. To this end, we expect students to assist us in this mission. Promptly report any concerns or observations you have to our instructor or appropriate authorities. We value your assistance and take your concerns seriously. We will treat such matters as confidential to the fullest extent possible. Campus police: 415-239-3200; Student Health: 415-239-3110.
Netiquette
The very basics of netiquette for my classes are as follows:
Be kind and respectful to others
Use full sentences
Avoid jargon and acronyms
Use language that supports others
I maintain a safe environment in my classes. This goes for online spaces as well as in-person. I have no tolerance or time for bullying behavior, microaggressions, racist or hate speech, comment trolling or disrespect in any manner, form, or function. If you are engaging in this behavior, you will be counseled by me ONCE. If there is any repeat of the negative behavior, you will be ejected from the class.
Academic Integrity
It is the expectation that all students will conduct themselves with integrity, both academically, and in their interactions with their fellow classmates. Students are required to be courteous and respectful of fellow students and conduct themselves in such a way that is conducive to a positive educational environment. This includes turning off cell phones and pagers during lecture, arriving to class and laboratory on time, and participation in lecture discussions/laboratory activities.
Cheating
Cheating in any form will NOT be tolerated. I have no patience for it, and it is a slap in the face of your fellow students who are working hard for their grades. Cheating can and will, at a minimum, result in a "zero" on the assignment or exam in question. Cheating can include behaviors such as:
Copying classwork of any kind from someone else (this includes allowing another student to copy your work).
Altering or interfering with grading; resubmitting an altered answer for review once an exam has been returned.
Using electronic equipment (including cell phones and PDA's) and/or materials not authorized by the instructor during a quiz/exam/final.
Collaboration (such as on lab reports) where it is specifically stated that students must work individually.
Plagiarism
Using the work of another person and claiming it as your own is considered plagiarism, which is a form of cheating (see below for more information). Any form of cheating will not be tolerated and will lead to zero points for that assignment or exam. The student may also be withdrawn from the course or subject to disciplinary action from the college. Copying phrases and sentences off the internet without proper citation is one form of plagiarism! If you are turning in a paper, it is a good practice to run your paper through one of the many free plagiarism checkers available online. This will inform you if any portion of your paper appears to have been plagiarized. I am very serious about this, and you will not be given a chance to make up an assignment that has been plagiarized!
DSPS
Students with disabilities who need academic accommodations should request them from the Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS) located in the Rosenberg Library, Room 323 on the Ocean Campus. Telephone: 415-452-5481 (V) 415-452-5451 (TDD). DSPS is the campus office responsible for verifying disability-related need for academic accommodations, assessing that need, and for planning accommodations in cooperation with students and instructors as needed and consistent with course requirements.
Reasonable Time, Place, and Manner Restrictions for Office Visits and Online Office Hour 1:1 Conferences
In order to be equitable to all of my students, I must impose a time limit on office visits and individual 1:1 online office hour conferences. If you have made an appointment to speak with me, that appointment shall be initially limited to 15 minutes. You may email me at any time before our scheduled meeting and request more time or use the ConferZoom link in CANVAS to schedule additional sessions. Additional time may be allocated at my discretion and if time allows. If there are other students in queue that also have scheduled appointments, you will need to defer your additional appointment time until I have met with the other scheduled students. If you come in on a walk-in basis, you will also need to keep with the 15 minute time limit, and also defer to students that have scheduled meetings with me. Again, additional time may be allocated at my discretion.
Your Grade
Your grade in this course will be based on your performance on exams/quizzes as well as on your laboratory work and performance on assignments and laboratory exercises over the course of the semester. The point distribution is weighted evenly between lecture and laboratory work.
Some assignments in Bio120 are completed online using CANVAS. This is the school’s portal for all of your tech-enhanced classes.
Exams
Unit Exams, each worth 100 points, will be given in the lecture section of this course. In Bio120, exams are based on both lecture and laboratory concepts. Unit Exams in Bio120 are not cumulative, but will consist of material covered since the previous exam. **See course schedule for tentative Unit Exam dates, highlighted in yellow under the “Lecture” portion.
Some portions of exams may be completed online outside of class or the actual exam itself. Students will have an entire class period to complete the in-class portion of exams. Arrive on time! No extra time will be given if you are tardy. A missed exam will result in a "zero"….no exceptions and no make-up exams will be given for any reason.
NO EXAM GRADES WILL BE DROPPED THIS SEMESTER... EACH ONE COUNTS, SO MAKE THEM COUNT!
Testing formats will be altered from exam to exam…..expect the unexpected!
The Final Exam – The final exam for this class is cumulative and will be worth 100 points. It will include topics from throughout the semester and will survey those topics which align with the course SLOs.
Quizzes
There will be a quiz each week that will be found on Canvas and will be worth 25-35 points.. For the weekly quizzes, you have an unlimited amount of time and unlimited chances to take the quiz. The Weekly Quiz is due by 11pm on Sunday that week. Late submissions will NOT be counted! Several of your exam questions may be taken from this quiz.
Homework
There will be a pre-lecture homework assignment in the form of a graded class discussion for every lecture day of class. These assignments are due on the day the lecture for that topic or chapter is given, and due BEFORE our class meeting begins. These assignments are worth 5 points each.
Lab Assignments/Quizzes
Lab Homework – Occasionally I will assign worksheets/assignments that will be turned in for a grade. You will be told when this occurs.
Lab Quizzes and Practicals – You will have a number of each throughout the term. See the Lab Schedule for dates. These dates however are mutable. See the course schedule for tentative Lab Quiz and Practical dates (highlighted in yellow). Your lab practical quizzes will be online on CANVAS. While they are open book, they are timed and set up to be very difficult to score well if you have not studied. You MUST know the information in the lab exercises in order to do well on the lab practical quizzes.
Unknown Project - you will be given two bacteria, one Gram positive and one Gram negative, to identify and do a report on. This assignment is worth 100 points
Participation Grade
Participation in graded class discussions and activities is worth 10% of your grade. Each day we have a lecture assignment, you will be making posts in a class discussion board. You must add one original post to the discussion and respond to a minimum of two of your classmates' posts. There will also be small participation assignments here and there throughout the term. At the end of the semester, you will receive points based on the percentage to which you contributed to these participatory assignments as well as attendance in class meetings.
Civic Engagement Term Group Project
You will be in groups of 5-6 members from your class section for this assignment. Students who successfully complete this assignment will be prepared able to demonstrate the following civic learning objectives (CLO):
CLO 1: Identify problems in a community that would benefit from further analysis and inquiry. (civic knowledge)
CLO 2: Identify forms of published research and information that show causes or degree of a real-world problem. (civic skills)
CLO 3: Conduct a basic and statistically sound survey of members of the community. (civic skills)
CLO 4: Effectively communicate findings and data through charts and graphs in a manner that a member of the general public could understand. (civic skills)
The final project for this exercise in this class is meant to give you the opportunity to apply knowledge, research, statistics use, dissemination of information and reflection regarding a problem in your community. There are three major parts: the research, the presentation and the reflection. You will gather information both from academic sources as well as the community members.
Late Work
There is not late turn-in for homework assignments, quizzes, and other online submissions. AT ALL!!!!!
Once it is passed the due date and time, it is a zero!!!! This goes for any assignments given throughout the term.
There is also no late acceptance of any extra credit....if it is even one minute late, it will NOT be counted. For major assignments such as reports, papers, etc. you will lose 10 points per day for every day it is late.
Class Meeting Extra Credit
There will be extra credit opportunities that come up throughout the term. Pay careful attention to modules, discussions, exams, and assignments that may have extra credit opportunities embedded within them. I will also announce EC in some class meetings. It will be YOUR responsibility to keep up with EC due dates. Once the due date is passed, that EC opportunity is GONE FOREVER!
Note: It is YOUR responsibility to make sure you accumulate enough points to earn the grade that you want! The instructor does not “round up” unless you are 0.5 points or higher from the next score. For example, an 93.3 is considered a B, while an 93.5 or higher will be considered an A. DO THE EC ASSIGNMENTS! THEY CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN YOU GETTING A HIGHER LETTER GRADE FOR THE TERM! Also there is no "bargaining" that will be tolerated at the end of the term. You get what you get. Do not ask for any way to boost your grade at the end of the semester. Do any and all EC opportunities throughout the term, submit all of your assignments complete and on time, and STUDY FOR THE EXAMS AND QUIZZES! Your grade is up to you, not up to me!
Some Final Words About Your Grades:
Grades are assigned based on the percentage of total points that you have earned over the course of the semester.
Here is a breakdown of possible points for this term:
Total Points Possible 1690
A = At least 1589 points (94% of total points or higher)
B = Between 1352 and 1588 Points (84% - 93% of total points)
C = Between 1183 and 1351 Points (74% - 83% of total points)
D = Between 1014 and 1182 Points (64% - 73% of total points)
F = Below 1013 Points (63% of total points or lower)
*****THIS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE!*****
Your instructor is ALWAYS happy to discuss your current status in the course and help you assess what type of grade you are earning based on your current point totals. Your grades will be updated on CANVAS regularly throughout the semester.
Topical Outline
Our Path of Microbial Enlightenment will most likely follow this schedule for the semester:
Unit 1 - MicroBio Boot Camp
Intro
Microbial Interactions with Humans
History of Micro
Macromolecules
DNA Replication
Protein Synthesis
Gene Regulation
Genetic Recombination
Mutations and Evolution
Biotechnology
Unit 2 - The Microorganisms
Prokaryotes
General
Structures
Bacteria vs Archaea
Biofilms
Eukaryotes
Organelles
Protists
Fungi
Helminths
Viruses
General
COVID 19
Unit 3 - What do they need, how do we treat them, and what can they do to us?
Nutrition
Habitats
Microbial Growth Patterns and Microbial Communication
Enzymes
Energy Pathways and Cellular Respiration
The Human Microbiome
Pathology
Diagnosing Infections
Physical Control of Microbial Growth
Chemical Control of Microbial Growth
Antibiotics - Prokaryotic Controls
Antibiotics - Eukaryotic Controls
Unit 4 - Immunology and Epidemiology
Innate Immunity - First Line of Defense
Probably 2 lectures
Innate Immunity - Second Line of Defense
Probably 2 lectures
Specific Immunity - Third Line of Defense
Probably 3 or 4 lectures
Hypersensitivities and Allergies
Hyposensitivities and Malfunctions of the Immune System
HIV and Vaccinations
Epidemiology
Emerging Diseases
A Note For Wait Listed Students:
We no longer utilize add codes for students that are wait listed for our courses at CCSF.
Prior to the semester beginning, you must try to register for the section you want through the Web4 system and be placed on the wait list. You will then be offered a space if someone already registered should drop. You will have only 72 hours to accept before that space is given to the next student in line.
After the semester begins, if you are still on the wait list you must put in a request to add through the Web4 system again. At that point I will be able to go through and offer spots IF I HAVE ROOM. Because of our lab space, I cannot go over the cap, so those numbers are set in stone and I cannot fill beyond the cap number, which is 24 students per section.
***IMPORTANT***
If you are offered a space from the wait list after you have put in your add request to me through Web4, you will have ONLY 24 hours to accept it. If 24 hours has passed and you have not accepted the spot and formally registered for it, I will drop your request and offer the space to the next person in line.
COVID19 and ABSENCE POLICY: If You Get Or Feel Sick:
Should you feel sick during a semester where we are meeting in person..... STAY HOME! DO NOT COME TO CAMPUS! Reach out to me and let me know what is going on.
COVID-19 Policy:
If you THINK you have COVID you will need to get tested before we have any further conversations about your return. If you have a positive COVID-19 test you will be required to quarantine for TWO WEEKS (14 days from diagnosis) before getting tested again. Once you have tested negative at the end of that two week quarantine period then and only then will you be allowed back in class/lab.
Other Illnesses or Absences:
You will have a two week grace period to be absent from in-person classes/labs. If you fail to return after two weeks (the equivalent of two in-person labs) of your first absent date, you will be dropped from the class unless we have a conversation...and just know that part of that conversation will be me asking you to reflect on if you need to drop the course and come back another time when you are in better health. I want you to be set up for success, and sometimes that means having a hard conversation on what you are capable of while ill, especially if it is serious.
Behavioral Health Contract
If you are registered for my Microbiology course, especially during the pandemic, you need to make a behavioral health contract between yourself and me and your fellow students. You must agree to be cautious and introspective of your activities outside of class and not willingly go into situations in which you may be in danger of contracting the virus. What does this mean? This means that you must acknowledge that your behavior outside of the course can have a direct impact on not only your health and well-being, but also the health and well-being of your fellow students and myself. You, by taking this course at this time, need to make good choices about your activities, even if it means that people close to you may be upset or inconvenienced by those choices. Case in point - I had a student a couple of semesters ago that caught COVID-19 because her mom insisted that they have a family get-together indoors and unmasked. Half of the family was hospitalized with infections after that get-together. Also, I know at least 6 vaccinated folks who got breakout COVID-19 infections from a week-long event on the Russian River over last Summer. You may need to say no to vacations, mixers, parties, bars, some restaurants, etc. Not fun, I know, but neither will it be fun if you get sick and/or infect others. The Omicron variant is no joke and an infection is not to be taken lightly. When they say that fully vaccinated individuals usually get a “mild” case, all that means is that they do not need hospitalization…. It is still a nasty infection that will knock you on your ass for a week or so, and we still don’t know all of the potential long-term ramifications of getting infected. Basically, think on it before you do it!!!!! Don’t take risks with your and our health. I will be adhering to this myself. The peak of Omicron is thought to be now, and experts are saying it should phase out this spike of infections by early February IF EVERYONE IS SMART ABOUT THEIR INTERACTIONS AND FOLLOW VAXXING, MASKING, AND SOCIAL DISTANCING.