What You Need to Know about the Omicron Variant

The omicron variant of COVID-19 seemingly popped out of nowhere. One minute, the delta variant was the talk of the country, but suddenly omicron has become dominant. According to the CDC, omicron accounted for 73% of US COVID cases from December 12th to 18th. This is up from 13% the previous week. Just three weeks ago, this variant originating in South Africa was not seen in the country at all.

Many symptoms of omicron are similar to other variants and the flu. Some of the most common symptoms include cough, fatigue, congestion and a runny nose. Loss of taste and smell do not seem as common among those with omicron.

Given the novelty of omicron, there are still many questions surrounding the variant, like whether it is more deadly than other variants. In general, symptoms appear to be milder, but not enough research has been done to prove anything conclusive. One thing is for sure: omicron spreads fast. It has triggered a wave of new infections worldwide, and many experts have concerns regarding its transmissibility rate and how effective the vaccine is for the variant.

So far, early data has shown that omicron is more resistant to COVID vaccines than previous variants, though vaccinated people are less likely to experience severe illness and hospitalization. Many doctors believe that everyone will experience omicron at one point, and that the ultimate goal is not avoiding contracting the virus, but rather minimizing its harmful effects. “All of us have a date with omicron,” Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said. “If you're going to interact with society, if you're going to have any type of life, omicron will be something you encounter, and the best way you can encounter this is to be fully vaccinated.”

While all this news seems rather scary, there is a glimmer of hope. In South Africa, where omicron originated, the rampant virus seems to be fading away. Dr. Katherine Poehling, an infectious disease specialist and vaccinologist at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist in North Carolina theorizes that omicron’s reign “will hit us hard” but will not last long, saying, “If you look at South Africa, they seem to be doing much better now. I don't anticipate this as long lasting.”

For now, no matter how long omicrom lasts, experts are urging people to get vaccinated, get boosted, and wear masks.