Though the news of another COVID variant is unsettling, our anchor is our almost two years of experience in dealing with this pandemic.
The new variant, Omicron, is reportedly as virulent as Delta, and for the unvaccinated, potentially as serious.
So even though it’s a new threat, we’ve learned how to respond.
For that we should give thanks to modern science. In record time, effective vaccines were developed. And an amazing healthcare system has worked to save millions of lives.
With Omicron, healthcare experts say the same tried-and-true defenses remain:
Get the vaccine. Get the booster. Wear a mask if you’re unsure of the vaccination status of those around you. Ventilate your work space. Test if you suspect symptoms. Isolate if you test positive.
The new variation is “a cause for concern, not a cause for panic,” President Joe Biden told the nation Monday. There’s no need for the lockdowns or shutdowns now that vaccines are available for at least those age 5 and older, in addition to booster shots.
As of yet, Omicron has not been detected in the United States, but health experts say it’s only a matter of time.
For those who take it seriously, they are vaccinated and boosted, and most likely will be able to continue their lives without fear of dying from it. That in itself is a tremendous relief.
For those in denial, that, too, comes with its own sense of comfort. At least as long as they don’t infect someone else.
What would go a long way in states like Kansas, however, is a recognition by our lawmakers that the pandemic is a health threat and as such people should take precautions.
But after almost two years and 6,716 deaths, it’s hard to imagine what would change their minds.
With winter ahead — surely it will arrive before the year’s out — Omicron’s timing is not good. Respiratory viruses such as COVID and influenza spread more easily in confined spaces. Again, be smart.
THE HOPE is that the current vaccines continue to prove effective against COVID’s naturally occurring mutations.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s infectious disease expert, said Monday that he expects our current vaccines to have “at least some degree and maybe a significant degree of protection,” against Omicron. “We don’t know that yet until we prove it, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case.”
