Story at a glance
- Omicron has spread rapidly in the U.S. since the first cases were detected a few weeks ago.
- New York has seen case positivity rate double over a three-day period.
- It may be more contagious, but experts still believe it could be less severe.
More contagious
Early reports suggest that the omicron variant is the most transmissible version of the coronavirus yet. It’s spreading quickly in the U.S., and New York, where the positivity rate doubled within three days, has seen a surge in cases. The World Health Organization has said that it is spreading at a faster rate than any other previous variant.
But may be less severe
The early data also suggest that this variant may not cause as severe illness as often as previous variants did. Hospitalizations seem to be lower, but experts are still waiting on more data. A new study that is awaiting peer-review suggests that the omicron variant moves more quickly through the airways but may cause less severe disease.
Reinfections are up
A large proportion of the omicron cases have been in people who were previously infected by the coronavirus and people who are vaccinated. This could be due to a variety of reasons, including lack of immunity in unvaccinated individuals, waning immunity in people who were previously infected or vaccinated and the dynamics around which section of the population is more exposed and getting infected.
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Vaccines still key
Vaccines are helping to prevent severe illness from omicron. The Biden administration has emphasized the importance of getting vaccinated and boostered. Experts recommend people get booster shots as soon as they are eligible. However, a new study suggests that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine does not protect against omicron. This study hasn’t been published yet and was uploaded to a preprint server. The CDC is recommending that people get the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccines if they can instead of the J&J shot.
Bigger threat to the community than the individual
What we’re seeing with omicron is a seemingly less severe version of the coronavirus but one that spreads incredibly rapidly. That is good news for any one person who contracts the virus. But on the population level, that could be bad news. The more omicron is able to spread, the more likely the sheer volume of cases could overwhelm health care systems. It could also mean more opportunity for the virus to continue mutating as it persists in a community on the whole.
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