Life for many has returned to an almost normal state. People are still maintaining safety measures, and many are going back to work to see colleagues still in masks. While it would seem like we are almost out of the woods of the pandemic, that might not be the case.
Recently, there have been sightings of a new COVID-19 variant. The variant, called the Omicron Variant, has been discovered in several countries from the US to South Africa. During the week of November 21, someone returning to the United States from South Africa was detected with the new Omicron variant.
It has been found in 38 different countries since then, and the World Health Organization has said that the number of omicron virus cases has been increasing. Other people identified with the virus have been in Queens, Brooklyn, and even the Anime NYC 2021 convention held at the Javits Center.
The variant has been rapidly spreading around the world, however, it is still too new for accurate details about the mutated disease. One thing that has been acknowledged about it is its transmissibility.
Studies from South Africa show that the Omicron Variant is potentially more protected against our immunity, more so than the Delta Variant, and thus more transmissible. These tests are still being run since the virus’ spread has occurred only recently, so the validity of increased transmissibility has not been determined yet. Along with that uncertainty is the question of whether or not the new Omicron variant is more dangerous than other forms of the COVID-19 virus.
The rise of this new strain has been acknowledged by governments after South Africa became aware of the issue. Many of us have finally gotten our lives back on track after the spread of COVID-19, but at the same time, many of us have not. The new variant spreading is a reminder that our lives are still heavily impacted by the pandemic, and even if the severity of the variant is not too drastic, people should still acknowledge the disease and prevent its spread so that further damage is mitigated.
