Just as the world was seemingly slipping back into the old way of life, with schools back in person and people getting back to their jobs, everything from the past two years came back full circle with multiple different variants of COVID-19.  

On Nov. 26, the World Health Organization, WHO, declared the omicron variant a “variant of concern” and just four days later the US recognized the variant as a threat.

On Dec. 1, the US saw their first case of the omicron variant and soon after cases would skyrocket. 

Over the holiday season, positive tests blew up, airlines cancelled flights left and right due to understaffing and schools, including WHHS, went online due to a massive surge of positive COVID-19 tests.

Within the first week of January, the US averaged more than 484,600 daily cases a day. This was a 238% increase from the previous 2 weeks, causing hospitalizations to rise by 41%.

Though little is known for sure about the variant and it is believed to be less severe than the delta variant, evidence shows that omicron is much easier to transmit and receive.

Recent results suggest that people who have previously had COVID-19 are more susceptible to the omicron variant but those who are vaccinated and have received their booster shot show a decrease in symptoms and severity.

Even if you are vaccinated, the Centers for Disease Control, CDC, suggests following COVID-19 protocol, including wearing masks, social distancing and getting tested if you are experiencing symptoms or have been in contact with someone who recently tested positive. 

For help, the CDC has come out with answers to various questions relating to the new variant.

Although omicron is supposedly less severe than the delta variant, one major issue that health experts are running into is figuring out which variant an individual has. Currently, it can take as long to find out which variant you have as it does for the illness to run through your body.

This waiting can be detrimental as treatments for each variant differ drastically. According to The New York Times, “Two types of delta treatment are very useless to the omicron variant so the doctors using it would not see any results.”

Though it is almost impossible to self diagnose the variants based on symptoms, Dr. Katherine Poehling, an infectious disease specialist and vaccinologist, has identified coughing, fatigue or tiredness, congestion and runny nose, sore throat and headaches as common symptoms of the omicron variant.

As you get together with friends or for social events, it is recommended you get tested before gathering even if you don’t show symptoms because you could still be carrying the virus. 

For now, omicron should be taken seriously. 

If you go to www.covidtests.gov, four free at-home COVID-19 tests are being offered to every house in America.

The CDC recommends getting fully vaccinated, receiving any boosters available to you, along with wearing a mask and getting yourself tested if you feel you are at risk.