'When you travel in your indoor settings that are congregated, wear a mask,” Dr. Fauci warned Sunday
Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images In mid-November, scientists in South Africa discovered a new variant of the coronavirus, which the WHO has since named Omicron. The WHO has categorized Omicron as a “variant of concern,” joining previous strains Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta — the latter of which is currently the predominant strain in much of the world.
How do you pronounce Omicron? Although it sounded as though President Biden and Dr. Anthony Fauci repeatedly referred to the “omni-cron” variant in an early press conference, the consensus seems to be that it’s pronounced “ahm-ih-cron” or “ohm-ih-cron.” Is Omicron more severe than previous variants? There are some indications that Omicron may result in generally milder symptoms than earlier strains, but the WHO has warned against interpreting “mild” too liberally, and says that people with underlying health issues and the unvaccinated remain at risk of severe disease.
Ratner adds that vaccine-makers can adapt current vaccines to protect against this new strain . “That’s an example of the power of the mRNA platform for this disease,” he says. “You’re not starting from square one.” It’s still unclear whether an Omicron-specific shot will be necessary, though, and it would likely take “three and a half to four months” to develop, Osterholm says.
Should I cancel my holiday plans? Not necessarily, but you should exercise caution. “The pandemic is not over,” says Javaid. “All plans of all sorts need to be taken with a grain of salt.”
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