PEORIA, Ill. — With the Omicron variant of COVID-19 spreading rapidly in the U.S., there is one thing you can definitely do to help protect yourself…that’s getting the vaccine if you haven’t yet, or getting a booster dose.
“The vaccines are the #1 tool that we have right now with what’s going to happen over the next month or two, which is widespread COVID-19 infection,” said University of Illinois College of Medicine’s Dr. Doug Kasper.
Kasper told WMBD’s “The Greg and Dan Show”, at this point, we should all assume that we’ll be exposed to the virus.
So, whether you contract it or not, and the severity of potential symptoms really depends on your vaccination status.
Kasper said he was not surprised that the Omicron variant has become the dominant variant over Delta. His concern is more at the rate at which the Omicron variant is accelerating.
“We’re starting to understand that, by the time we catch up with specific factors, the event has already occurred. So, with the transmission rate and there have been some numbers quoted about how fast it’s spread in some cities, we’re actually behind,” Kasper said.
That means by the time we get caught up on transmission rates, and the number of people infected, the event’s already over. Which is a little different than previous waves of COVID-19, Kasper said.
Up to this point, some reports have said the Omicron variant’s symptoms might be more manageable, or less severe than the Delta variant.
Kasper said he’s not ready to make any assumptions.
“I go forward with Omicron is the same as Delta as far as severity, until there’s really good data to show otherwise,” Kasper said.
Heading into the holidays, Kasper said it’s smart to talk with family members and friends about their vaccine status and any health issues before getting together with them.
