A variant of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) on November 24, 2021. The new, highly transmissible variant of concern, Omicron, was first detected in Botswana on November 11, 2021, three days later in South Africa and on December 1, the variant was confirmed in the United States.
Despite the heightened attention given to Omicron, the Delta variant has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans needlessly. As of December 9, 2021, the Delta variant accounted for over 99.9% of all circulating SARS-CoV-2 viruses in the U. S.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in the United States recently has surpassed fifty million and the total number of deaths in America is over eight hundred thousand!
If one were to make a New Year’s wish in January 2020, it might sound something like this: I hope big Pharma scientists create a miracle vaccine against COVID-19 quickly, one that is safe, highly effective, inexpensive, and readily available to all Americans and others, to combat COVID and its variants. Big Pharma has “delivered the goods,” but the U. S. Public Health System, for whatever reasons, has not delivered enough COVID-19 vaccine shots into the arms of Americans.
The Rules Have Not Changed
If you want to prevent getting COVID-19, prevent spreading it to others and avoid being hospitalized or dying from this virus, follow the COVID rules:
- Get fully vaccinated
- Get Boosted
- Wear a mask — especially in crowded indoor settings
- Social distancing
- Wash your hands
- People with a weakened immune system, should particularly follow the rules
- Get tested — isolate if tested positive for COVID-19, quarantine when necessary
CDC recommends that:
- Everyone 5 years and older protects themselves by getting fully vaccinated.
- Everyone ages 18 years and over gets a COVID-19 booster dose.
- Teens 16–17 years old who received Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines can get a booster dose.
- Immunocompromised people talk with their healthcare professional about additional primary doses and booster doses following the primary series.*
- Self-testing (also known as home or over-the-counter testing) is another way to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
COVID variants are in our future, but Big Pharma has delivered remarkable vaccines to combat this disease. Yet, millions of Americans refuse to get vaccinated. Sadly, 98-99% of COVID deaths in America, presently happen in unvaccinated people. This coronavirus is preventable.
The highly contagious Omicron virus is the fastest spreading variant of COVID-19. Experts predict a dramatic spike in cases, and it will overtake Delta as the dominant variant. Currently, no special booster shot is needed to fight Omicron. The CDC, and WHO recommend people, “Get vaccinated — Get boosted,” out of respect for yourself and others — Mask On!
Addendum
Be a Jedi!
An NPR article on December 15, 2021, quoted Portuguese Vice Adm. Henrique Gouveia e Melo comparing those who spread misinformation about COVID-19 to Darth Vader and the Siths. “They are the obscurantists who use the force for harm ... who are on the dark side. So, I say, look, be a Jedi to protect yourself, your family and all of us.”
On December 16, 2021, the CDC recommended Moderna and Pfizer COVID vaccines over the J.& J.’s vaccine citing troubling evidence of blood clots and deaths in the U. S. linked to the J.&J. shots.
References
- CDC; Omicron Variant: What You Need To Know; Dec. 11, 2021
- CDC; Understanding Variants; August 5, 2021
- CDC; Covid-19, Cases and Data. December 10,2021
- Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD; Mask-On The Reasons I “Don’t Leave Home Without It” Doctor’s Column, HC Smart, 2021
- Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD; Different Face Masks and How They Protect Us Against COVID-19 Doctor’s Column, HC Smart, 2021
This article is intended solely as a learning experience. Please consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options.