Spread Of The New Covid Mutation

The first case of the new COVID-19 variant called Omicron was identified in Botswana last week. This new iteration of the Coronavirus has prompted concern among scientists and public health officials because mutations have the potential to make the virus more transmissible and less susceptible to existing vaccines.

The World Health Organization has labeled Omicron a “variant of concern” and warned that the global risks posed by it were “very high.”

The new invasion is worrying to old and young people alike. I asked a student from OPHS which solutions she believed could be the most helpful to this situation that we have been enduring for almost two years. “I don’t really know what is the best thing to do at this point because we already saw that the vaccine is not helping to stop the virus. I am really worried about my future and my health too,” she said.

The new mutated Omicron COVID-19 variant has hit New York State. It now makes up 3% of all COVID cases in the United States. 

The New York state health commissioner noted that the Wadsworth Center is conducting genomic sequencing to identify the omicron variant.

New York may need to make a quick decision and declare a state of emergency in order to be ready to go against the new variant.

Since it is a new variant, scientists really do not know a lot about it yet, and they are not yet ready to say how deadly it is or if it is possible to not contract it just with the vaccine. For now, epidemiologists are just concerned about flattening the curve, through mask wearing and more cautious behavior.

The new Erie County Mask Mandate actual from November 23, 2021 per  Local Emergency Orders, staff, guests and patrons at all indoor public locations foresees wearing masks in these places (but not limited to):

• Bars and food service establishments
• Grocery stores 
• Personal care establishments
• Places of worship
• Hotels, banks, theaters and open public spaces
• Indoor fitness establishments or entertainment venues for both players and spectators

Masks may only be removed when staff or patrons are seated while eating and drinking, or when mask removal is necessary for service being performed.

A lot of people think that these new mask rules are unhelpful to combat the new wave. Some are very annoyed about wearing masks in certain situations, such as during a sports activity in the gym.

I asked an athlete who goes to the gym in New York what he thought about the new guideline that orders everyone to wear a mask while in the gym. “Sincerely I am not sure about the real validity of the mask protection during a practice, but what I am sure about is that it’s really an uncomfortable situation and work out too. People have less than half the possibility of breath; I also think that this will increase people’s preference to stay home instead of working out, consequently increasing other health problems,” he said.

Students are also disappointed, therefore protesting against the new rules. I asked one Orchard Park High School student what he thought about those and he said, “I absolutely do not agree with the new guidelines and won’t ever comply with them.”

This New York’s surveillance program for screening variants is relatively robust, but it comes with a lag. It typically takes between four and eight days from the time a sample is swabbed to identify which variant caused the infection. That means a case identified today, may be weeks old.

While we are waiting for new guidelines regarding the new wave, New York officials have confirmed five cases of the Covid omicron variant in the New York City metropolitan area.