It will take some time to unspool the potential health impacts of the latest coronavirus variant, according to Lyon County Public Health Incident Commander and Flint Hills Community Health Center CEO Renee Hively.
The World Health Organization first announced the omicron variant Friday after South African researchers noted a sharp spike in cases throughout last week. Hively says there are a few things we know about the new variant.
There are a lot more things we don’t know, including how easily it transmits and whether infections are more severe than the wild version, common for most of last year, or variants such as the delta strain — the only variant Lyon County has seen for several months. Hively says the speed of transmission between people is a concern.
The infection severity is also a concern, although at least one South African researcher has said early infections appear mild.
Hively encourages the ongoing use of a “layered” approach with the new variant in place, including mask use, vaccinations, social distancing and proper hygiene. She also encourages testing, which will help Public Health track the spread and get people quarantined or isolated to stop the spread.
Lyon County Public Health Emergency Preparedness Director Jennifer Millbern will have an update on the county’s COVID-19 response on KVOE’s Thursday morning Newsmaker at 7:15 am.
