MIAMI – Dr. David Andrews said the lab he heads at the University of Miami is working hard to screen coronavirus samples from Jackson Health System patients for evidence of the variant of Omicron discovered on Nov. 24.
The clinical pathology specialist for UM Health said Sunday this week in South Florida that evidence shows that the “clear and present threat” in South Florida remains the Delta variant.
“We just got 99% Delta … Omicron is here … I think we can speculate about its infectivity … its ability to transmit … the number of people that can be infected by one person …” That will find out … it will be very clear in the next few weeks, “said Andrews.
Omicron cases are increasing in the United States. Massachusetts, Connecticut, Washington, New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Minnesota, California, Hawaii, Colorado, and Utah have all spotted Omicron cases.
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Without scientific verification, South African scientists warned that Omicron makes reinfections more likely than Delta. During a World Health Organization briefing Thursday, a researcher said a previous infection was used to protect against Delta, and now with the Omicron variant, it hasn’t.
Andrews said the COVID-19 vaccines widely used in South Florida will still protect against serious illness, but the duration of protection will be shorter.
“We need to keep focusing on the incredibly beneficial effects of vaccinations … vaccinations will even protect against omicrons,” said Andrews.
More about omicron
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