may not be able to afford good ones, order ones from valid places, replace them as needed, etc. …as many who are out working jobs in retail, customer service, food service etc. Issues of affordability & access still problematic… CT is sending many out ( ) I haven’t seen anything from other states.
With increased transmissibility, key message from many PH folks has been that better masks are needed for protection. This needs an evidence base ASAP because some people are using these tests in ways that they’re not designed or authorized currently–but also the govt response in Jan (and some schools) will rely heavily on testing to reduce exposures. But concern is that if dynamics of omicron viral replication are different than alpha or delta, are we detecting it as well? Some (anecdotal!) suggestions throat might be better than nose swab. In lab, antigens from omicron seem to work well w/ most rapid tests. Recent boosters do seem to provide better protection versus omicron but many in this age group are 6 months or more out from vaccination, and are heading back to school soon. Also have seen recent ⬆️ nationwide in deaths in children–spike predates omicron so unclear delta vs omicron, but either way concerning.īooster protection for kids 12-16: not yet authorized. Most of this is in unvaccinated children. Omicron & kids: seeing a spike in hospitalizations in kids in NYC (eg ).
Hospitals are so full of COVID patients, it's becoming increasingly difficult to find space for other emergencies. & as many others have pointed out, even if omicron *is* less severe as a whole, if it causes more infections, that can still further overwhelm our hospitals.Īgain, this is why your vaccine status or your mask-wearing matters to others. What’s still unclear IMO: average severity of infections in immunologically naïve individuals. But it also shows more ability to escape immunity than delta & cause infections in immune individuals (even if not severe). What there is some evidence for: more mild infections in individuals with immunity, either from prior infection or those previously vaccinated. It seems to have a shorter incubation period and people seem to move more quickly from exposed to positive. What we definitely know about omicron right now: it spreads easier and faster person to person. But maybe a few words on what’s concerning me right now. I haven’t written much about omicron, because 1) there’s a lot we still don’t know 2) others have written good shit that I’ve been RTing and 3) I feel like I’m repeating myself from …everything I’ve written before. This thread from one of my “go-to” epidemiologists takes a look at where we are and what might come:
We’re all feeling a little sense of relief that Omicron doesn’t appear to be as deadly as the previous strains, but there are still plenty of questions.