News of the Omicron variant is dominating media coverage: how to avoid it, what politicians and government officials are doing to control it, and the dangers it poses to a society wanting to be normal again. Often absent is actual information about the Omicron variant, and just exactly what makes it different from other variants.

COVID-19 is a virus, and like any living thing, a virus changes over time. It mutates and twists much like the branches of a tree, creating versions of itself that are still recognizably the same tree, but all just a little bit different from each other. While some branches die off, some grow stronger and become variants that make national news. Omicron is one of these variants, just like Delta, which rose to prominence in July 2021.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, the Omicron variant likely spreads faster than the original COVID-19 variant, based on information from Dec. 20, 2021. The CDC hasn’t determined exactly how Omicron compares to the Delta variant in severity. However, in a Dec. 20, 2021 report, the CDC stated that the Omicron variant does likely spread more quickly than the Delta variant. According to CDC estimates, Omicron makes up about 90 percent of cases in the Midwest, including Missouri, with Delta making up most of the remaining 10 percent as of Jan. 8, 2022.  

Even though there are many unknown factors about the Omicron variant, it’s important to realize that it is still a serious disease. On Jan. 10, 2022, there were 1.35 million new cases of COVID-19 and 136,604 people hospitalized for it, breaking all previous high case count records. Franklin County alone had 194 new cases and Warren County had 85 new cases on Jan. 11.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 shown here, the CDC recommends getting tested at a local healthcare provider. Tests are usually available at healthcare providers for little to no cost. If you are positive, check with Washington High School and your county health department for information on current quarantine protocol.