Omicron, the extremely transmissible variant, has thrown U.S. citizens into quarantine. Omicron is spreading across states affecting, a large number of people, and new cases are shooting up.
Dramatical Drop On Omicron Cases Can Be Expected In US And Britain
This variant is said to be dangerous to unvaccinated people but also vaccinated people are mildly affected. This variant is milder but extremely transmissible. The transmissibility of this variant can be seen, as it took only around one and half months to affect millions of people in the U.S. after its first discovery in South Africa.
Scientists have announced that the Omicron wave might hit the peak affecting the large population of the U.S, the cases might stop dropping steadily after that. However, scientists show uncertainty towards the further progress of the pandemic. It is to be expected that hospitals will be filled with patients for weeks or months. Right now, none of the countries shows positive signs of receding.
The University of Washington’s highly influential model gives an idea about the number of daily reported cases, which may go as high as 1.2 million by this week and fall steadily affecting as many people as possible on its journey. It is to be noted that the university’s previous calculation about the positive cases to hit 6 million by January 6 has met, including the people who weren’t tested.
Meanwhile in Britain, Covid – 19 positive cases have dropped by 60,000 last week, after hitting a high of infections around 200,000 a day, earlier this month. However, cases are said to be still rising in places like southwest England and the West Midlands, and a surge is expected to hit a peak, said Kevin McConway, retired applied statistics professor at Britain’s Open University.
Studies conducted show positive signs that in both countries the omicron wave may hit the peak in about a month and fall dramatically after that, similar to what happened in South Africa. Dr. Paul Hunter, professor of Medicine at the Britain’s University of East Anglia said that the cases are definitely falling In the U.K but before comparing it with the situation that happened in South America, cases should fall off even further and more steadily.
Britain’s decision to pose minimal restrictions during the surge could help the virus to spread faster through the population and hit new numbers, compared to the countries which posed strict quarantine restrictions like Italy, France. Britain’s older population’s habit to stay indoors during winter may cause a bump to the increasing numbers of Covid cases, also suggesting that countries with a similar tendency experience the same, like the U.S.
Scientists from South Africa suggest that countries that impose restrictions and lockdowns not necessarily, reduce the spread of omicron with less affection but prolong its stay which may spread out for a long period of time, said Shabir Mahdi dean of health sciences at South Africa’s University of Witwatersrand.
The world can expect to get past the omicron surge in the next two months. While numbers can expect some ups and downs along the way, it can be expected that omicron spread to come to an end by this Easter.
The next few weeks can be deadly as numbers will increase at an unexpected rate and intensive care units will be flooded with patients. The U.S. has released a similar statement saying that the next two to three months are going to be brutal and the state will ensure proper staffing, even though knowing they could be infected.
Omicron is expected to be a game-changer of this pandemic, as people get immunity towards these variants, continued vaccination and boosting could help people adapt to live along with the virus. It could be said by the end of the omicron surge Covid can become a manageable threat.
