Going by the occurrences around the world, the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus seems to be creating a Tsunami worldwide. It is a lot more than the wave, as per certain expert sources.
The Unvaccinated Should Take Guard From Omicron
It was identified less than two months ago and is currently creating a huge explosion in various parts of the globe and also impacting hospital structures.
Now the high number of Omicron cases have pushed Delta to the background. But the Omicron is in itself like a huge deluge that is overtaking all other infections in this genre due to its contagiousness. All those people who are boosted and have an earlier infection can still fight. The booster is indeed an essential part of the arsenal with which people are fighting the virus.
However, the news may not be that happy as yet. The rapid spread of the Omicron variant is leading to a huge number of hospitalizations and even death. The unvaccinated are the worst hit. The same was propagated before to stop all future variants from hitting such people. However, many had shown reluctance to get vaccinated.
The huge number of infections is rapidly stressing out the healthcare facilities. All the sick people are flocking to the doctor’s chamber for treatment, as many staffers are also down with the virus. The reason behind some of the laxity amongst people may be the fact that Omicron has been dubbed to be less severe than the Delta. So, many people think that it is just a bad case of Influenza, that will not last long.
The Omicron variant can be compared to that of the Flu. However, there is some background study that is required before taking it too lightly. Those who are vaccinated and boosted stand a better chance to fight off the ill effects of the variant. For a majority of people, the virus is causing symptoms like the Flu or Common cold. However, these are the ones who are vaccinated. Many are even asymptomatic.
The unvaccinated are at the receiving end at the moment. Moreover, the virus is also affecting the elderly population and all those who are immunocompromised. Many with multiple co-morbidities will also be affected quite badly.
The same was true for Delta. The largely unvaccinated population at that time, had to bear the brunt. The risk of dying from the Delta was ten times more for the unvaccinated. The risk of death is estimated to be 90% lower than from the Delta variant.
It is 0.1%, as many believe. However, the risk of death for the unvaccinated population is too high. Those who get Omicron will be affected more than they could be with the common flu.
The population which is vaccinated has an extremely low risk of dying. However, looking at the trend in which the virus is moving, in the next few weeks, Omicron may be tougher on the population than just common Flu. As many as one in ten people have Omicron in the U.S.
Flu normally infects around 60 million in 3-4 months alone. Omicron has the power to infect two times that number, in 2-3 weeks. That means that there could be more infections in the days to come.
Many times, it has been seen that the Flu also strains the hospitals. And the Omicron is on that path already. A third of Americans, above five years, have not yet completed their two-dose series yet. That could be a cause for huge concern. Moreover, only 40% of people who are eligible for the booster, have received it. In the Southern states, vaccination rates are much lower and that may be concerning.
