Omicron Variant Now Dominant COVID-19 Strain of New Cases in U. S., Maverick County Records 413 Total Cumulative Fatalities
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2021
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Monday, December 20, 2021, the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has rapidly risen to account for 73 percent of all new COVID cases in the U.S. as of December 18.
The Omicron variant is highly contagious and transmissible and surging around the world as well as in the U. S. The Omicron variant only a week before was reported to be 12.6 percent of new infections in the U.S. as of December 11. In one week, Omicron has rapidly surpassed the Delta variant which had been the dominant variant since the summer of 2021.
Omicron is prevalent in some parts of the U.S., including Texas, New York, the Pacific Northwest, the Great Lakes, the Southeast, and New England. Texas has reported its first fatality due to the Omicron variant this week in Houston, Texas.
The Omicron variant was first detected in South Africa and has exponentially spread across the world, including the U.S. Early studies indicate the Omicron variant is more contagious than the Delta variant, which had been dominant the past six months, but less severe among those vaccinated than Delta. However, the high transmissibility of Omicron is estimated to potentially infect up to one million Americans in a day.
The CDC recommends the best protection against the Omicron variant is to get vaccinated with two doses and the booster dose (three doses). Omicron is predicted to cause a new surge of hospitalizations across the U.S., battering an already overworked and tired health care workers.
Omicron is predicted to affect both unvaccinated and vaccinated people, particularly those who are unvaccinated and those who are not fully vaccinated with the three doses including the booster shot.
Getting booster shots appears to offer better protection against severe disease and death from Omicron, according to American health officials.
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reported on December 20, 2021 a new fatality due to COVID-19 in Maverick County, bringing the total cumulative to 413 fatalities and a total cumulative of 13,097 confirmed positive cases.
According to the New York Times Coronavirus Tracker, Maverick County has had at least 1 in 4 people who live in Maverick County have been infected with COVID-19, and at least 1 in 142 people have died from COVID-19.
President Joe Biden is expected to announce on Tuesday, December 21, 2021, in a national address to the country the purchase of 500 million at home rapid COVID-19 tests and a plan to distribute them free to Americans who request them through a website. The new home tests will begin next month in January 2022 in order to face the expected huge increase of new infections due to the Omicron variant. Biden is also deploying up to 1,000 military service members to assist overburdened hospitals across the U.S. in January and February, including doctors, nurses, respiratory technologists, medics, and other medical personnel.
Biden is expected to reassure Americans to get fully vaccinated so that they can proceed with their holiday plans without fear of becoming seriously ill. Biden will suggest unvaccinated Americans to get vaccinated so they can avoid a high risk of becoming ill or hospitalized as the Omicron variant spreads across the country.
The Texas Medical Association (TMA) issued tips for Texans to a COVID-Safe Holiday, including vaccination by getting a booster shot before the holidays, if one is not boosted to take a rapid antigen test shortly before gathering with family and friends to ensure one doesn’t have an infection that could spread to loved ones, wear a face mask while gathering in crowded venues, and plan outdoor gatherings when possible or open windows at indoor gatherings.
Only 56 percent of Texans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to CDC, and nearly 25 percent of Texans also have received a booster shot.
