How should we respond to omicron? Not like this - The Dallas Morning News

The emergence of the new and worrisome omicron COVID-19 variant is cause for concern, but it shouldn’t be cause for panic.

Government at every level should be cautious about imposing greater restrictions that affect people’s lives, their ability to run their businesses, go to church or, most importantly, go to school.

We’ve seen no indication yet there is a rush to impose the sort of economically and socially crippling lockdowns that we endured through 2020. We would be surprised, though, if there isn’t political pressure to do so.

We all wish this terrible disease were behind us. The more likely reality is that it never fully will be and that we will need science, community cooperation and endurance to deal with it for a long time to come.

Even before news of omicron dropped over the Thanksgiving weekend, COVID-19 cases were surging again in parts of Europe and the U.S, part of a spread that at least appears to be connected to dropping temperatures. Last week, average daily case reports increased more than 20%. And now, we face the news of yet another variant emerging from South Africa.

Parkland Health & Hospital System chief executive Dr. Fred Cerise told us recently that about 85% of the new cases the hospital system is seeing are among the unvaccinated. That means a troubling number are “breakthrough” cases. The most serious cases that lead to death are still in the 97%-plus range among the unvaccinated.

We don’t yet know what impact omicron will have on vaccine effectiveness. We do have some confidence, based on statements from vaccine manufacturer Moderna, that scientists should be able to adapt existing mRNA vaccines if necessary.

We have urged all people to get vaccinated to help stem the disease. Vaccines in themselves are not a political question; they are a safe and effective deterrent to serious illness and death.

We also know, and have long known, that the effectiveness of vaccines appears to wane over time. Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges anyone over 50 or who is 18 or older and living in a long-term care setting to get a booster shot. The CDC also clears anyone 18 or older to get a booster.

As a people, we should be wiser now about how to respond to this latest variant. We need to exercise patience and caution. What we should not do is let fear or stubbornness be our guide — whether it leads to an impulse to go into another lockdown or a refusal to take basic precautions such as getting vaccinated, socially distancing where possible and masking as required in public spaces.

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How should we respond to omicron? Not like this - The Dallas Morning News
"like this" - Google News
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