VDH uses omicron variant news to remind Virginians we're not out of the COVID-19 woods yet
RICHMOND — The Virginia Department of Health promises vigilance in keeping an eye on the possibility of the newest COVID-19 variant but cautions that since community transmission of the virus remains high, Virginians should ensure they are up-to-date on their vaccinations.
“In Virginia, we are fortunate to have a robust genetic sequencing program to determine quickly whether variants of concern are circulating in our communities,” Dr. Denise Toney, director of the state public-health lab DCLS, said in a statement released by VDH. “Our network of laboratories throughout the Commonwealth is committed to sequencing as many positive samples as possible.”
Omicron, the newest COVID variant, has been discovered in some countries in Africa and Europe, but so far has remained outside the U.S. borders. However, the World Health Organization said Monday that the potential for a worldwide outbreak is "very high."
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“Once again, we see how unpredictable viruses can be," VDH commissioner Norman Oliver said in Monday afternoon's statement. Viruses, Oliver said, "change and mutate all the time, and as we learn more about this new variant, we need to continue taking precautions to reduce infections,”
VDH used Monday's news as a reminder of the importance of getting vaccinated and maintain some semblance of COVID-19 protocols that up until last July had been part of Virginia's daily routines..
"Please, if you haven’t been vaccinated already and are eligible, get vaccinated. And if you are eligible for a booster, please get your booster as soon as you can," Oliver said. "Please continue to do those things that we know can help reduce virus transmission, such as wearing a face mask, social distancing, frequent hand washing, staying home if you are sick, and getting tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms or if you have had a known exposure to someone with COVID-19.”
Monday, VDH reported 1,433 new COVID-19 cases statewide. Since the pandemic started in March 2020, 967,000 Virginians have been diagnosed with COVID-19, with 14,680 of them being fatal.
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Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is daily news coach for USA TODAY's Southeast Region-Unified Central, which includes Virginia, West Virginia and central North Carolina. He is based in Petersburg, Virginia. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com.
This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: VDH promises vigilance in tracking newest COVID-19 variant omicron
