Anne Arundel County Department of Health issued the following announcement on Dec. 4.
Good evening and thanks for joining us. As you likely know, earlier this afternoon the state announced that the first cases of the Omicron variant were identified in the Baltimore metropolitan region. It’s not surprising since the Omicron variant is being identified in more locations by the day.
The Omicron variant is the first new variant of concern since Delta was announced in the spring. It was first identified less than a month ago and has spread throughout the world in that time. We’re concerned about the Omicron variant because:
People may get reinfected more easily after recovering from Covid, and
It may transmit easier from person to person
There are some things we don’t yet know about Omicron including:
How effective the current vaccines are against it,
Whether it causes more severe disease, and
How much easier it is to transmit than delta.
These are the questions that public health clinicians around the world are looking to answer in the coming weeks.
While it is concerning that Omicron is here in Maryland, the good news is that we know what to do to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant. It’s the same as what we do now.
Get vaccinated. Vaccines are safe, free and effective and everybody 5 and older is eligible to get their first shot. Parents, please get your kids vaccinated. I’ve got a 9 and an 11 year old and they’ve both now gotten their two shots.
If you’re already vaccinated, get your booster. Everyone 18 and older who’s eligible, 6 months after the 2 dose Moderna or Pfizer OR 2 months after the 1 dose Johnson and Johnson, should get a booster shot. And yes, I got my booster shot.
Visit aacounty.org/covidvax to schedule your vaccination or booster appointment.
Wear a mask indoors in public settings whether or not you’re vaccinated.
Maintain as much distance as you can in public settings.
If you have symptoms, get tested right away. Don’t wait and isolate if positive.
And if you’ve been exposed to someone with Covid, wear a mask when around others and get tested in 3 to 5 days.
Covid keeps throwing us new challenges. It’s hard to stay vigilant but we can do it. And it’s even more important to do so during the holiday season and as we head into the colder winter months. The more each of us uses these safety measures, the safer we keep ourselves and our loved ones. We can do this together.
Have a good night.
Original source can be found here.
Source: Anne Arundel County Department of Health
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