Omicron Covid variant

I noticed that over the last week a BUNCH of shows in NYC shut down for a few days because of COVID. While I'm guessing, I spoke with my son who lives there and we both believe that Omicron is firmly entrenched out there. He and his partner come out here Wednesday night and unfortunately the three of us will test at the airport before they get into my car. 2021 holidayzzzzzz. Much better than 2020, but still not great.

There is a big push in my area (Seattle) for folks to get the booster ASAP. I am very grateful I was able to get mine about 6 weeks ago.

Too many are fighting the private company vaccine mandates, while they blame Biden for not stopping Covid.

So much for pro-life...
Let them die...

I’m not sure what the level of Omicron is here in Belgium, but the numbers aren’t great. They do seem to be going down, as of last week, so maybe there’s hope. Many of the schools closed classrooms last week due to outbreaks and the holiday starts this Friday vs next Thursday. (So an extra week). We also have work from home orders and masks have to be worn unless actively eating or drinking.

Some of the Christmas markets have closed, but others have remained opened. We were in Strasbourg last week early in the day and it was pretty deserted, but we planned our trip for mid week for smaller crowds. You did have to show your Covid pass to get into the market areas.

Omicron is spreading but we're still several weeks behind the UK. It was suspected a few days ago that Omicron already represented 1.1% of new infection cases in France. I'm assuming we've already surpassed the 2% mark today.

Booster shots have been available for anyone over 18 since November 27. I got boosted in December 1st. So far, 15 million French people have been boosted (total population: 67.4 million/51-ish million adults). We currently do not have enough vaccines to offer both booster shots + first shots for 5-11. Unfortunately, that means 5-11 will likely have to wait until the end of the month/early January to start being vaccinated (except for those considered to be high risk who are already eligible). 

We have been subject to mask-wearing indoors all along. Fabric masks are discouraged. Restaurants, cafés, museums, theatre, concert venues, operas, etc. are all also subject to the vaccination pass (or negative test less than 24h old). The pass is deactivated 7 months after your first shot if you haven't been boosted. 

I'm ovah the cold, I tell ya, gar. Oy vey! This freakin' mass of polar air from Lapland came down all the way to the Mediterranean shores a few weeks ago and it has been colder than normal ever since. Help! Busy at work and in the December Daily thread in General Scrapbooking. Haven't been NSBR in forever! *makes new year's resolution to hop back in here more regularly* 

How are you? How's winter in the UK? How are you facing the Omicron wave? Is there a general feeling of anxiety regarding this new variant in the UK with the extreme spread you're currently going through (we'll soon follow, yikes)? How's the holiday prep going? 

Here in southern California I don't see many concerned about this as so far it seems to be mild. Our numbers have risen but I don't see anyone really acting like it is an issue at this point. I still wear my mask and some do and some don't when I am in stores. I do tend to go early which is when they are the least crowded and probably more likely to see others masked as they might also be trying to avoid crowds. There is no mandate.

I am so thankful to not be seeing numbers like last December that was scary and I hope we don't see that again. Hospitals were full and it was scary. If numbers go up I am fine staying home but not seeing anything to make me feel I need to avoid going out but then again I always avoid crowds. I hope that omnicon is mild and doesn't cause severe illness, death or lasting effects, time will tell. I don't hear anything about closing down or mandates at this point here in Southern California.

I also think we need to be working more on getting the rest of the world vaccinated just because this variant seems to be mild doesn't mean that the next one will be.

I haven't been paying as much attention but I know some states are seeing a spike and I hope it isn't as bad as last year. I am curious what is happening in the rest of the world as I know we seem to follow Europe.

Yes, so far I think only a handful of cases of this new variant. Slight uptick in cases, mainly school aged, but nothing significant and no surge in hospitalizations.

Many still mask here and it is enforced in schools.

We will be watching cases after break. All 4 of us are vaccinated with 3 of us having received boosters. Ds isn't old enough yet.

Some parents are afraid we will have a huge uptick and schools will need to go virtual for 2 weeks.

The mandates haven't ever been lifted here where I live in Southern California. May want to be more specific in your posts 😉

Cases are rising here as expected post Thanksgiving and with colder weather, though we still have many mild days. I expect it to get worse after Christmas no matter which variant is the dominant one. More people are getting boosters. I got mine the day before Thanksgiving which was the first week I qualified. Dh had his a couple of weeks earlier than that. It's all we can do other than stay home again.

The problem in my community is that so many people - about 55% have never even had their first dose so they don't have time to play catch up now. I don't think we know how bad this is going to be yet for the un or under vaccinated. Hospitalizations in the state are up 50% since Thanksgiving.

Yeah she said mandates were "coming back" they were never lifted where I live and the schools have always been enforcing masks for kids and vaccines for staff. Our districts still have online options, too. That's what I mean to to point out. It isn't the same for all of Southern California, that's all 🙂

Sorry No idea what counties still had mask mandates but now it’s the entire state. Riverside hasn’t been enforcing them overall. I know people will refuse and I doubt most stores will say anything unless things change a lot. We have a lot of maskholes here.

I think the schools are requiring them I know my sons college requires them and he isn’t even on campus all of his classes are online. I’ve been wearing one and don’t have an issue with them. It helps my allergies and I haven’t been sick in two years well nothing contagious at least. It’s nice to not have a cold we usually have a few. I know it’s only a matter of time before my husband brings one home but trying hard to reduce them and of course reducing Covid risks to. I just don’t get the huge outrage against them.