As the holiday season approaches, a new COVID-19 variant has emerged, potentially disrupting plans for many. The omicron variant was discovered at the end of November, and researchers are still studying it to better understand its transmissibility as well as the effect of vaccines on neutralizing the virus.
Experts say the omicron variant appears to spread far faster than other COVID variants. They remain unsure if it leads to less severe symptoms than other variants. Despite the rise of the new variant, experts say it's still possible to celebrate over the holidays. But they stress that it is best to take safety measures to protect everyone's health while enjoying holiday traditions.
In a story published by Healthline, one of the experts quoted on staying safe during holiday gatherings is Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine.
