The rapid spread of the Omicron COVID-19 strain has health professionals and governments scurrying for control strategies. However, because further research reveals that the new version does not produce severe symptoms, officials are optimistic that the current Omicron wave will be shorter than previous variants.
Given the vastness of the United States and the diversity of vaccination vs. non-vaccination, Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, estimated last week that the Omicron wave of the coronavirus will plateau by the end of January.
"It certainly peaked pretty quickly in South Africa. It went up almost vertically and turned around very quickly," Fauci told CNBC.
Customers enjoy drinks outside a pub in Covent Garden on the last Saturday for shopping before Christmas, in central London.
COVID-19 Omicron Variant Peaking in Some Parts Worldwide
CNBC, citing South Africa's government, said that "all evidence show the country may have passed the top of the fourth wave at a national level," noting significant drops in recorded cases.
The Washington Post stated that data shows London has passed the worst of the highly transmissible Omicron variety. The city is starting to move to a lower peak than expected forecasts and has stayed manageable for hospitals.
Chief executive of NHS Providers Chris Hopson told ITV's "Good Morning Britain" (via The Hill) Tuesday London looks to have weathered the storm for the time being.
According to NBC Chicago, Chicago's Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said they don't know when Omicron is going to peak yet.
Arwady said what happens in New York, Europe, and the United Kingdom is the best predictor of COVID-19's trajectory in Chicago.
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What Comes After Omicron?
Several scientists and experts are guessing what the coronavirus's omicron variant could bring to Americans in the upcoming days.
Dr. Stephen Goldstein of the University of Utah's Eccles Institute of Human Genetics said per Salon that the number of cases will surge in the coming weeks.
Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease specialist and medicine professor at the University of California-San Francisco, also told Salon that Omicron is more transmissible and will result in a new wave of diseases.
The World Health Organization has also warned that a rise in Omicron cases worldwide might raise the chance of a newer, more severe strain arising.
While the variant is spreading like wildfire worldwide, it looks to be considerably less severe than anticipated, raising hopes that the pandemic may be contained and life can return to normal.
However, WHO senior emergency officer Catherine Smallwood told AFP (via NDTV) that rising cases might have the opposite impact.
These remarks suggest that the omicron form is expanding and will continue to do so during the winter. It's unclear if the variant is less aggressive on its own, resulting in less severe symptoms, or if people have developed immunity to the coronavirus, resulting in fewer severe symptoms.
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