Should The Public Worry About Omicron Variant [POLL]

NEW YORK — As more cases of the omicron variant of the new coronavirus are found, health officials are working to find out more about it and government officials are trying to determine ways to protect the public from it.

On Saturday morning, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced three more confirmed omicron variant cases in the state.

The three new cases are all from New York City, for a total of seven NYC residents. There is still just one from Suffolk County confirmed to have the latest variant, making a total of eight cases in the state.

Hochul said it was known the omicron variant was coming, since its discovery a little more than a week ago, and it was expected that more cases will be seen.

"But let me be clear," she said, "we are not defenseless."

The governor said the tools to help prevent the spread of the virus remain getting vaccinated, getting a booster and wearing a mask.

The variant was first identified Thanksgiving Day in South Africa.

It has since been found in more than 40 countries, and according to The New York Times, tests have shown it is in 12 of the states in the United States, including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland in the eastern part of the country.

Needless to say, there is a lot that is not known about the new variant. Scientists in South Africa said Friday they believe it's at least three times more likely to cause reinfection than other variants, The Washington Post reported.

It is also possible that it is more infectious because it's picked up some genetic material from a virus that causes the common cold, making it easier to evade human immune systems, The Washington Post reported Saturday.

Dr. Mary T. Bassett, the state's new health commissioner, said, in spite of the attention focused on the omicron variant — and the fact that community spread is being documented — the rise of cases of coronavirus continues to be traced to the delta variant.

"At this time," she said, "we do not know how quickly omicron will spread or how severe the symptoms of omicron will be."

Bassett echoed Hochul's suggestion to continue using the best preventive tools already available: "get vaccinated, get boosted and wear a mask."

Now it's your turn to weigh in on the issue. Vote in our unscientific poll and tell us what you think in the comments.