Alabama heath care providers are keeping an eye on the new COVID-19 variant called omicron.
UAB Hospital says it may be next week at the earliest before researchers know if current vaccines work against the new strain. Initial reports from South Africa include few hospitalizations related to omicron.
Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo studies infectious diseases at UAB. She said wearing masks as well as getting vaccinations and booster shots is something Alabamians can do now to protect themselves against other strains of COVID-19.
“Don’t forget to wash your hands,” Marrazzo said. “Remember: we haven’t been talking about hand washing very much. But, remember you touch your nose, your touch something else, you touch somebody else’s hand, that’s a great way to for the virus to get transmitted.”
Marrazzo added that says Alabamians should take precautions like masking and vaccinations as they head into the holiday season and visits with friends and family.
“If you’re inside use caution, and especially if you’re immunocompromised...or are not vaccinated or who might have the best response to the vaccine,” she said.
Just over 43% of Alabamians are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. That lags behind every other state in the southern U.S. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Washington State is forecasting that Alabama’s death rate from COVID-19 will continue climbing at least through March of next year.