The omicron BA.2 variant spreads about 30% more easily and has caused surges in other countries. Its steady increase in the U.S. raises questions about the wisdom of rolling back COVID restrictions.
www.npr.org
Wise or not, ready or not, here we go, even if cases and hospitalizations are dropping, I think it would be wise to wait until spring to drop all restrictions. It's the state of the hospitals that will determine restrictions and widely available antiviral medications will change that too. So if O2 is more virulent than O1 as well as being 30% more contagious, we better hope there is vaccine immunity and cross immunity from O1.
The UK is dropping all restrictions and so is everybody else apparently as this thing goes endemic. I would prefer a more gradual approach in the spring when the weather improves, but I don't make the calls. Remember younger people have different ideas and outlooks on this pandemic and the younger you are the longer it has seemed to go on for, time flies for us old farts. Politicians have to balance these competing interests between public safety, the economy and the desires of various demographics. When it comes to covid the older you are, or health compromised, the more conservative you tend to be when it comes to covid policy and for good reason!
jmedicalcasereports.biomedcentral.com
