Local doctors are warning Utahns that we're not done with COVID-19, and the end is not necessarily in sight.
University of Utah doctors want the public to know that they shouldn't believe the hype that the omicron variant isn't so bad, and that we've already peaked regarding the number of cases in the state, as the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 remains extremely high.
Omicron is four times more contagious than the delta variant, so it's infecting a greater number of people, including young children.
Their message remains the same regarding how to avoid infection: Get vaccinated and boosted.
“More than 80% of the people in the hospital right now, including children, are unvaccinated. So there’s still a lot of severe disease occurring among people who are unvaccinated and they shouldn’t take too much comfort in the fact that it’s somewhat less severe than delta because it’s so much more infectious,” said Dr. Andrew Pavia, Division Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the U.
Doctors say for those who do still contract COVID-19 after being vaccinated and boosted, the disease will likely be manageable, requiring perhaps a few days in bed instead of the hospital
Wearing N95 masks is also a line of defense against spreading the new variant.
Health care workers who've been out sick will be able to go back to work after a few weeks, and supplies of antiviral drugs will be replenished, but it will take time. So doctors do not want people to let their guard down.