Columbus, OH,
15
December
2021
|
19:12 PM
Europe/Amsterdam

ABC6/NBC4/10TV: Omicron COVID Variant Arrives In Ohio

We have reached one full year since the COVID-19 vaccine was made available to the general public. Still, with that 365 days for the vaccines to work and push this virus back, something is pushing forward, a new variant. Omicron has now been detected in central Ohio, something the medical director of infectious diseases at OhioHealth said would happen.

"“It’s not a surprise and it’s not a reason for panic,” said Joe Gastaldo, MD to NBC4.

The Ohio Department of Health has confirmed a pair of omicron positive cases in central Ohio.

"We are having part two of our delta surge, this is the winter surge we need to pay attention to omicron and continue to get more information from it," said Dr. Gastaldo to ABC6.

Despite so many unknown factors at this time, Dr. Gastaldo points to things we can control, to help control this virus from spreading at the rate it currently is.

"We really need to stay on point for what we've been dealing with for the last two years now when it comes to wearing a mask. We still have opportunities to get vaccines into people's arms who have not yet had them,” said Dr. Gastaldo to 10TV.

Nationwide hospitalized patients are on the rise, with the overwhelming majority of those cases unvaccinated.

“It should surprise nobody that omicron is here in our country, in our state, and in our community and I’d be willing to bet you it’s probably in more communities in Ohio,” Gastaldo said to NBC4. “We will never know with certainty how long omicron has really been here in our country or in the state of Ohio. One thing I will say is we need to still pay attention to it. 99% of what we are still seeing is delta."

If you would like to watch the stories from central Ohio media clink the links below.