Omicron COVID-19 variant detected in San Bernardino County
A Redlands man is the first resident in San Bernardino County to be found with the omicron variant, which health experts say continues to spread across the U.S.
The variant was detected in the unidentified man who was fully vaccinated and had obtained a booster shot. He had traveled to a conference out of state and returned with COVID-19 symptoms, according to county health officials Tuesday.
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The man is isolated at home and is recovering from the virus, with County Department of Public Health officials working on contact tracing to help mitigate any spread.
“Discovering the omicron variant in our county is a concern, but not a surprise,” said SBC Public Health Director Josh Dugas. “No matter the variant, we are still in the middle of a pandemic, and we need to continue to protect ourselves and others from spreading and contracting COVID-19. The good news is we have vaccines, and we know they are highly effective against this virus.”
More on omicron:
Dugas urged people to get vaccinated and get a booster. He also encouraged parents to get their children ages 5 to 11 immunized because they are eligible for the vaccines.
“We are gathering again with our friends and family members this holiday season, and we want to make sure everyone does their part to avoid the virus,” Dugas said. “The County remains prepared and ready to address this and all variants and any future challenges the pandemic brings.”
Omicron in California
The first known case of the omicron variant was detected in the U.S. just days after its rapid spread in South Africa prompted worldwide concern, U.S. officials said Dec. 1.
The California and San Francisco Departments of Public Health confirmed that the first U.S. case of the omicron variant was found on an individual in the city.
The person was a traveler who returned from South Africa on Nov. 22 and was fully vaccinated. Genome sequencing conducted at the University of California-San Francisco confirmed the variant.
The California Department of Public Health Dec. 10 reported 18 cases in the state, with an additional case, discovered the following day in San Diego County.
The largest cluster of omicron cases has been the six reported last week in Alameda County that included vaccinated workers at Kaiser Oakland Medical Center who also had booster shots and tested positive after attending a wedding in Wisconsin, the Mercury News reported.
Omicron study
The omicron variant is considered highly transmissible and may cause less severe disease, and one that can be slowed — but not stopped by today’s vaccines, one medical study showed.
Early data from South Africa appears to show that people who are fully vaccinated are still largely protected against severe disease, according to early data released Tuesday by Discovery Health, South Africa's largest private health insurer.
Data analysis from South Africa, where the variant is driving a surge in infections, suggests the Pfizer vaccine offers less defense against infection from omicron and reduced, but still good protection from hospitalization, the Associated Press reported.
The findings are preliminary and have not been peer-reviewed. Still, they line up with other early data about the variant’s behavior, including that it seems to be more easily spread among individuals.
Still, some medical experts cautioned that it’s too soon to conclude since the omicron variant is still quite new, and hospitalizations can lag weeks behind infections.
When omicron reaches broader populations, more useful information will emerge, said Dr. David Dowdy, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
“To date, omicron has disproportionately infected young adults — people who probably have more social contacts and are more likely to attend large gatherings,” Dowdy said.
Young adults may be more likely to be sick without knowing it, have more intense exposures, and experience milder disease, he said.
“At the end of the day, our society needs to learn how to wait, rather than either panicking or dismissing early findings,” Dowdy said.
For children and adult vaccination or booster information, visit MyTurn.ca.gov or vaccines.gov. People who want to get a free test for COVID-19 may visit sbcovid19.com to make an appointment at a testing site or check with the local health provider or pharmacy.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Instagram @RenegadeReporter and Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Omicron variant has arrived in San Bernardino County
