Thoughts Out Of Season

  In an article from KTVO television it is stated with great optimism that "Studies show how booster shots provide strong protection against the omicron variant". Stop right there. The Omicron variant has been described as "mild", "like a cold" and even, a bit more naively "like the Flu "(which incidentally kills 60,000 Americans a year at 4 x less the infectious rate). The issue I have with the article is: SO WHAT?  If this variant causes nothing more than a short period of discomfort, why the hoopla? For one there are numerous reports of viral evasion among those vaccinated including boosters  . Secondly, if the disease is so mild why the damn drum roll? Could it be that the Omicron variant not be what it seems, a harmless, annoying cold but has the potential to be much more devastating? What else?   I guess we will find out real soon

  A variant of Covid 19 recently discovered in Africa has caused world-wide concern that it may cause another very serious wave of infections across the globe just as it seems health officials seem to be getting a hand on the disease At this point in time, it is way too early to say whether it has the same potential to sicken like the original Covid virus but already some disturbing facts are emerging: - If you have had covid in the past it appears the variant can predispose you to being infected Covid again - While there are other variants of Covid such as the Delta variant which is the dominant strain at this time, the number of mutations present on the Omicron are astounding with 30 mu tations on the spike that attaches the virus to the target cell. This may not only cause vaccines" to not see" the which of course may lead to infection but such an infection could be much more prolonged - Early reports suggest that the Omicron virus may be 500 times more infectious than ...