UNMC Infectious Disease Doc More Worried By Omicron Than Delta

Dec. 20, 2021, 4 p.m. ·

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UNMC’s Dr. James Lawler said he’s more concerned with omicron than delta because of omicron’s high transmission rate. (Photo courtesy UNMC Communications)

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Many people are planning to resume their traditional holiday plans this year, and that will come amid a surge of omicron cases. University of Nebraska Medical Center infectious disease experts answered questions Monday about the new variant and how best to handle the surge in cases.

Although experts are still learning more about the impacts of omicron and its severity, UNMC’s Dr. James Lawler said he’s more concerned with omicron than delta because of omicron’s high transmission rate. Even though it is believed the variant is less severe on an individual basis, it will produce more hospitalizations – putting more strain on a healthcare system already at its limit.

"If omicron is half as lethal or a third as lethal as delta, if the transmissibility data hold up, we'll get far more hospitalizations than deaths from omicron than delta," Lawler said.

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"Swiss cheese" layers of protection. (Photo courtesy UNMC Communications)

With waning vaccine immunity, Dr. Lawler encourages those who have not yet received their booster dose to do so. He also said, while no vaccine is 100% effective, layering the vaccine with other protections such as masking and social distancing helps limit transmission.

"Each one of the interventions like the vaccine is like a slice of swiss cheese," he said. "They all have holes they all allow things to get through. But when you start to stack slices of swiss cheese on top of each other then you get a relativity impermeable barrier to things passing through."

Dr. Lawler reminded people not to get complacent regarding the omicron variant – and to take extra precautions like masking and regular testing this holiday season.