The Centers for Disease Control warned that the Omicron variant is spreading rapidly and could trigger a massive wave of COVID-19 cases that peak in January.
Cases in Louisiana continued to rise sharply Tuesday, with the State Department reporting another 1,165 COVID-19 infections, bringing the weekly total to 5,667.
Louisiana state epidemiologist Theresa Sokol put it succinctly at a briefing on Dec. 20. “If omicron is not already the dominant strain circulating in Louisiana we feel that it will be very soon,” she said.
The increase in infections comes after a months-long decline in cases that allowed LSU to remove the university’s mask mandate.
But hopes of a normal spring semester have faded as cases are expected to peak as students return from the holidays. That peak could surpass previous infection peaks, according to the CDC, due to Omicron’s more infectious nature.
Though LSU has yet to make an announcement on next semester, LSU President William Tate IV told the Reveille in November that the worst case scenario for the spring would just be a repeat of mitigation efforts in the beginning of the fall 2021 semester, with masking and HEPA filters in place.
Experts have warned that Omicron is highly transmissible and is more likely to infect even those who have protection from previous infections or the vaccine. While early data shows that the Omicron variant causes milder symptoms than earlier variants, experts say that its transmissibility may lead to overwhelmed hospitals.
That’s because current vaccines have shown to be significantly less effective in fighting Omicron infections. Experts urge everyone to get a booster shot. Lab results from Pfizer showed that its booster increased antibodies 25-fold. Results from Moderna showed that its booster increased antibodies 37-fold.
The CDC has said it is safe to mix and match booster shots, meaning that if an individual received the Johnson & Johnson, they can safely receive a Pfizer or Moderna booster that is better poised to fight Omicron.
Individuals who received Johnson & Johnson are eligible to get a booster just two months after receiving the initial shot, meaning that those who got it after LSU implemented its vaccine mandate in August are likely now eligible. Boosters are available for free at the Student Health Center and many other locations in Baton Rouge.
“Vaccination is what’s going to end this pandemic for us,” Sokol said, “but masking is what can stop a surge.”
Gov. Edwards repealed the state’s mask mandate at the end of October, as the Delta variant died down. On Dec. 3, Edwards said “everything is still on the table,” regarding mitigation efforts.
In a statement to The Advocate, Christina Stephens, a spokesperson for the governor said “It would be our hope that we wouldn’t have to put additional mitigation measures into place, but we’re going to let the advice of public health experts guide what we’re going to do as we’ve done the entire pandemic.”
The advice from experts has been unanimous: experts at the state and national level alike have urged the public to wear a mask.
“Really where we need to be right now is that everyone – fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, boosted, or completely unvaccinated – we need to be masking in indoor public settings,” Sokol said.
Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, offered the same advice during a CNN appearance. “Be prudent in everything else you do: When you travel in your indoor settings that are congregated, wear a mask,” he said.
