BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — With COVID-19 cases starting to spike again in Alabama and across the nation, the Omicron variant may be to blame.
"I think, unfortunately, as everybody knows, the big news is the explosive spread of Omicron throughout the United States," said University of Alabama at Birmingham Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo.
On Thursday, December 30, Alabama's COVID-19 seven-day average testing positivity rate hit an all-time high of 31.4%, as reported by the Alabama Department of Public Health. To help curb the spread of the virus, doctors are asking that people keep following COVID-19 protocols.
"We've only heard about this variant since Thanksgiving week, so, unfortunately, that is all happening in concert with several other trends that are very worrisome," said Dr. Marrazzo. "I think people know that the Delta variant is still active, although probably being misplaced or displaced pretty quickly."
And even though Omicron is a newer strain, unvaccinated people are still being hit the hardest.
"First, a severe virus that was really taking its toll on unvaccinated people and immunocompromised people, that's Delta," said Dr. Marrazzo. "And now, a virus that is spreading in a way that is being compared to measles."
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