We Can ’t Just Impose Restrictions Whenever COVID-19 Surges. Here’s a Better Plan for 2022

The arrival of Omicron, the latest and most transmissible COVID-19 variant to date, underscores the tremendous need for updated COVID-19 policy in the U.S. We always knew it would be difficult to contain a highly transmissible respiratory virus before Omicron. The arrival of the Delta variant forced us to abandon our goal of “herd immunity.” With the arrival of Omicron, a more appropriate goal of protecting those at risk of severe breakthrough infections is now in order. A new framework in light of Omicron will help move us beyond the continuous cycle of removing and reinstating COVID restrictions based on metrics that are no longer clinically relevant. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Highly transmissible variants, such as Delta and Omicron, will lead to high numbers of asymptomatic or mild infections among the vaccinated. These breakthrough infections should not be considered “vaccine failures”. Instead, they should be recognized as the hallmark of highly effective vaccines that are operating precisely as intended—to prevent serious illness or death. We must ensure that Americans understand this is a very different time than March 2020, especially in highly vaccinated regions. Instead, these very same regions are again closing schools. A strategy of examining who is at risk of severe breakthroughs and protecting that population at all costs will help us make this critical transition. What strategi...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized COVID-19 Source Type: news