Omicron is coming

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With the omicron variant detected in the U.S., it’s likely a matter of time until it arrives in Idaho, say health officials.

It hasn’t changed anything the battle plan or what they have said all along: Get vaccinated and if you can, get a booster shot.

“Because little is known about Omicron currently, it is important for the general public to remain vigilant to reduce potential exposure,” wrote Katherine Hoyer, spokeswoman for the Panhandle Health District in an email to The Press on Thursday.

In the PHD, 96,755 people are fully vaccinated, which is 46% of those 12 and older. That’s the lowest fully vaccinated rate of Idaho’s seven health districts.

Kootenai County’s fully vaccinated rate of 46% is about in the middle of counties statewide. In Bonner County, the fully vaccinated rate is 44%, in Boundary County it is 38%, in Shoshone County, it is 45% and in Benewah County, the fully vaccinated rate is 51%.

In October, 24 deaths in the PHD were people fully vaccinated, while 97 deaths were people not fully vaccinated, according to PHD.

PHD reported 871 COVID-19 hospitalizations September through November, with 75% of those people age 50 and older, while 7% are people under the age of 30.

Hoyer said layered prevention strategies are the best defense against COVID and the variants. That includes vaccination, masking, improving ventilation, distancing, handwashing, and testing to slow SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

Those who can are also encouraged to get a booster shot.

Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Director Dave Jeppesen said getting vaccinated “is more important now than ever” and can help prevent spread of the virus and decrease the opportunity for it to mutate.

“Just like all viruses, the coronavirus will continue to mutate, creating new variants, such as the omicron variant,” he said.

Dr. Christine Hahn, state epidemiologist, said much remains unknown about omicron.

“It is not 100 percent certain it is more transmissible than delta,” she said, adding, “We don’t know yet how well vaccines will protect against this.”

Dr. Christopher Ball, chief of the Idaho Bureau of Laboratories, said another variant of COVID-19 is “something we expected, something that is very normal for viruses.

“We are well positioned to identify the omicron variant as it arrives in Idaho,” he said.

There was an uptick in coronavirus positivity rates, statewide and locally.

Kootenai County positivity rate rose to 9.7% from 8.5% for the week ending Nov. 27, ending a streak of seven straight weeks of decline.

PHD’s positivity rate increased to 10.1% from 8.9%, while the state’s remained flat at 7%.

Kootenai Health reported 46 COVID-19 inpatients on Thursday, with 21 requiring critical care. That’s the fewest number of COVID-19 patients at Kootenai Health since early August.

Deaths in the PHD attributed to COVID-19 are at 717, with more than 200 of those since early October.