North Texas Concerns Over COVID-19 Omicron Variant – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

The people of North Texas are closely monitoring news of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 over the course of the holiday season.

President Joe Biden said Monday that experts are still looking for answers on the Omicron variant, but do not panic and there are no stay-at-home recommendations planned at this time.

His assurances helped the stock markets offset some of the steep losses suffered on Friday.

Good Money Framework financial planner Derrick Kinney said uncertainty is what Wall Street fears.

“Most people want to breathe a sigh of relief and not worry about an entirely different dose,” Kinney said. “If that slowed things down, it could be devastating to the stock market in the short term.”

But Kinney said he doesn’t expect this to happen after Monday’s rebound and other current US economic fundamentals.

In Dallas County, Christmas shoppers visit stores but are asked to do so with masks, while some surrounding counties do not have current requirements.

“The most important thing you can do for yourself and your family is to get vaccinated, to get your booster shot when it is time. The second most important thing you can do is wear your mask, ”said Clay Jenkins, a Dallas County judge. “These are not requirements that I made with some political advisors. These are the things doctors and large hospitals train their entire lives to use public health. They say that is what we have to do to have a good Christmas season, where we are healthy, where our businesses and our economy are strong. “

Jenkins said these measures are the best ways to keep roads moving and keep truck drivers busy delivering goods.

Hotels in the Dallas area that suffered from a shortage of business travelers during the pandemic may still see a recovery.

So far, international trips that have recently returned to DFW Airport are still allowed. Several South African nations where the Omicron variant was first discovered are the only places that have been banned so far.

Daniel Armbruster, a spokesman for the American Automobile Association Texas Branch, said there were still unanswered questions about the variant, but that was no reason to stop the trip.

“You may be discussing options like travel insurance. This can of course give you more security and protect your investment. But it is certainly too early to say that I should cancel my trip or something similar, ”said Armbruster.

The AAA website has an interactive map with detailed information on COVID-19 security requirements for individual states and cities.

Financial planner Derrick Kinney said investors may want to adjust their portfolios, but he doesn’t recommend leaving the arena.

“Right now, I think a diversified portfolio with a long-term perspective is an investor’s best friend,” said Kinney. “Fasten your seatbetls. It doesn’t mean jumping off the ride. It just means putting on your seat belts because it can be a wild ride for the next few months. “

President Biden said vaccine supplier experts are preparing to respond quickly with new formulas if the new variant proves resistant to existing vaccinations.

After President Biden’s address to the nation, Dr. Thomas Giordano, there are good reasons why the Omicron variant of COVID-19 was cause for concern.

“There’s a scientific rationale, but I think there’s also an emotional fear that this is the variant we all feared. However, I don’t think there’s enough evidence to support it,” Giordano said.

While scientists are eager to learn more about the Omicron, Giordano, an infectious disease specialist at Baylor College of Medicine, said reliable data has already emerged – like the variant’s ability to mutate quickly.

As for what this means for Texas in particular, he said the tests are now being done through a process called genetic sequencing to see if recent positive cases contain the Omicron variant.

“It has a lot of mutations. Much more mutations than other variants that have come up in large enough groups of people to get our attention,” he said. “Omicron may be here as the first cases in South Africa date back to early November.

Researchers are still convinced of the vaccine’s effectiveness but expect to know with greater certainty in the coming weeks.

“The proof is in the pudding,” said Giordano. “What do we see clinically? Are we seeing a higher rate of vaccine failure and will they be more severe?”

He reiterates the President’s advice to remain vigilant and trust what science has learned in the days ahead.

[ad_1]

North Texas Concerns Over COVID-19 Omicron Variant