{"id":4720,"date":"2022-01-24T18:22:56","date_gmt":"2022-01-25T00:22:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/utrgvradio.com\/?p=4720"},"modified":"2022-01-24T18:22:58","modified_gmt":"2022-01-25T00:22:58","slug":"what-makes-the-omicron-variant-different","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/utrgvradio.com\/index.php\/2022\/01\/24\/what-makes-the-omicron-variant-different\/","title":{"rendered":"What Makes The Omicron Variant Different?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"http:\/\/utrgvradio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/23311-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4721\" srcset=\"https:\/\/utrgvradio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/23311-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/utrgvradio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/23311-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/utrgvradio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/23311-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/utrgvradio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/23311-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/utrgvradio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/23311-2048x1152.png 2048w, https:\/\/utrgvradio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/23311-1920x1080.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Photo from CDC&#8217;s Image Library.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"http:\/\/utrgvradio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Omicron0124.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">With the Omicron variant spreading throughout the country and the valley, a couple of things make this new variant unique compared to the other strains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vaquero R\u00e1dio spoke to Dr. Cruz Bernal, a family practice physician who oversees COVID patience at Starr County Memorial Hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Bernal was asked what makes the Omicron variant different from past versions of the virus, and he said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f27508\">\u201cIt\u2019s less virulent. It is very contagious but it is less virulent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Bernal defines virulence as the damage and effects that a virus does to one\u2019s body, so while the Omicron variant may not do as much harm, it spreads faster than the other variants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When asked about whether the Omicron variant has unique symptoms that can differentiate it, Dr. Bernal had this to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f27508\">\u201cUnfortunately not, and they are also very very similar to the ones for flu\u2026There\u2019s one that might be different\u2026the loss of taste, but other than that, they\u2019re very similar.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Bernal warns, however, that despite the virulence, there is another factor that determines how the Omicron variant may affect someone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f27508\">\u201c For non-vaccinated people, we\u2019re seeing that the Omicron can really harm the person\u2026we\u2019re seeing less hospitalizations, but I can safely say that it\u2019s due to the vaccination status of our community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the Center for Disease Control\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/variants\/omicron-variant.html\">website<\/a>, those with the vaccine can still test positive for COVID and its variants but remain effective in protecting people from severe illness or hospitalization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Bernal urges everyone to continue taking precautions such as wearing their mask and making sure you not only receive it but stay up to date with vaccinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f27508\">\u201cNumber one is the vaccine\u2026number two would be the booster, number three would be using a mask especially if you are in small groups.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He also says to keep up with healthy choices and not let the pandemic get to you psychologically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is Rodolfo Alvarado for Vaquero Radio.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With the Omicron variant spreading throughout the country and the valley, a couple of things make this new<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":4721,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[103,241,244,72,239,243,44,237,194,238,240,242],"class_list":["post-4720","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-radio","tag-103","tag-bernal","tag-cdc","tag-covid","tag-different","tag-makes","tag-news","tag-omicron","tag-spring","tag-variant","tag-variants","tag-what"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What Makes The Omicron Variant Different? 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