Alpha, Beta, Delta, Omicron… 

This isn’t the best way to learn the Greek alphabet but well, we’re here.

What is Omicron? 

Omicron is the latest (and hopefully the last) variant of COVID-19. All of us know that it was just recently that the variant entered the country, right? It was all over the media together with Poblacion girl, but that’s another story.

The variant is highly contagious that is why it is not surprising that we experienced a surge of cases as early as January this year.

It might be good news that it’s here in the Philippines! 

Yes, you read that right, good news. Experts are claiming that the latest variant will lead to herd immunity as the virus diminishes its sting as if it was just a seasonal flu.

Fr. Nicanor Austriaco of OCTA Research, a priest and a molecular biologist, stated that those who had Omicron and survived developed antibodies that are not only effective in the said variant but also to other variants like Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and D614G. Omicron served as a natural vaccine to these people.

“We have to realize that Omicron is the beginning of the end of the pandemic because Omicron is going to provide the kind of population immunity that should stabilize our societies and should allow us to reopen.” 

Fr. Austriaco also made an example of the 1918 flu pandemic, where it ended when the H1N1 virus became weaker. And that is what we are experiencing right now– Omicron is a weaker variant of COVID.

These statements give us hints of hope that this will end soon. But remember, Omicron is still the COVID-19 who killed thousands of lives all around the globe. That is why we should not belittle it and purposely expose ourselves to it. That’s not how it works!

For now, let us be responsible for ourselves and for others by following minimum health standards and being vaccinated! What are your thoughts about this?