This variant is very new and we don’t know exactly how large a threat it could be to people’s health. However, we do have a tool that has proven effective against previous variants: vaccination. Omicron makes it even more important to get vaccinated (everyone age 5+) and get your booster shot (if eligible).
In addition to vaccination, Omicron should also encourage us to use the other tools we have to prevent spreading germs. This includes wearing a mask and keeping distance while around others, avoiding crowds, getting tested for COVID-19, washing your hands often, covering your coughs and sneezes and more.