From the desk of Dr. Gupta 11 30 2021

During the Thanksgiving holiday, there were moments when some of our lives almost felt normal again -- uninhibited hugs with family, an uncle unleashing a boisterous laugh without you secretly thinking, “Ew, droplets.” The shadow of the pandemic retreated ever so slightly.

 

You felt it too, didn’t you?

 

Then came the wakeup call: Omicron.

 

Now, we are still waiting to learn more about this new variant. How transmissible is it? Does it result in more severe disease? Will our vaccines work against it? Will it outcompete Delta?

 

It’s hard to not assume the worst since it was the Delta variant that jolted us out of what was meant to be a joyful summer.

 

But I don’t want us to feel like we are back at square one. Instead, we need to use this as an opportunity to acknowledge the gaps that are still left in this pandemic.

 

Of course, the biggest gap is the lack of vaccinations -- even in countries where they are plentiful. Any unvaccinated pocket of a population will be found by this virus, and in turn, be given free rein to mutate.

 

Just think -- a year ago, we didn’t even have a vaccine available. This is a tremendous tool that was brought to us at breakneck speed and has saved countless lives.

 

Yes, this also means we need to get more vaccines to countries that are lacking access, because, remember: An infection anywhere is an infection anywhere.

 

This variant also should remind us that the pandemic isn’t an on and off switch -- and our behavior is key to dimming it down.

 

I can’t stress enough how much better off you are if you’re fully vaccinated and are able to get a booster, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth taking extra layers of precaution like masks and testing -- especially when you’re in an area that still has high transmission.

 

This moment also underscores what we have been saying since the beginning: We are all in this together. You’re not getting vaccinated or wearing a mask just to protect yourself. It's to protect the entire world.

 

So, if you want that Thanksgiving holiday feeling again, you know what to do. I promise you, together, we can end the pandemic.