Omicron

Today is the 330th day of the year 2021, and there are only 35 days left to the year. It is the day for right view, for with it we attain the noble path on which the superfluous is exhausted.

Back on November 1, the average number of new covid cases in Georgia was 1,072 cases per day.  Today, there are 1,064 cases per day.  There have been a few upticks and downturns in the number over the past month, probably related more to reporting than changes in the infection rate.  It's been remarkably stable.

But now, they've discovered a new variant of the virus.  Great, just what the doctor ordered.

The variant, which they're calling omicron, may or may not be more contagious than the original virus or the delta variant.  They don't know.  The omicron variant may or may not be more deadly than alpha or delta covid.  They don't know.  Children may or may not be more susceptible to the omicron variant.  They don't know. “Substantively NOTHING is known about the new variant,” Roberto Burioni, a leading Italian virologist, wrote on Twitter, adding that people should not panic.

But the W.H.O. has called omicron a variant "of concern."  Cases have been found in South Africa and Botswana, and Singapore and several European countries have already restricted entry from the south of Africa.  Biden announced that sir travel from southern Africa will be restricted starting Monday, nut U.S. citizens and permanent residents are exempt.  The stock market basically tanked today over concerns about the effect of another wave of variant infections on the global economy. House Republicans are furiously trying to think of ways they can blame the outbreak on the Democrats.

Just when we thought we were out, omicron drags us back in.