The Omicron variant has exploded throughout the UK and America, and I would assume other countries as well. While virologists are still examining Omicron, the early indicators are that it’s the most contagious variant so far, and that it’s “breaking through” with vaccinated people. That being said, these breakthrough infections are not leading to mass hospitalizations. People are just getting sick and they are “mildly symptomatic.” Now three fully vaccinated members of Congress have developed breakthrough Covid: Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker and Jason Crow.
Three Democratic members of Congress announced Sunday that they have breakthrough coronavirus infections. Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey as well as Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado shared that they had tested positive for Covid-19 via tweets from their official accounts.
They all reported having received Covid-19 booster shots and experiencing mild symptoms.
Warren was on the Senate floor last week before the chamber went on recess, but CNN could not confirm that Booker was.“I regularly test for COVID & while I tested negative earlier this week, today I tested positive with a breakthrough case. Thankfully, I am only experiencing mild symptoms & am grateful for the protection provided against serious illness that comes from being vaccinated & boosted,” Warren tweeted. “As cases increase across the country, I urge everyone who has not already done so to get the vaccine and the booster as soon as possible – together, we can save lives.”
Crow tweeted that he “just returned from an official congressional delegation visit to Ukraine and tested positive for a breakthrough COVID infection.”
The announcements came as the emergence of the Omicron variant has thrust the nation — and the White House — back into an uncertain pandemic reality, posing both public health and political challenges.
The US is now facing a resurgent coronavirus as the pandemic marches into its third year: The country was averaging 126,967 new cases per day as of Saturday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University — up from an average of just more than 70,000 new cases per day at the beginning of November.
Yeah. It sucks. It also sucks that dumbasses are already like “hurr durr, the vaccines don’t work!” The vaccines do work. These breakthrough cases are awful and they shouldn’t be minimized, but the chances are very good that Sen. Warren, Sen. Booker and Rep. Crow will survive their cases of Covid and be fine in a couple weeks, and that’s because they were fully vaccinated and boostered. Anyway, sh-t is definitely getting real with the Omicron variant.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
We are likely canceling our plans to fly to St. Louis to visit my parents on 12.26. Hubs and I are vaxxed and boostered but our kids are both under 5. Omicron is just so contagious. I know the littles would be unlikely to get seriously sick, but I feel a responsibility to our little community- I don’t want to spread COVID to our lovely little preschool or our fabulous nanny who’s done so much (and makes our workdays possible). Ugh. Still. I’m so disappointed, tired, and over ALL THIS.
Totally get it. I’m boostered, my husband is next week and my kids have 1 each waiting on their 2nd and we are still canceling plans. It really really sucks. I was so sure we’d have a normal Christmas, but we gotta keep those Littles safe for sure. Friends of ours have a 10 year old with cancer. The hospital did a lovely thing, and booked chemo rest days on Christmas eve and Christmas day for all the kids with cancer so they could have a nice Christmas at home while feeling good. They also booked a day in the Christmas room with his brothers. Turns out, they need so many icu beds free each time chemo is done on kids. I’m not entirely sure of the logistics, but something to do with the meds and potential reactions…anyway, thanks to omicron and anti vaxxer combos, those beds filled up with 30 year old ish anti vaxxers and his chemo had to be moved and now he cannot have the visit from his brothers and will be in the hospital Christmas eve and Christmas day having this treatment. It was a little kind gesture from the hospital to give a little joy in this family’s life and now that is not possible. It’s the little things like that we have to remember when we choose to follow protocols and get our vaccinations. We don’t know enough yet, but omicron may not be as deadly, but little things like getting vaccinated and sticking to protocols can help a family retain a little bit more joy in their lives. Never underestimate how doing our part can help.
Thank you for doing that! I know it’s hard. Our Christmas plans were ruined by a parent who opted not to be as considerate and brought COVID into my kids’ preschool (both are under 5) and one of my kids tested positive. I’m so over it too, and like you even though I’m so, so tired I’m going to keep taking precautions even if others won’t.
I think we are all tired and want this to end NOW. But that’s unlikely. At least be thankful you got a booster. Where I live in Canada it’s literally Hunger Games to even get a Booster appointment. Not even sure when I’ll be able to get mine. It feels like we are living in a nightmare that won’t end. Anxiety is at an all-time high. Humans are not meant to live like this. Constant fear, constant worry. It’s too much.
I’m in Victoria and waiting (impatiently) for the call. I got my 2nd jab in mid-June and here we are at Dec. 20 and *crickets*. Mr. Jaded already has his appt for Jan. 4 but we both got our 2nd at the same time so I don’t understand the delay with me. Maybe it’s because he’s a few years older than me, but jeez this is stressful.
I’m in Alberta, and had no problem getting an appointment – which, quite frankly worries me, as I think it means that uptake on the booster is low. And our idiot Premier has been quiet as the grave (yes, that was intentional) since he announced (pre-Omicron) that Christmas gatherings could include unvaccinated people from more households than previously permitted. Still waiting for an update, Mr. Kenney.
Listen. So, so many people are coming up positive. What’s important is that the symptoms of people who aren’t vaxxed have been mild. What’s also important is a HUGE HUGE HUGE swath of Americans are NOT getting testing and proceeding as normal.
Janey and my thoughts are Covid is going to get us all eventually, it’s just moving it’s way through the population slowly. We can hide from it but it will find us one day and because we would have been boosted, we will most likely have a less severe reaction. It is so important for all of us to get immunized to mitigate that risk of getting severely sick when we do get it.
I guess what I’d like to know is how they think they got it. Were they in close-quarters meetings, were they wearing masks, were they with unvaccinated people. There are so many stories now about break-through cases – do we all just have to be locked away, do we have accept that we’re just going to be infected one day, or are the precautions we’ve already been taking (masks, hygiene, social distance) still useful?
Breakthrough cases are more likely than before due to high transmissibility and the vaccine’s lowered effectiveness against the new variant, but risk mitigation measures are still extremely useful.
I think living locked away is not the long term solution. Personally, after our households had breakthrough infections this week – I believe that we need to shift the focus from the vaccines to therapies if we are all going to get this. Our medical provider gave us no therapies or treatment options beyond advising us to take cold medicine. I think therapies are in such short supply that they are only given to people showing up with severe cases at the hospital.
I believe people mistake omicron as a common cold and they get a premature negative test so they go about their life unknowingly infecting others or don’t test at all. I live in a conservative area And I highly suspect people also are purposely not testing because they don’t want to have to quarantine.
Nonetheless, it’s hear and the amount of breakthrough infections is shocking. I think the pharmaceutical companies really oversold the vaccines effectiveness and by the time they get a Omicron specific vaccine out- we very well could be battling a whole other variant.
I especially agree that there needs to be more of an emphasis on therapeutic treatment. There are drugs which are in the FDA pipeline – why not move up approval? Also there needs to be less judgmentalism about those who get this virus. As I said above, you can do everything “right” and still get sick. In fact it appears with Omicron that everyone may actually wind up getting it – even if asymptomatically. If they have drugs to treat those most at risk (elderly and people with comorbidities) when they get it, then those should be employed early in the disease, when they do the most good.
the drugs in development to treat COVID are being fast-tracked
Only one of the monoclonal antibodies works against omicron (and monoclonals are in short supply in many places); I’m not sure if there’s data on either Merck or Pfizer’s treatments against omicron yet. the more the unvaxxed insist on spreading, the more mutations we’re going to see and the further behind the 8-ball we get as a society – especially as hospitals full up and those who need treatment for things other than COVID are facing dangerous delays to getting treated, and medical staff is not getting the support they need so they’re starting to walk away too
Yes, that’s what I figure, but I can understand why people are confused and even a bit angry. The messaging has been evolving – first, that the vaccine might prevent transmission – then no, but it will be 95% effective in preventing infection – then no, you’ll still be infected and you can still transmit, but it won’t so bad for you, but who knows for the other person. And at the beginning, masks aren’t necessary, but now they are, but you can get infected while wearing a mask anyway.
I’m not one of those angry people. I get that creating public policy in the middle of changing research is incredibly difficult, but there’s this wild swinging between wanting to not create a panic and wanting to scare people and it’s confusing.
I actually had a breakthrough case. I honestly felt fine–my kids were sick so I got tested too. They were negative, I was positive. I felt pretty much fine, to be honest–which is likely a combo of Omicron and being vaxxed and boostered.
I’m rapid testing again today for work. I am vaccinated and boosted yet my 17-year-old is positive despite being vaccinated. She decided in her infinite teenage wisdom to take off her mask on a field trip. Yeah, that didn’t work out so well.
She’s not allowed out of her room until she tests negative and I don’t care that her birthday is this week. Like everyone else, I’m very fatigued of COVID but happy I’m vaccinated. I can’t think of what would happen if I wasn’t.
You can get it even if you mask and distance and get vaxxed. (One of the people I know who got Covid was the most careful person I’ve ever met!) The masks make us feel like we are doing something, but they really don’t prevent transmission very much. It’s all you can do, so it’s good to do it, but don’t be too hard on her! 🙂
The difference is that most vaxxed people aren’t hospitalized and dying, unlike the unvaccinated.
No, I more mad at the PE teacher who allowed the students to take their masks off on their field trip, and like a sheep, my kid followed her peers even though we’ve had multiple talks about why masking/social distancing is important. (I’m immune-compromised). I tested negative again today, but living in my bedroom, cleaning all the time…I’m tired.
They need to really roll out these vaccines abroad. Omicron came from a country that is 95% unvaccinated. Every American needs to get a vaccine, sure. But variants will keep coming from these countries that do not have access. It’s the responsibility of the US and other wealthy nations to get that done. They sent the shots but there isn’t an infrastructure in place to distribute.
Which country did Omicron come from? Because Omicron was found in Europe weeks before it was identified in South Africa. It’s only because South African and Botswanian scientists reported it to the WHO that it is considered to be “from South Africa.”
I absolutely agree with you that wealthy countries hoarding vaccines is awful for so many reasons, and is prolonging the pandemic, but let’s stop pushing the narrative that it came from Africa, this follows a long history of racist narratives in global public health.
Please don’t say it’s racist. In this instance there really are countries with large populations without vaccines and not only in Africa. We live in a global community. Vaccinating Americans (while important) won’t work to end variants unless the vaccines are globally available.
I have been fully vaxxed and boosted by Pfizer. I was postive for covid last week. Also, my mother who lives with me – also test positive as well and she is fully vaxxed and boosted.
I suspect I brought it home from a small yoga class the preceding week. Maybe 8 people in the class tops. But who knows? The vaccines are not as effective as we have been told and I think the numbers being reported are incorrectly low so please mask up and stay home or prepare to be exposed and be boosted/have plenty of at home tests.
Our symptoms are like the common cold plus covid specific symptoms (loss of smell, taste, full body tingling, headache, red eye). I actually tested negative the second day of symptoms. Tested again 36 hours later and was positive. I think people are writing it off as the common cold or get one negative at home test and think they are fine when they are actually infected.
We suspect it is Omicron.
The vaccine doesn’t repel the virus, though.
It reduces symptoms, reduces risk of long term effects.
It doesn’t mean you are exempt from contracting covid.
Same as a flu shot: you can still get the flu.
The vaccines ARE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE.
But hey, maybe yoga in a pandemic isn’t such a great idea, huh? Perhaps you should have followed your own advice to stay home.
🤷♀️
You seem to enjoy others becoming sick.
It was my first yoga class during the pandemic. Our county is reporting almost no new cases daily, we thought it was safe.
If and when you become infected with Omicron, I hope no one treats you with such callousness. You may be covid free but your compassion could use a booster.
We are not on lockdown at this point. She didn’t do anything wrong at all.
We are not in lockdown anymore, so therefore she did nothing wrong. It’s up to each person to decided what an acceptable level of risk is. Also, depending on the state in which one lives you may need to be vaccinated to attend workout classes. I’m not really sure what you suggest everyone does…stay home forever?
Hey Lauren, don’t take out your poor decisions on me.
But you’re right, I don’t care you gained 20 pounds. Why would I?
I don’t know you, & my “compassion “ is being sent out to people who need it, like those who can’t get the vaccine or live where it’s completely unavailable.
Or those in WV whose lives are being destabilized by the actions of one senator.
So. You’re no victim, to me.
But you’re spouting disingenuous disinformation about how effective the vaccine is, & that IS a problem for me.
So listen up. You getting covid has nothing to do with the vaccine. The fact that it’s milder, & your chances of a full recovery are exponentially greater, IS because of the vaccine.
Stop whining & please stop spreading disinformation.
I didn’t see any whining from Lauryn. She just reported what is the case: that the vaccines don’t prevent transmission, but they do lead to milder cases. Many epidemiologists are saying much the same – that we will all get it eventually- even if we get an asymptomatic case. Let’s hope the Omicron remains mild as it has proven to be in South Africa.
“ The vaccines are not as effective as we have been told ..”
That’s a direct copy. And it’s wrong.
You can all @ me til kingdom come but she still spreading disinformation.
So have at it, @ me, go on defending the person spreading incorrect information in the middle of a pandemic.
They will still always be wrong about vaccine efficacy.
We were told at the beginning that vaccines were very effective against infection and transmission- that has been shown not to be the case. Nobody was trying to pull the wool over our eyes, it was just that they couldn’t know everything that would happen with new variants etc. and how vaccine might work in the real world. The vaccines are very effective against people getting serious illness however and everyone should get them.
There is no disinformation in anything she said.
They say Omicron does not cause loss of smell and taste, so it might be Delta. I really do wish people would not get all stressed about how they got Covid. Getting it is not a moral failing, – it’s a virus and it exists to infect. And even the most careful people can get infected. I hope you feel better!
Thank you so much for the kindness! I’ve gained 20lbs during lock down and I wanted to get healthy again and stupidity went to a yoga class. But I could have also caught it from the grocery store something like that. Who knows.
My loss of smell and taste lasted about 2 days while I was congested. We hope the vaccines helped reduce our symptoms to about 7 days. It was really a minor cold and would never have thought twice if it was not the pandemic. Honestly, the worst part was knowing it was covid and being scared because you don’t know how sick you are going to get.
@Lauryn — honestly that Hyrule Castle person sounds utterly obnoxious. Going to a yoga class is less dangerous than going into grocery stores, where I go every few days. I also go to the drug store, the liquor store and the pet food store so she/he can jump down my throat as much as possible, I’m sure she/he does the same thing. Ignore them and feel better soon!
@Lauren I’ve been going to yoga throughout. We have been masking and carefully distanced (class size is limited to no more than 10 people) and there hasn’t been a problem yet. We’ve had class outside whenever weather allowed also. Everyone is really conscientious about any contact or symptoms and so far, so good. Don’t beat yourself up over it!
@jaded
“ Going to a yoga class is less dangerous than going into grocery stores”
No, not always. If it’s a small studio with poor ventilation it’s not less dangerous than going to a grocery store first thing when it opens assuming they’re practicing proper public health guidelines at the store. People crammed into a small room with poor ventilation while exercising and breathing harder due to exercise isn’t that safe really. And yoga aren’t a necessity but eating is! It’s not really compatible from a safety perspective when one thing is necessary and the other is a luxury.
Honestly I’m with Hyrule here. There was definite blame being pushed as if they were purposely feeding us wrong info about the vaccines effectiveness. The virus mutated and is evading the measures we took more than with early variants. But vaccines are still safe and effective as a whole. Vaccines were NEVER a guarantee to prevent illness. But the comment saying they’re not as effective as we have been told is 100% misinformation and it’s dangerous. It’s going to continue to add to the anti vax noise for no purpose.
And someone using gaining 20 lbs as a way to validate the reason for going to a yoga studio is ridiculous during the pandemic. If someone wants to go, go. But just admit you took a risk because you wanted to go in person and didn’t think you’d catch it instead of trying to validate it with weight gain. There’s like a million videos of yoga classes on YouTube. Heck, queue up videos and have a video call yoga practice with a friend. Go for walks in your neighborhood. Do some body weight exercises at home or whatever other activity you like. It’s not like the only way to to lose weight is through in person classes.
Beyond that based on loss of taste or smell it could very well be delta. Loss of taste and smell isn’t as common in omicron so far. Unless we are just talking about “my nose is stuffy and I have somewhat reduced sense of smell and thus reduced taste. There’s people recovered still unable to smell/taste months later so we aren’t talking about loss of those senses as a result of something like a stuffy nose for a day or so most of the time. Delta is still the leading variant in the US. But the poster is going on the say it’s probably omicron when by the sounds this is purely speculation. I also think it’s easier for someone to blame it on the newly emerging, quickly spreading variant instead of one we’ve heard about for a year so we can assure ourselves that it was just much more infectious and out of our control.
My uncle, who is vaxxed and boosted, has only gone out of his house a handful of times at all, and wears N95s when he does, AND IS HAVING CHEMO RN, just came down with COVID. So yeah, this is still no joke.
I hate that people are using this to act like cops to each other, including in this comment section. It is not reasonable or realistic to expect vaccinated, boosted, masked people to keep living like it is April 2020. Lecturing someone for going to a socially distant yoga class, wow. And by the way, if you need to ration your compassion, you have none. Truly compassionate empathetic people do not have to “save”. I admit I struggle w full compassion towards those who willfully refuse vaccination when they get sick and/or die, but I recognize that as my own shortcoming. A little humility about your own righteousness would do everyone a lot of good.