In the nearly two years since COVID-19 emerged to spark a pandemic, its only real constant has been change and unpredictability. Today, I’d like to update you on the Omicron variant, and strongly urge you to get a booster shot.
The Omicron Variant
The latest twist in the COVID-19 story is the Omicron variant, which has been named a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization.
Omicron has sparked heightened interest because of the number and types of mutations it possesses, and because of its rapid spread — it’s now known to be in more than 20 countries, including the US. Even as this variant comes under intense scrutiny by scientists and epidemiologists, key questions remain unclear: how transmissible it is, how virulent it is, and how effective the current vaccines are against it.
In response, new international travel restrictions have been set in place and more are being reviewed,
the federal government is taking steps, New York State has
begun making preparations, and NYC’s Health Commissioner has
reinvigorated the City’s indoor mask-wearing advisory.
Until we have a better understanding of the variant’s characteristics, the federal, State, and City actions are prudent first steps, and NYU will proceed cautiously, too.
NYU’s COVID-19 Prevention & Response Team is carefully monitoring developments with the Omicron variant. Given the uncertainty around Omicron as well as the not-unexpected increase in new cases we’ve seen both at NYU and in the broader NYC community due to cold weather and the holiday season, NYU will continue to keep in place restrictions that we might otherwise have been looking to lift at this point in the semester.
I’m sure many of you are wondering what you can do individually to reduce your risk, and the risk of those in your community, of becoming infected with COVID-19. Conscientiously observing the current safety and health protocols we have in place —
mask-wearing; staying home when sick;
reporting symptoms of COVID-19; avoiding unmasked crowds — all remain effective elements in countering the virus’ spread.
Another very important action you can take? Getting a booster shot.
Get a Booster Shot, and Upload Proof
Virtually all adults are now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot, and
the CDC now recommends that
everyone 18 or older get a booster shot after six months have passed since receiving the initial Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two months have passed since receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Students who received a WHO-listed vaccine series are also
eligible to receive a single dose Pfizer booster vaccine six months after completing their primary series. The medical consensus is that getting a booster will give you an added level of protection.
I strongly urge you to get a booster as soon as you can. Students, faculty, administrators, and staff can
make an appointment here to get a booster shot through the University if they wish, or they can get a booster through whatever pharmacy, clinic, or health provider that is most convenient for them.
**Important tip** — Bring your vaccination card with you when you get your booster so you can have it updated.
And, once you have gotten your booster,
upload proof of it. It is very important for everyone in the NYU community to get a booster shot.
I will be back in touch with additional updates as we learn more about the Omicron variant.
As the fall semester draws closer to its end, let me thank you all for all your efforts to keep our community safe, wish you the best of luck with exams and other end-of-semester work, and wish you a happy and restful winter break.
Dr. Carlo Ciotoli, MD, MPA
Exec. Lead, NYU’s COVID-19 Prevention & Response Team