NORFOLK, Va. — The Virginia Department of Health doctors are searching for the omicron variant by checking positive COVID-19 samples.
“Our state public health lab went back and looked at previously sequent samples, knowing what omicron’s gnome looks like, to see if we have any evidence to suggest that omicron was here in Virginia," said Dr. Brandy Darby.
There's no evidence the COVID-19 omicron variant has made its way into Virginia yet. Still, state health officials want everyone to know how important it is to protect themselves against it.
COVID-19 mitigation efforts in Virginia include tracking any cases that could involve this new variant.
Darby, with the Virginia Department of Health's COVID-19 response team, said she wants people to know what health officials know about "omicron" so far.
“It might be perhaps more transmissible than the delta variant -- and the other is, potentially it has some features that change that spike protein that could change the level of immune protection," Darby explained.
Darby said a lot of research still needs to be done but the best way to stay protected is to get vaccinated.
“The other question on everyone’s mind: how well will the vaccines work with omicron? Will they still continue to protect us? And all of the evidence that we’re seeing so far, it’s showing that the vaccines are likely to be very good at continuing to protect us from serious outcomes," Darby said.
The community vaccination center at Military Circle Mall in Norfolk is seeing many people getting their shots.
“My mother died from COVID-19-related symptoms, so it doesn’t take much for me to believe in something," said resident Wanda Hill.
On Thursday, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam visited Hampton Roads and urged everyone to get the vaccine.
“We’re having about 25 additional deaths every day in Virginia. Our ICUs are full of patients with COVID. It’s avoidable," Northam said. "So I plead with people do the right thing roll up your sleeve and get a shot, and that’s how we’ll put this pandemic behind us."
Wednesday was the first day since before Thanksgiving that people could get the shot at Norfolk's Military Circle Mall.
Norfolk's Health Director and Chief Deputy Commissioner for VDH, Dr. Parham Jaberi, said leaders can’t attribute the increase of people getting the vaccine to the omicron variant; but he said the numbers also spiked when the delta variant first started spreading.
Jaberi said more than 1,600 people got a COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday.
“We vaccinated 1,670 individuals in one day. Generally, the MCM has seen anywhere between 500 to 1000," Jaberi said. "Last Tuesday we’d hit 1,121, that was our highest then."