omicron variant

Mayor Jane Castor held a virtual discussion with Dr. Charles Lockwood, senior VP with USF Health, on the current status of COVID-19 in Hillsborough County.

You may have a family member, friend or coworker who’s received a positive COVID-19 diagnosis lately because the BA.2 omicron subvariant is really contagious. Doctors aren't telling people to panic about it, but to take care and precautions.

University of Miami researchers have been tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants through genomic sequencing. The effort's leader says: “We are now mirroring the national trends."

The CDC reported that the variant accounted for about 35% of new infections last week.

Just 24% report being “extremely” or “very” worried about themselves or a family member contracting COVID-19. That's down from 36% in December and January.

Under an order from President Biden, the Pentagon is deploying 1,000 troops to help hospitals that are experiencing a surge in patients and have a lot of employees out sick.

Millions of individual Americans’ immune systems now recognize the virus and are primed to fight it off if they encounter omicron, or even another variant.

Slammed by COVID-19, many U.S. hospitals have put off essential procedures. Delays are leading to consequences like heart attacks and sending people to emergency rooms to get care.

Epidemiologist Ali Mokdad said he believes COVID will move from a pandemic into an endemic phase as omicron recedes. Still, he said, COVID has not gone away and people still need to take precautions,.

Treatments are only available for patients at high risk for developing severe COVID-19. Select pharmacies and health facilities have supplies.