Experts Discuss Omicron COVID-19 Variant Findings In Sacramento Wastewater

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SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Traces of the COVID-19 Omicron variant successful section waterways is now a world for Sacramento and Merced.

Scientists confirmed the find Monday and gave nationalist wellness leaders the heads up. But what precisely does this mean?

Scientists accidental we are seeing the precise opening of Omicron successful the assemblage — and the interaction is huge. It’s benignant of an aboriginal informing strategy that’s helping nationalist wellness officials respond earlier an outbreak.

That accusation is present coming from a squad of scientists who person been monitoring the wastewater for COVID-19 and its variants successful 10 cities crossed bluish and cardinal California each time for much than a year.

“Over the past week successful Sacramento, we’ve seen 3 days wherever we’ve recovered debased concentrations of markers that are specifically associated with Omicron,” said Dr. Marlene Wolfe, adjunct prof of biology wellness astatine Emory University.

Dr. Wolfe is portion of the probe team. She says the samples were recovered betwixt November 30 and December 4 and the levels were low.

“We consciousness precise assured astatine this constituent saying that we’ve seen Omicron successful the wastewater,” Dr. Wolfe said. “And that’s the benignant of accusation that volition assistance nationalist wellness officials cognize however to people their objective investigating to corroborate what we’re seeing and besides to recognize the interaction of that successful presumption of the illness successful the community.”

Local infectious illness experts telephone the findings “significant” but pass it’s inactive excessively aboriginal to archer however wide Omicron is circulating oregon its severity.

“It’s a telephone to treble down connected the things we cognize that we tin bash to support ourselves and the 2 main things we tin bash is marque definite that we are afloat vaccinated, getting boosters if we’re eligible for those, and past wearing masks,” said Dr. Dean A. Blumberg, main of UC Davis Health Pediatric Infectious Diseases.

So what are scientists focusing connected present that Omicron is here? Researchers accidental they’re looking for trends, specifically wherever Omicron is expanding implicit time.

While regular investigating volition proceed successful Sacramento, experts stay assured clarity is coming soon.

“It’s hurry up and wait, and we can’t hold to get much data,” Dr. Blumberg said.

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It’s important to note, you can’t drawback COVID-19 oregon the Omicron variant from wastewater. Researchers are lone looking astatine familial markers that amusement what radical successful the assemblage person been infected with, truthful determination is nary risk.