More than 17 states have reported cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 since it was first detected in the U.S. last week. Although it is not clear how transmissible Omicron is or how effective existing COVID vaccines are against it, Tribal healthcare workers should continue following infection control practices while providing care within Tribal communities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that healthcare workers follow prevention strategies known to be effective to prevent all variants of the virus that causes COVID-19. These include:
- Vaccination
- Continue source control for everyone in a healthcare setting
- Frequent handwashing
- Improve ventilation
- Physical distancing from others
For more information on the characteristics of the Omicron variant and recommendations for public health response, click here.