JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As the omicron variant becomes the most dominant in the United States, doctors are saying it is a variant of concern. First Coast News asked a local health expert some questions about the current variants we have in the U.S.
If you test positive for COVID how will you know if you have alpha, delta, or omicron?
“Most people are getting samples tested for COVID are getting a positive result but you are not going to have a results of any type of sequence testing," Chad Neilsen director of infection prevention at UF Health Jacksonville said. "Largely because its just not done and a very few samples that people submit for testing actually get sequenced here in the state of Florida or in the U.S in general."
Neilsen says based on CDC sampling, when you test positive for COVID at this point, you have to assume it’s probably the omicron variant.
So if you get one of the variants does that make you naturally immune and for how long?
“Some level of natural immunity does exist and persist after infection however it isn’t as long-lasting as what we would expect of the vaccine," Nielsen said. "So most individuals who are getting infected by COVID will have some lasting immunity for maybe two to three months it really depends on one’s person’s immunity from the next."
A local health expert says roughly 40 percent of the eligble U.S population isn’t vaccinated against COVID-19, which doctors say is worrisome because of the highly transmissible Omicron variant.
Neilson says Duval County is 60 percent fully vaccinated, the state of Florida is 70 percent and the U.S. is 62 percent.
Fully vaccinated means someone received two doses from Pfizer or Moderna or one dose from Johnson & Johnson.
However, with Omicron becoming rampant around the nation, First Coast News asked Neilson about the booster shot.
How long does it take for the booster dose to kick in and become effective?
“We’re still waiting on the long-term data to pan out but anywhere between probably two weeks and four weeks is when you will have maximum protection against the omicron after receiving your booster," Neilsen stated.
First Coast News also asked Neilsen if there is a certain amount of time between your second dose of Pfizer or Moderna or one dose from Johnson and Johnson before getting the booster?
“CDC is recommending waiting 6 months after your initial shot series to start to get the booster shot," Neilsen explained.
The Biden administration announced a plan to help slow the spread of the omicron variant. One of the initiatives has to do with distributing free at home rapid tests to Americans by next month.
First Coast News talked to a doctor at Baptist Health about at home COVID testing and how to make sure you don’t get scammed.
“They range from $15-$35, so I've seen at the Walgreens, Publix, and CVS at the starting price is usually around $23," Dr. Shalika Katugaha, system medical director of infectious disease at Baptist Health, said. "I've seen some test on amazon around $35 so that would be the range that you get."
Katugaha says the way to know if you have a real at home COVID test and its not a scam, is when you get a test it should correlate with the FDA's list of approved test where you can find here.