Los Angeles Times What Makes the Omicron Variant Spread So Easily Skip to main content Close Select your preferred language English عربى 简体中文 繁體中文 فارسي עִברִית 日本語 한국어 Русский Español Tagalog Menu Close Call 1-800-CEDARS-1 toggle search form Close Los Angeles, 10 January 2022 09:00 AM America/Los_Angeles Los Angeles Times What Makes the Omicron Variant Spread So Easily New variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, seen here under a microscrope, will keep developing as long as there are active infections, say Cedars-Sinai experts. Photo by Getty Images. The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and Newsweek recently spoke with Cedars-Sinai experts including research scientist Jasmine Plummer, PhD, psychiatrist Itai Danovitch, MD, and infectious disease specialist Catherine Le, MD, about the omicron variant of COVID-19 and its impact on the U.S. Omicron quickly became the country’s dominant strain because early data suggests it's better at eluding the body’s defenses and can replicate faster, causing infected individuals to spread more viral particles. Plummer, an associate director in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Cedars-Sinai, told the Los Angeles Times that this latest COVID-19 variant is so contagious because viruses evolve to survive. "We knew an omicron was coming," she said. New variants will keep developing as long as there are active infections, Plummer told the Los Angeles Times. She urged vaccination and boosting to prevent hospitalizations and keep new variants from emerging. The omicron-fueled surge over the holidays delivered a double dose of anxiety to many people, Danovitch told The New York Times. To cope in a healthy way, Danovitch, who is chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at Cedars-Sinai, recommended keeping alcohol and cannabis use in check and finding pastimes such as volunteering to shift the focus away from the pandemic. But "if that anxiety is really spinning out of control," seek help, he advised. Unfortunately, patients who become ill with even a mild case of COVID-19 can develop long COVID-19, experiencing symptoms such as fatigue and brain fog for weeks or months after their initial infection has cleared, Le told Newsweek. Le, co-director of the Cedars-Sinai COVID-19 Recovery Program, said that it’s difficult to tally the percentage of COVID-19 patients later debilitated by post-COVID-19 symptoms, but that as omicron case counts surge it could add up to a "huge number." Click here to read the complete articles from The New York Times and Newsweek, and the article and FAQ from the Los Angeles Times. Related Stories RSS feed - Related Stories (opens in new window) View all headlines - Related Stories HealthDay Black Women Less Likely to Get Laparoscopic Fibroid Surgeries October 07, 2022 09:00 AM America/Los_Angeles HealthDay recently interviewed Rebecca J. Schneyer, MD, a resident in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Program at Cedars-Sinai, about a study she led that found Black and Hispanic women were less likely than white women to receive minimally … Read more KCRW Want New Omicron Booster Wait at Least 2 Months After Last Shot October 06, 2022 09:00 AM America/Los_Angeles KCRW program Press Play recently featured Rita Shane, PharmD, vice president and chief pharmacy officer at Cedars-Sinai, discussing who qualifies for the updated COVID-19 booster and how long patients must wait before getting the shot.The Centers … Read more ABC 7 Spider-Man Swings by 4-Year-Old Leukemia Patient s Birthday Party at Cedars-Sinai September 30, 2022 09:00 AM America/Los_Angeles ABC 7 recently profiled Cedars-Sinai patient Jabari Henley, who celebrated his fourth birthday with a special superhero at Guerin Children's newly opened inpatient facility.The Lifedriven Foundation helped throw Henley a surprise party in the Guerin … Read more Show previous items Show next items Contact the Media Team Email: [email protected] Share this release Los Angeles Times What Makes the Omicron Variant Spread So Easily Share on: Twitter Share on: Facebook Share on: LinkedIn Search Our Newsroom Social media Visit our Facebook page (opens in new window) Follow us on Twitter (opens in new window) Visit our Youtube profile (opens in new window) (opens in new window) Latest news 07 Oct 2022 - HealthDay Black Women Less Likely to Get Laparoscopic Fibroid Surgeries 07 Oct 2022 - Faculty Publications: Sept. 29-Oct. 6 07 Oct 2022 - Fine-Tuning Organ-Chip Technology 06 Oct 2022 - KCRW Want New Omicron Booster Wait at Least 2 Months After Last Shot 05 Oct 2022 - Cedars-Sinai Schedules Free Flu Vaccine Clinics 04 Oct 2022 - Cedars-Sinai Showcases Hispanic and Latinx Art Newsroom Home