COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing infection, particularly for the first few months and against earlier variants of the virus, and vaccination confers remarkable and enduring protection against severe COVID-19 disease. Unfortunately, no vaccine is infallible. And the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV2 is a freakishly transmissible, formidable foe with an ability to erode the immunity conferred by previous infection or vaccines. When it comes to Omicron, having been fully vaccinated and boosted provides you with excellent protection against severe disease and hospitalization, but the extent to which you will be shielded against infection, and even symptomatic infection, is less clear.
To stay as safe as possible, adhere to those basic mitigation measures that we know to be effective, and elect to follow the cautious course when faced with a decision about how to behave.
• Wear a mask
• Avoid crowds
• Report known exposures and/or new symptoms