The omicron COVID-19 variant is continuing to raise concerns as the holiday season continues.Dr. Sankar Swaminathan with University of Utah Health says it's a given the variant will show up in Utah eventually. He says there are a lot of unknowns about the variant, such as how transmissible it is. However, the steps to prevent the spread of it are the same as with any other variant — washing hands, wearing a mask and getting vaccinated.
State epidemiologist Dr. Leisha Nolen says in response to the new variant, the state will begin texting travelers arriving from countries where omicron has been detected, asking them to consider isolation and getting tested.
Nolen suggests limiting large gatherings as much as possible this holiday season as researchers work to learn more about the omicron variant.
