First U.S. omicron case present in San Francisco. Right here’s what we all know
A case of the variant Omicron coronavirus has been identified in a San Francisco resident – the first in the country, officials said Wednesday.
The case was discovered in someone who entered the US from South Africa on November 22 and tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, according to San Francisco Health Director Grant Colfax.
This person, who was healthy, had two shots of the Moderna vaccine – but no booster – and developed mild symptoms three days after they returned to San Francisco, he said.
“You did the right thing and were tested,” Colfax said at a press conference in front of San Francisco City Hall on Wednesday.
The quarantined person and close contacts – people who have been within 6 feet of the person for more than 15 minutes – will be tested.
The variant was discovered by genomic sequencing at UCSF.
“That’s no surprise. We knew omicron would be here, ”said Colfax. “We thought it was already there. This is worrying. There is no reason for us to panic. We are prepared for that in the city. “
Colfax said it doesn’t currently anticipate changing the introduction of any new public health restrictions.
The city requires masks in most indoor public spaces, with the exception of a few specific environments like offices and gyms, where everyone is fully vaccinated. San Francisco also requires proof of vaccination before entering restaurants and bars.
The variant known as B.1.1.529 is raising alarms worldwide due to its potential for increased transferability and vaccine avoidance, even if much is unknown about it, including the risk of infection.
Public health officials have feared that new variants could pose a threat to the United States’ ability to end the pandemic quickly, either by bypassing vaccines or spreading too quickly to contain it.
New variants could lead to more illnesses and deaths if they cause more severe symptoms or are more contagious and possibly trigger new surges.
“We knew it was only a matter of time before the Omicron variant was discovered in our city, and the work we have done up to that point has prepared us to deal with this variant,” he said Mayor of San Francisco London Breed a statement to appear at the briefing in advance. “We continue to encourage everyone to get vaccinated, strengthen themselves, and take steps to protect one another.”
San Francisco International Airport is one of four in the United States – alongside Atlanta, JFK and Newark – that is expanding testing at terminals, said CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky on Tuesday.
Health officials are urging people to continue taking the protective measures they have known – especially getting vaccines and booster vaccinations – until scientists better understand whether and how great the threat is from the variant.
“California’s large-scale testing and early detection systems have found the omicron COVID-19 variant in California,” tweeted Governor Gavin Newsom. “We should assume that it is in other states as well. There is no need to panic – but we should stay vigilant. That means getting vaccinated. Let yourself be strengthened. Wear a mask indoors. “
The World Health Organization (WHO) said Monday that early evidence suggests the risk of Omicron is “very high” and that overvoltages with “serious consequences” are possible.
The variant was first identified in South Africa, a country with a robust genome surveillance program, and a number of cases have since been discovered in other countries.
It is unknown if Omicron can overwhelm the Delta variant, the dominant strain of the coronavirus in the United States.
“Although much is still unknown about the Omicron variant, we know that you can take steps to protect yourself and your family from all variants of COVID-19: Get vaccinated, wear a mask, get tested and stay home when you’re “sick,” Leah Greenbaum, emergency services coordinator for Napa County, said in a statement earlier this week. “We are closely monitoring developments and are focusing on our COVID-19 vaccination and booster efforts.”
Omicron has 32 mutations on the spike protein – a critical place where the virus attaches to human cells – and at least 14 of those mutations have been found in other variants. Delta has nine mutations on the spike protein, five of which are shared with other variants.
Dr. Charles Chiu, who heads UCSF’s sequencing lab, said he learned about the sample at 3:00 p.m. Tuesday in San Francisco, received it at 8:00 p.m., and performed a rapid molecular test.
“We were able to get the results of this test in 2 hours,” he said.
Color Lab in San Francisco said it ran the first test that was ultimately positive for Omicron, and it took 30 hours from that test to the strain’s confirmation.
The California Department of Health called for patience and routine preventive measures until more was known about the variant, including wearing a mask indoors and getting a booster vaccination.
“We recognize that everyone is exhausted and the news of a new variant can be overwhelming,” said a statement. “It is important that we focus together on the things that we know will prevent the spread of COVID-19 and its variants.”
Doctors in South Africa report that patients so far have mostly had mild symptoms, but many of them are young adults who generally do not get as sick of COVID-19 as older patients. And it’s just beginning.
“Just like the first case of COVID that was discovered on the Grand Princess cruise ship that was held in the bay, it’s a metaphor that the virus doesn’t respect borders and we need to be constantly vigilant but not indulge in demeaning.” Fear, ”said Chin-Hong.
This story will be updated.
The Chronicle’s author, Catherine Ho, contributed to this report.
Aidin Vaziri and Erin Allday are contributors to the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: avaziri@sfchronicle.com eallday@sfchronicle.com
