COVID cases again on the rise across the Roanoke and Alleghany health districts amid new variant and holiday season

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - This week alone there have been nearly one thousand new cases of COVID-19 within the Roanoke City and Alleghany health districts.

There have also been over 60 new hospitalizations.

Director Dr. Cynthia Morrow said there is reason to be concerned, during her scheduled media availability Tuesday, and precautions still need to be taken.

In addition to encouraging vaccines for everyone ages 5 and up, she also spoke briefly on the Omicron variant and how it may affect the data this holiday season.

“At this point is appears to be less significant symptoms, it also appears to be evading some of the immune responses, so we don’t know exactly how that is going to play out,” said Morrow.

Morrow added that there is not enough evidence yet to say how big of impact Omicron will have.

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