Does anyone believe that this case is the first Omicron case in the US?  I’m guessing there are dozens, at least, already.  Furthermore, am I supposed to be encouraged because “aggressive contact tracing is underway”?  Contact tracing works, kind of, in a completely locked down society like NZ or Australia in which citizens must scan QR codes whenever they enter any kind of shop, takeout restaurant or any other location.  Ultimately, it failed in the NZ in the face of Delta.  It flat out does not work in open societies and is a waste of time and money.  And Omicron in theory is much more contagious than Delta (obviously TBD), so contact tracing will be even less effective.

It’s interesting and disturbing to me how elected leaders are behaving as if we’re just discovering Covid all over again and following roughly the same playbook.  If they shut schools again here, I swear I will lose my marbles.

The emergence of Omicron itself doesn’t worry me all that much.  I mean, I’m not thrilled, obviously.  It’s right on schedule, though, and follows the pattern of Alpha and Delta – new variants every six months which are more contagious and less effectively contained by the existing vaccine.  This is why I keep thinking and saying that what we are living right now IS the new normal.  It’s probably not going to get markedly better any time soon.

But the degree to which Washington state in its wisdom decides to screw up our lives is a very big concern.