Eight Key Takeaways About the Omicron Variant

Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | COVID-19, Featured, Your Health

With so much news about the Omicron variant, it can be hard to keep track of the latest developments. So here are eight key takeaways from the experts at Mount Sinai.

 

  1. Booster Shots are Crucial Protect yourself and those around you with the vaccines. If you have already received the initial round of vaccine shots, get the booster shot as soon as you are eligible. You can make an appointment here.
  • If you got the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, you can get the booster five months after your second shot. If you got the two-dose Moderna vaccine, you can get the booster five months after your second shot. You can get either the Pfizer or Moderna booster shot, whichever is available.
  • If you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you should get a booster shot two months after your shot. You can get any of the three vaccines for the booster; health authorities recommend getting the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for your booster.
  1. Severe Disease in Unvaccinated People  The available data continues to indicate the Omicron variant causes less severe symptoms than the Delta variant. Note that a lot of the data available on the Omicron variant causing less severe symptoms is in the setting where the majority of the people being exposed are fully vaccinated. The Omicron variant can still lead to severe disease in unvaccinated people. Many fully vaccinated people infected with the Omicron variant experience little or no symptoms, often similar to the common cold. That’s one reason why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently eased the guidelines on self-quarantining. But those who are infected still pose a risk of spreading the infection to others who may be immunocompromised, such as older adults and those with some serious illnesses, who are at greater risk of serious illness from COVID-19.
  1. Keep Up With Safety Steps  Getting vaccinated and a booster will keep you from getting a serious illness. But being vaccinated will not keep you from spreading the infection to others, especially if you have no symptoms while you are contagious. That is why we need to keep doing what we have been doing—wearing masks in indoor public settings, practicing social distancing, and avoiding large gatherings. And if you are experiencing any symptoms, please stay home.
  1. Omicron Variant Spreading Rapidly Since it was first detected in the United States, the Omicron variant has spread rapidly in the New York metropolitan area and throughout the country, with COVID-19 cases surpassing the peak of daily reported cases of the earlier surge over the summer. The positivity rate in New York City (the percent of people tested who are positive, not including most home tests) is at record levels. Fortunately, thanks to the New York region’s high vaccination rates, almost all infections are mild to moderate in severity and do not require hospitalization.
  1. Omicron Variant More Contagious The Omicron variant is more contagious than the Delta variant because of the many mutations that have occurred, which makes the virus harder for your previously formed antibodies to bind and neutralize it. As a result, the Omicron variant is surpassing the Delta variant as the dominant strain, much as the Delta variant surpassed the Gamma, Beta, and Alpha variants that came before it.
  1. Antiviral Treatments  Promising, But Not Widely Available While doctors have learned much about COVID-19, there are no widely available, effective treatments for the infection that results from the Omicron variant. Most of the monoclonal antibodies, which had shown promise for earlier variants, are not considered effective for the Omicron variant. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently authorized the first pills for treatment of the virus, Pfizer’s Paxlovid and Merck’s molnupiravir. The pills are only authorized for treatment of those who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death. These treatments are not yet widely available and will be reserved for a limited number of patients most at risk for developing serious disease.
  1. More Children Are Getting COVID-19 Mount Sinai is seeing an increase in children with COVID-19 at Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital and in our Emergency Department. Many are either not vaccinated or not eligible for vaccination. Severe COVID-19 infections among children remain uncommon. Our pediatric vaccination pods are open and accepting patient appointments, and we highly encourage parents to have eligible children vaccinated. You can make an appointment for a first dose here and for a booster here.
  1. Cause for Optimism  There remain many reasons for optimism. Our medical community has the resources and experience to care for those who are in need of treatment for COVID-19 or other medical conditions. Mount Sinai, for example, continues to follow strict protocols to maintain the safety of patients, employees, and the community, as it has throughout the pandemic. In South Africa, where the Omicron variant was first detected, there are reports that the number of cases has begun to fall off significantly.
Get more information from Mount Sinai about COVID-19

How to Stay Active Indoors When the Weather Turns Colder

Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Your Health

When temperatures are falling and you’re spending most of your time inside, there are still ways to get some exercise without leaving your home or apartment.

In as little as 10 minutes you can achieve some benefits, such as improving your heart and bone health. Even while watching television.

For example, there are creative ways to move and stay active while watching your favorite shows or teams. And you will be less likely to grab snacks in the kitchen during commercial breaks.

Chelsea Sands, MS, a clinical exercise physiologist at Mount Sinai Health System, offers these suggestions for the next time you are sitting on your couch.

  • During commercial breaks, try to complete ten “sit to stands” or walk around your couch. Walk in the opposite direction during the next commercial break.
  • If you are a football fan you can make the game more interesting by completing ten front kicks or high knee marches when a touchdown is scored. Or come up with your own routines for your favorite sporting events.
  • You can increase your heart rate during commercial breaks by completing air punches: alternating left and right arm for one commercial, rest, then go back to punches during the next commercial.

It’s still a good idea to get outside if you can. Taking a 30-minute walk before you relax on the couch can help you avoid unhealthy snacking and weight gain. Just taking a walk can be a great place to start if you are having a hard time fitting a workout into your busy schedule.

Get more expert advice from Mount Sinai about Your Health

Picking the Right Foods Can Help You Lower Your “Bad” Cholesterol

Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Diet and Nutrition, Your Health

Everyone knows high cholesterol is not good. High cholesterol often leads to atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup on the inner walls of your arteries, which can block the flow of blood and is a major contributing factor to heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease, a circulatory disorder.

High cholesterol usually refers to high LDL cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein. This is known as the “bad” cholesterol. By contrast, HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, is considered “good” cholesterol and can lower your risk for heart disease and stroke.

Our understanding of diet and what foods help to lower LDL cholesterol is continuously evolving and can sometimes be confusing.  For those seeking to lower their cholesterol, Theresa Halloran, FNP-BC, a Nurse Practitioner at Mount Sinai Heart, has some simple suggestions. These can help you make better, healthier choices, like switching out that chip and dip snack for veggies and hummus. And they still taste great.

Eggs

Egg yolks are high in cholesterol. Eggs are still a healthy source of protein, and it is more important to reduce foods high in saturated fat than foods containing cholesterol. One suggestion: If you have two scrambled eggs for breakfast, discard one yolk. Or use egg whites from a carton and add some fresh vegetables to make a healthy omelet. Egg whites contain no fat and no cholesterol. Substitute two egg whites for one egg in recipes.

Meat, poultry, and seafood

We suggest a maximum of two servings of meat, chicken, or seafood in your diet daily. Red meat, such as beef, lamb, or pork, contains saturated or unhealthy fat. Those seeking to reduce their cholesterol should consider limiting the amount of saturated fat in their diet by reducing or eliminating red meat. Another good option is choosing lean cuts and trim any fat before eating. White meat chicken contains less saturated fat than the dark meat and chicken skin is high in fat. The best option for eating chicken is skinless chicken breasts. Fish and seafood, such as crab, shrimp, clams, scallops, or lobster, are low in saturated fat. But note that six shrimp have the equivalent cholesterol of one egg yolk, and squid is even higher in cholesterol, so have them only occasionally.

Oils and fats

Healthy fats, such as mono-saturated or unsaturated fats, are found in cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, and herring. They are also found in some plants like avocados. Be sure to include some of these foods in your diet. Baking or broiling are low-fat cooking methods. When ordering in restaurants, choose foods cooked with these low-fat methods. If cooking at home, use healthy fats such as olive oil, and reduce or eliminate butter, which is high in saturated fat.

Milk, dairy desserts, and cheese

Use skim milk or one percent milk rather than whole milk. Sorbet, low-fat frozen yogurt, and ice cream made from skim milk are good substitutes for regular ice cream. Low-fat cheeses with no more than 2 to 3 grams of fat per ounce may be substituted for regular cheese.

Fiber

There are two main types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Most high-fiber foods contain both.

  • Soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol. When mixed in water, soluble fiber forms a gel. It binds with cholesterol in the intestines and prevents absorption or reabsorption of the cholesterol into the blood stream. The cholesterol then gets eliminated. Foods that are high in soluble fiber include oatmeal; hummus; legumes such as kidney beans, lima beans, and lentils; and Brussels sprouts.
  • Insoluble fiber is most important for the health of your intestines. It helps to remove toxins from your body and is found in cereals, leafy greens, whole wheat products, corn, seeds, and nuts.

Key takeaway: Read the label on the package. If it doesn’t specifically say soluble fiber, it probably isn’t.

Learn more about Mount Sinai Heart
Read more stories about Your Health

How Safe Is Travel This Holiday Season?

Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | COVID-19, Your Health

Family walking through the airport during COVID-19 pandemic

With vaccines for COVID-19 widely available—including for children five and up—and international borders open for the vaccinated, this holiday season was poised to be closer to the pre-pandemic standard than at any time since the virus made itself known in March 2020. However, increasing COVID-19 cases and the emergence of the Omicron variant reminds us that it is still important to remain vigilant.

Daniel Caplivski, MD, Director of the Travel Medicine Program at Mount Sinai, and Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, explains how to protect yourself and your loved ones while travelling this holiday season and why getting the flu shot should factor into your plans.

Now that vaccines are readily available, is it safe to travel this holiday season?

I think it’s safer than last year because we have an additional layer of protection for the people who are getting vaccinated and receiving boosters. And certainly, for those who have not yet gotten vaccinated, the winter holidays are a good motivation to do so.

However, there is some uncertainty as we are facing the Omicron variant which we are still learning a lot about. The good news is that the COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death. It is likely that we will learn about breakthrough infections with the Omicron variant, but it’s encouraging that we have these vaccines available, including booster doses.  We are in a very privileged position.

How high is the risk of contracting the virus from other passengers?

It’s a little hard to put an exact number on the risk, but there are a few variables.

One of the variables is if you, and the people in your family, are vaccinated. When you and your party are vaccinated and you are adhering to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines as well as masking while travelling and practicing standard hand hygiene, it goes a long way to decreasing the risk of contracting COVID-19.

And while you are travelling there are other things you can do to mitigate the risk. Doing your best to social distance if in a crowded airport, train, or bus station. If you are having a snack or meal, try to stagger your eating to a different time than whoever is sitting next to you. Keep your mask on while they are eating and then eat when they are masked. That’s the ideal timing and will help reduce your risk.

What happens when you get to your destination is a very important factor in terms of your risk of contracting COVID-19. Families will be gathering around a table where everybody is unmasked and enjoying a meal. There may be people who are coming from different parts of the country, and there may be some variability in vaccination. This situation might actually be more of an issue because for most of the time you are travelling, you will have to be masked.

In a post on how to gather safely during the holiday season, Mount Sinai infectious disease expert Krystina Woods, MD, explains how to mitigate the risk of contracting COVID-19 while visiting family and friends. It provides excellent advice for how to prevent the spread of the virus.

Would you recommend wearing a higher quality mask when traveling?

If you have access to better masks, that’s a good idea. The transmission of COVID-19 seems to happen mostly through larger droplets. However, there are certain scenarios when there are smaller aerosols generated—like a cough or sneeze—and that can lead to transmission, especially if you are in a tighter space, like on a packed airline flight. In that scenario, you would want a little more protection.

One solution is to wear an N95 or its international equivalent (the KN95 or KF94). Or you can use the double masking technique, which involves wearing a disposable surgical mask underneath a cloth mask. This gives the mask a better seal on the face by decreasing the amount of space around the mask and lessens the likelihood of transmission.

Looking back to spring 2020, high-quality N95 masks were in short supply, so they were only recommended for health care workers who were at most risk. But now, there’s been increased availability of KN95 and KF94 masks that are for use by the general public. You can upgrade to these types of masks while travelling—just make sure the masks are legitimate. The CDC has advice on how to identify counterfeit masks.

Should I change my travel plans due to the Omicron variant?

If you are fully vaccinated, including a booster, then the health risks associated with travel may not be so different than they were before we knew about this variant. However, we are still gathering information on that front.

The variable that is harder to predict is whether or not we will see further travel restrictions that might disrupt travel —such as additional testing requirements or the imposition of self-isolation periods. If you are travelling internationally, it will be important to monitor what is happening via the U.S. State Department and the CDC’s travel health site as more stringent guidelines may change the way you look at your upcoming plans.

I am traveling internationally and will need a negative test before returning to the U.S. Are there activities that I should avoid while I am away?

If you’re hoping to avoid getting stuck in an international destination, try to steer clear of unmasked situations, particularly those where you are indoors and in close proximity to others. The best case scenario would be to head to a destination where you can eat outdoors and where there is spacing in between you and others who are not in your party. And if you are indoors, wear a mask.

Additionally, there is variability in case rates both domestically and internationally. One precaution you will want to take is to monitor the infection rate at your destination.

What should you do to protect yourself once you return?

Individuals who are returning from international flights will need to present a negative test regardless of vaccine status. But regardless of whether you are travelling 50 miles or 500 miles away, we should all have a heightened awareness about symptoms. We want to make sure that we are not inadvertently playing down symptoms of COVID-19—even if we are vaccinated. The same applies for kids returning to school, especially if they’re not vaccinated.

You have to monitor yourself and not assume that a little cough is just a cold because it could be something more. COVID-19 is still with us. We should still be aware of that even with mild symptoms could actually be the virus—especially if you’re vaccinated. So, pay attention to how you are feeling.

Are there any additional behaviors that the public should be aware of when they’re traveling during the holidays?

Getting people vaccinated is still on the to-do list. While a large number are vaccinated against COVID-19, there are many who are not. I hope that the holiday travel season will motivate some of those people to get vaccinated. And even though last year was a mild flu year, we don’t know what this year has in store, so people should get their flu shot as well as their COVID-19 vaccine.

Additionally, people who are vaccinated but immunocompromised should make sure that they get their booster before they enter crowded settings like airports and airplanes.

For everyone else, continue to do the things that we have been practicing for the past 18 months. Wear a mask, practice social distancing, and exercise proper hand hygiene. I think all of those continue to be important.

Read more from Mount Sinai about COVID-19
Read more from Mount Sinai on Your Health

How to Attend Large Events Safely—Both Indoors and Outside

Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | COVID-19, Your Health

As more and more venues open up for entertainment or sporting events, you may be wondering how safe it is to attend.

One thing for sure: In the wake of the news about the Omicron variant, experts say it is more important than ever to follow CDC guidelines for preventing the spread of infection, which includes masking, practicing social distancing, getting vaccinated, and adding boosters for adults when eligible. While scientists are still determining how well the vaccines protect against this new variant, having as many people as possible vaccinated ultimately prevents new variants from circulating in the community.

Michelle Cespedes, MD, an infectious diseases expert for the Mount Sinai Health System, discusses the best practices to protect yourself from a COVID-19 infection at indoor and outdoor events.

How safe is it to attend a large gathering—like a basketball game or Broadway show—that requires proof of vaccination?

In New York, large venues are requiring all participants to be vaccinated and a mask mandate has been reinstated due to the highly transmissible Omicron variant. However that may not be the norm for everybody. So whether the venue requires it or not, it is important to be vaccinated. This protects you, but it also protects everyone you come into contact with after the event. It’s important to remember that people you come into contact with afterwards may not have the ability to fight off the virus, due to being immunocompromised or having some other underlying medical condition. If everyone is vaccinated at the event, the risk of catching COVID-19 or spreading it is low.

Should I wear a mask at the event?

If attending an indoor event, even if vaccination is required at the venue, I recommend wearing a mask. You probably won’t be able to social distance very effectively as seating is often tight and people are close together trying to get to their seats. That’s one reason why I recommend that you wear a mask inside.

Also, if you are vaccinated, there is a chance that you can still catch the virus, but you probably won’t have severe symptoms. And you want to be mindful of people you might spread it to after the event. Someone who is immunocompromised is at a higher risk of having a severe case of COVID-19, even if they are vaccinated. If the event is outdoors, you’re safer. But you still may want to wear a mask if you can’t stay three feet away from other people.

How safe are bars and restaurants?

Most restaurants and bars have outdoor seating these days. But as the weather gets colder, that may not be an option. While many places have improved ventilation and filtration systems, I still recommend that you wear a mask while indoors except when you’re actively eating or drinking. Certainly wear it when the server brings your food. The best protection is to be vaccinated and check that the people that you are with are vaccinated, too.

What about gatherings where there are children who may not be vaccinated? Should I be concerned?

There may be times when families gather where children who are not yet eligible for  vaccination are present. If you are at increased risk of a severe case of COVID-19, such as those who are immunocompromised or have a medical condition that can lower their immunity, it may be best to avoid such gatherings. If you do attend, it’s best to take extra precautions and wear a mask.

The good news is that vaccines are now available for children as young as five years of age. It’s important to get your kids vaccinated as soon as they are eligible, because we’ve seen that the Delta variant is able to affect kids more readily.

Read more from Mount Sinai experts about COVID-19

Mount Sinai Experts Explain What the Omicron Variant Means for You

Nov 29, 2021 | COVID-19, Featured, Vaccines, Your Health

Until very recently, you probably never heard of the term omicron. If you did, it was as a letter in the Greek alphabet, like delta or pi. Now, Omicron dominates the news as the latest coronavirus variant that was first discovered in Southern Africa and is now being found around the world, including in the United States.

Although data on the Omicron variant is incomplete, a clearer picture is beginning to emerge, note two of Mount Sinai’s leading experts in infectious diseases Judith A. Aberg, MD, Dean of System Operations for Clinical Sciences and Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, and Bernard Camins, MD, Medical Director for Infection Prevention.

New Guidance on COVID-19 Vaccines: In April 2023, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced some major changes for COVID-19 vaccines. Click here to read more about what you need to know.

What do we know about the Omicron variant?

According to Drs. Aberg and Camins, the limited evidence we have suggests that while Omicron is more transmissible than earlier variants, it causes mainly mild disease—especially in people who are fully vaccinated and who have received their booster dose. Additionally, it appears to produce symptoms in line with those expected of COVID-19. This includes fatigue and headache as well as sore throat, runny nose, coughing, and fever. If you feel any of these symptoms, please get tested. 

It will take more time for researchers and clinicians to fully assess how effective existing COVID-19 vaccines are against the Omicron variant. But if you have not yet been vaccinated, or are eligible and have not yet received a booster shot, you should do so as soon as possible. Vaccine makers are assessing the need to reformulate their vaccines against the new variant, but that may take months; Drs. Aberg and Camins say it is better to get some additional protection now rather than waiting for the potential for better protection later.

How do we protect ourselves against a more transmissible variant?

Drs. Aberg and Camins say that it is more important than ever to follow current guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for avoiding infection, such as wearing masks in public indoor settings, staying home if you feel sick, getting vaccinated, and getting your booster shot when you are eligible. This is especially important as we enter the holiday season and as rates of infection rise in the New York metropolitan region and around the country, although there is no evidence that Omicron is the cause.

In addition, Drs. Aberg and Camins say you should be vigilant about following the CDC’s detailed guidelines on gathering for the holidays, which emphasize keeping your gatherings small and outdoors if possible. For traveling, the CDC says you should avoid travel if you have been exposed to COVID-19 unless you are fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days. You should avoid international travel until you are fully vaccinated. Some international travel is already being curtailed because of the new variant.

What else should be taken into consideration as this global pandemic continues?

Viruses constantly change through mutation.

These variants do not necessarily present a significant new risk. Last summer, the Delta variant was found to be more easily transmitted, but people who were vaccinated did not face a significantly increased risk of serious illness or hospitalization. Many other variants were initially thought important enough to be assigned a Greek-letter name but later turned out not to have a widespread or significant effect.

Scientists and researchers are hard at work to fully assess this variant.

Currently, scientists are working in labs to assess how effective the existing COVID-19 vaccines are against Omicron. The testing involves taking blood samples from those who have been fully vaccinated and seeing if their antibodies neutralize the new variant. Results are expected in a few weeks. Additionally, Mount Sinai researchers are continually analyzing the positive SARS-CoV-2 samples for variants, including Omicron, to see if these variants are circulating among the local population.

We are keeping an eye on the effectiveness of monoclonal antibody treatments.

One of the main concerns with the Omicron variant is that the number and type of mutations it contains may make some monoclonal antibody treatments less effective. Monoclonal antibody treatments are given to non-hospitalized people diagnosed with COVID-19 who are at high risk of developing more severe symptoms. Scientists are working to learn which treatments will be most effective against Omicron.

Get more information about COVID-19 vaccines
Read more from Mount Sinai experts on the COVID-19 vaccines

Pin It on Pinterest