The COVID epidemic has been around since January of 2020. It was a strain virus that was first reported in Wuhan, China. After many tests, it came to be that this virus originated from bats. Many in the middle east and parts of Asia, were eating bats and contracting the virus. It has spread all around the world and many have passed away or gotten very sick because of it. States, countries, and schools went into lockdown for more than a year to contain the virus. Many countries have reported that there are no active cases, but others are increasing by the day. There are many variants of this virus that have appeared but then disappeared. But a new variant has made headway and is already affecting people of another country. 

The infamous name of this virus was originally the “South African Virus,” but is now named “Omicron.” This variant is the most “heavily mutated version” discovered to date. Scientists are finding this discovery “horrific” and are in major fear of what could happen (Tennessee Department of Health). The first cases were discovered in South Africa and many are getting it there, but it has now spread to the UK. Hong Kong recently has closed off their borders and airports from people entering or leaving the country. There is panic that this new strain is going to reach the US. Mostly everyone thought that the cases were decreasing, and there was going to be change. But now this change is bad and could potentially lead to a very high death rate. This is a new variant, but it’s extremely dangerous and the vaccines being produced now, may not protect the people.

Many are now researching whether or not the booster shot is what is protecting people. The vaccine has been cleared for children 5 and over, but many- by their own will- are choosing against the vaccine in fear of a side effect just from the shot itself. While COVID is decreasing in certain states, this new one may replay the 2020 that we’d wish would just leave our minds already. No one wants another lockdown. It may cause havoc. It may cause alarm. It may put people down. Businesses went out of business. People lost their homes and jobs. Families and relationships split. This new strain should choose to leave quicker, because no one is ready for a return of the lockdown.