Question about Omicron

[NQAS]

Two DUers posted today about the impact of Omicron. In one case causing the death of an uncle, in the other the impending loss of a vaccinated friend.

I tested positive for Covid just after Christmas. Vaxed and boosted, so only minor symptoms at the time, nothing lingering. But the test result didn't say what variant I had.

When a new variant is found, does that mean all previous variants no longer exist? For example, the 2,500 per day dying now of Covid, are they all dying from the Omicron variant or some other form? Is that relevant?

[JT45242]

1. mix of variants but the most successful variant usually becomes dominant quickly

If a variant is more transmissible, it will become the most prevalent strain, and in the case of micron, that happened very quickly.

Does it mean that there is NO original, alpha, delta, etc.? Nope. There is some of those around. There are also other strains that have been genotyped but are not prevalent.

They don't genetically sequence all positive tests, but they do a random sampling to see what type is most prevalent.

The latest numbers I saw was that the omicron strain was 75% or higher in all regions that I saw data for a few weeks ago. So, it is highly likely that these people all have omicron. Only a genetic sequencing test will confirm.

[Lucid Dreamer]

2. You and me.

NQAS>

I tested positive for Covid just after Christmas. Vaxed and boosted, so only minor symptoms at the time, nothing lingering. But the test result didn't say what variant I had.

That just about is the same description of my experience starting Jan 5. Moderna Vax and Boost.
So I suspect mine was Omicron, but my notice just said "...are infected with Covid 19..." No mention of variant.