ROCHESTER, N.Y. — As concerns about the new omicron COVID-19 variant grow, doctors are working to learn more about how this COVID strain will affect the public.

Doctors in Rochester are saying that while omicron is a concern, the public shouldn’t panic.

"What I can say is that these variants happen on a regular basis,” Rochester Regional Health infectious disease specialist Dr. Emil Lesho said. "So sometimes they come up and look concerning, but they can fizzle.”

A concern for researchers is the makeup of omicron, and the mutations within the variant, giving it the potential to evade vaccines in the future.

“Of those 50 changes, maybe 30 or so are in the area of the vaccine uses to instruct our bodies to make protective antibodies,” Lesho said. “So that’s why it’s concerning.”

Over the next few weeks, researchers will study blood samples from vaccinated people to see how it holds up against omicron. This doesn’t mean people should stop getting vaccinated or wait to get a booster shot.

Doctors say that because delta is still the main strain of COVID-19, the more protection we have the better.

“If you get a booster vaccine, not only are you protected against original strain, but it seems the immune system matures and are protected against some of these variants,” Dr. Ann Falsey, a professor of Infectious Diseases at URMC Department of Medicine, said. 

With more people holding gatherings and events inside, it makes sense to doctors why cases are rising so much. They say it’s too soon to tell if omicron will have a major impact on holiday plans, but doctors stress the best thing to do is be aware of who you’re in contact with and mask and social distance when necessary.