COVID-19 Team Update: New Variants and Updated Booster Guidelines 

You have probably seen reports about BA.2, a subvariant of Omicron. It’s important to remember new variants will continue to emerge. This new subvariant is currently the dominant variant of COVID-19 worldwide. While it is more contagious than Omicron BA.1 and Delta, case rates, hospitalizations, and deaths have continued to decline. This is consistent with a variant that is less severe and a population that has substantial levels of immunity.  

As has always been true, if you have symptoms of COVID-19 stay home and get tested! This is incredibly important because as a highly vaccinated population we are much less likely to have severe symptoms. You can test at a clinic, pharmacy, or at home. If you haven’t ordered your first or second sets of free at-home tests yet, do so now. If using a rapid test at home, test yourself the day you start having symptoms, if it is negative, stay home and test again the next morning. If you receive a PCR test, do not come to the workplace until you receive your results and know that you are negative. If positive, please report your case to the COVID inbox as usual.

Full vaccination, including receiving recommended booster shots, provides the best protection against severe illness, hospitalizations or worse. If you haven’t been boosted, there is no time like the present. For those of you over the age of 50 or who are immunocompromised, you may now receive a second booster dose. Vaccine appointments are plentiful at pharmacies and health clinics across the U.S. Find a vaccination location here.

If you are vaccinated and/or boosted and haven’t already done so, please send a picture of your updated vaccination card to Occupational Health Services (OHS) by emailing ohs-medicalreview@si.edu.

We will continue to monitor new variants and provide updated guidance and reminders of the essential protective measures as they change. In the coming days and weeks, we will also be providing more information on the new Way Ahead Plan which provides the framework for Smithsonian to adapt to COVID even as new variants emerge.

Stay safe, be well, and get vaccinated,
COVID-19 Response Team

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