CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As of Sunday morning, the omicron variant was reported in more than a dozen U.S. states.
The virus was first reported in South Africa in November.
While it's still too early for researchers to understand exactly how the virus behaves compared to other COVID-19 variants, they are starting to better understand it. Based on preliminary research, scientists believe the virus is more transmissible than the delta variant but does not cause more severe illness.
“It’s very early to tell at this point but it does appear that the disease is not any more severe than let’s say Delta or any of the other prior variants," Dr. Paul Verardi, who is an associate professor of virology and vaccinology at the University of Connecticut, explained.
Verardi said scientists are still researching to what extent current vaccines are effective against omicron.
In the meantime, the U.S. is still dealing with the Delta variant. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told NBC News that 99.9 % of cases reported in the U.S. are of the delta variant.
RELATED: COVID-19 metrics rise in NC, as health officials prepare for omicron's arrival in Carolinas
Verardi said the vaccine and booster shots are still the best tools against the virus.
“Actually every time that you get a booster shot, the quality of your antibodies changes," Verardi said. "So not only do you make more of them, you make stronger binding antibodies.”
Dr. Verardi said viruses like COVID-19 constantly mutate and there could be more variants after omicron. Researchers are already working to update current vaccines to better protect against current and future variants.
"By now we are ready for the next step which is not using the original vaccine that was made for the original virus that came from China, but actually start making vaccine versions that are against, for example, Delta and Omicron," said Dr. Verardi, "Because most likely the viruses we get in the future – they’re going to derive from Delta and Omicron so they’re going to resemble (those variants.)"
Dr. Verardi said it could be weeks before scientists truly understand how the virus behaves.
Contact Indira Eskieva at ieskieva@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram.