During the second week of January 2022 cases of COVID-19’s variant, Omicron, have spread rapidly through Arizona. Affecting schooling, businesses, hospitals and more. 

The variant has been reported as the dominant strain in Arizona. As the first month of 2022 continues, the number of COVID continues to rise. Throughout Friday and the weekend, COVID cases were reported to be over 14,000 everyday.  On Sunday, Jan. 10, 2022, more than 15,000 COVID cases were reported. 

Arizona has been reported as the fourth highest state with COVID deaths as reported by the Federal Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Arizona’s daily COVID cases average has risen from an average of 75.3 a day, as of December last year (2021), to around 2,000-7,000 in two weeks. 

Due to the variant being highly contagious people both vaccinated and not vaccinated have been easily infected. However, studies have shown that the variant has mild symptoms compared to other variants. 

In schools around Arizona teacher shortages have grown due to the increase in cases. Surveys from the Arizona School Personnel Administration Association show that more than 750 teacher positions are being filled by substitutes and 1,700 open teacher positions. The contagious variant has also affected businesses in Arizona, many restaurants and bars have needed to close due to storage of workers and exposure to the variant. 

As the weeks follow people are recommended to continue to wear masks and follow safety precautions to help with the rapid spread of Omicron.