Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said he has canceled most of his holiday plans due to the surge of the omicron variant.
Gates made his remarks in a Twitter post on Tuesday.
"Just when it seemed like life would return to normal, we could be entering the worst part of the pandemic," Gates tweeted. "Omicron will hit home for all of us. Close friends of mine now have it, and I've canceled most of my holiday plans."
But he noted the wave of omicron-related cases could be over in March, and the pandemic could be finished in 2022 if people take the "right steps."
"If there's good news here, it's that omicron moves so quickly that once it becomes dominant in a country, the wave there should last less than 3 months," Gates wrote in another tweet. "Those few months could be bad, but I still believe if we take the right steps, the pandemic can be over in 2022."
Gates reminded people about vaccinations.
"There will be more breakthrough cases in people who are vx’d, which sounds concerning but is purely a factor of how many people are vx’d and how fast this variant is spreading," he tweeted. "Vaccines are designed to prevent people from getting seriously ill or dying & are doing that well."
He urged people to "look out for each other," wear masks, and get vaccinated and boosted.
"In the meantime, we all have to look out for each other, especially the most vulnerable, whether they live down the street or in another country," he said in another tweet. "That means wearing masks, avoiding big indoor gatherings, and getting vaccinated. Getting a booster gives the best protection."
And in other tweet, he offered this message of hope: "I know it's frustrating to go into another holiday season with COVID looming over us. But it won't be like this forever. Someday the pandemic will end, and the better we look after each other, the sooner that time will come."
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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