With the upcoming holiday filled with traveling, the CDC is urging people to be careful and take extra precautions with the presence of the new  COVID-19 variant, Omicron. Early research suggests that the Omicron variant would spread more easily than the original COVID-19 due to the fact that anyone with Omicron infection can spread the virus to others, even if they are vaccinated or don’t have symptoms. Current vaccines are expected to protect against very severe hospitalization or sickness from the Omicron variant, yet it is likely that there will be many breakthrough infections in people who are fully vaccinated. While Delta still remains the main variant, it is predicted that Omicron will soon take over infection rates.There is an expected rise in COVID-19 cases with the upcoming holidays in which many travel, yet this is highly discouraged due to the rapid spreading of the new variant along with Delta and the original Coronavirus. In order to prevent the variant, it is advised that people get vaccinated and, if eligible, the booster shot, and continue wearing masks around others. It is important to be safe around the holidays in order to protect loved ones from sickness and our country from entering another severe wave of the Pandemic.