As with most vaccines, effectiveness declines over time. The annual flu shot really is only effective for 6 to 8 months. But since flu is seasonal, we get the shot once a year.
Sadly, COVID-19 seems not to be seasonal. So I expect a twice a year shot that includes protection against the latest mutants.
Unvaccinated people are a breeding ground for mutations. Sigh.
Even protection offered by catching the virus degrades over time.
I got my Pfizer booster (3rd shot) about a month ago. I know six people who were fully vaccinated and got COVID. A few of them got it kind of bad (trip to the hospital, long recovery, still feeling off after several weeks, etc.) and recovered. The rest werenât too bad off. Iâm healthy but I do not want to chance getting or spreading it to my family. Iâm still laying low-just work, groceries, swimming laps. Positivity started to really drop here but is now surging again so still waiting on getting a haircut (BTW I now look like Cousin It 
)
FDA and CDC are expected on Friday to announce a recommendation for boosters for all vaccines for everyone 18 and older, 6 months after your last shot.
EDIT: they announced it. So go get boosted!
Iâm in the same country but different area. I open that page OK. (Using the Edge âCanaryâ edition)
@SnowHike - I have taken to using a mirror and a personal grooming kit meant for beards and whickers. LOL. Careful use of the varied âtrimmerâ depths and a small bit of scissors work actually gives a decent result. I give myself a âtouch upâ whenever the neckline hair gets too long or the âaround the earsâ hair is bugging me. 
My in-person haircuts may decrease a lot even after we are more âsafe.â
@Clemm -I tried cutting/trimming it myself Watched a bunch of you tube videos and stood infront of the mirror with the scissors, caught my finger, got a bandage, tried again, hair wasnât quite long enough to bring it forward where I could see it well, didnât quite go as planned. Now my âbangsâ are down to my chin! St least I should be able to get the bangs in the ponytail soon. Maybe now that it is long I may give it another go or see if the trimmer like you mentioned works on the ends.
Having to give up myself. I used YT in my first two cuts and was really ready to do it right. Turned out nice. By the 3rd and 4 th I gave up. My hairdresser is vaxxed, Iâm vaxxed, we will both wear a mask. Gotta get some professional help! 
I havenât had a haircut for two years. I look like I did in 1969, only greyer, and more wrinkly.
I quite like the look - but other people hate it.
Maybe change your name to âHarryâ - - just a thought.
I havenât had one in about 20 now⌠
Not 100% sure, but I believe my son caught omicron at work even though he works outside. One guy was sick all week, now several others are sick. My son had gotten boosted 6 days before he got sick. Now my daughter is sick with lots of sneezing. I am ordering her to be tested. She is not boosted.
Omicronâs main symptoms
Runny nose
Headache
Fatigue (minor and severe)
Sneezing
Sore throat
None of the previous things like loss of taste or smell.
My daughter was just with my motherâŚshe is boosted with J&J
NPR: Omicron may be less severe in South Africa. That may not be the case for the U.SâŚ
This thread is where I find out what is happening around the Virus. So thank you for posting that.
I do hope your son and any others close to you make it through this latest attack well and happy. (I hope that came out the way I intended it.)
Hereâs a good laugh for your holiday!(open to watch the video)
Just a round up of evidence. There is still a measure of uncertainty about omicron but here is what is coming to light so far;
-Omicron does seem to have a 30-70% chance of being milder than delta
-It has picked up the common cold as part of its mutation so symptoms resemble a cold with congestion, runny nose, sore throat
-It is infecting kids at a higher rate than previous versions
-Cloth masks do not work. A 3-ply surgical mask or N95 or KN95 with nose clip and flush against your cheeks is recommended because omicron is so contagious.
-Case numbers and hospitalizations are on the rise.
-Cases seem to double every 2-3 days.
Just a personal thought, if that turns out to be true, when this wave is over, we will either be alive or dead and if we are alive, we will have some immunity. Maybe this is the final wave. Maybe we will be able to begin to live again.
Stay safe everyone 
Iâm a bit of a pessimist. There are a lot more Greek letters left to name more mutations. Unvaccinated people will be breeding grounds for more mutations.
My hope is that a future mutation is not more lethal than Delta.
But there is some hope (5 years out):
AR and TX are out of monoclonal antibodies.
US exceeds its 7 day record fornew cases. Over 270k
On the positive side,an international team of scientists have discovered spike proteins that do not mutate and have discovered antibodies that target them. Hopefully can be geared for future vaccines
I think I have omicron right nowâŚI have no home tests and everything is closed til Monday. I have sinus/allergy problems all the time. This was not normal. Sneezing, numerous times for 3 daysâŚnot normal for me at all. Really bad headache lasted 2 days. Nausea, loss of appetite. Fatigue, slept all day Wednesday. Was slightly feverish. It lasted 3 days. I feel much better today. I have stayed home all week and will stay home til next Monday. Going to check in on family today since we were all together last Friday. Thankfully we are all vaxxed and boosted.
Stay safe everyone! 
One of the weird symptoms showing up in some Omicron infections is night sweats so severe that it drenches your night clothes.
I could do without that!
