Feb. 2, 2022
The omicron variant of COVID-19 is impacting all industries, including optometry. Review of Optometric Business and Women in Optometry recently collaborated on a survey to see how omicron is affecting OD practices.
Almost 60 percent of respondents to a Women In Optometry Pop-up Poll, that Review of Optometric Business also shared, said they have not been infected with the virus. Fifty-nine percent said they have not gotten sick, and another five percent said they are not sure.
Just as with the general population, the omicron variant has been more widespread. Overall, 10 percent said they were infected with coronavirus early on in the pandemic, and 10 percent said they caught it during the delta variant phase. Nearly 20 percent said they were infected during the omicron phase. Overall, six percent said they have certainly or probably been positive more than once.
Seventy-two percent of the respondents to the poll said they have been vaccinated and boosted, while another 15 percent said they’ve had at least one shot, or taken the initial course, but not the booster. Nine percent said they have not been vaccinated, and nearly four percent said they preferred not to share their vaccination status. Among those who said they had not been vaccinated or preferred not to say, 52 percent said they have been positive for coronavirus at some point in the pandemic. Among those who said they were fully or partially vaccinated, 31 percent said they became coronavirus-positive.
Despite the surging number of cases and the disruption to patient flow, the majority of respondents said they’ve been able to keep the doors open once the initial wave of closures ended. Fifty-three percent said they have not had to close and 25 percent said they were able to limp along.
