The COVID-19 pandemic began its rampage in 2020 and multiple variants have sprung up in the last several months. The most recent, Omicron, is currently decimating New York City, with over 10,000 people a day testing positive for the virus in the Big Apple.
According to the Heath Department, 126 neighborhoods across the Five Boroughs had a seven-day COVID-19 positivity rate of 10 percent or higher between December 14-20. Approximately 40 communities reported 500 or more new COVID-19 cases during that period, and four areas hit a thousand or more new infections.
But still, people can’t help but notice how similar the spelling of Omicron is to BK2 singer’s name Omarion. On Christmas Day (December 25), Get Out actor LaKeith Stanfield joked Omarion was responsible for ruining the holiday with a screenshot of a direct message someone sent to the singer that read, “You ruining Christmas for everybody smh.”
Stanfield added in the caption, “I’m weak I wonder if he’s gunna respond.”
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Omarion is well aware of the similarities and all the jokes being cracked at his expense. On Thursday (December 24), he shared a meme referencing the Omarion/Omicron quip with the caption, “I can’t stand y’all. Happy holidays. Sea moss up. Plant base up. Sun light up. Sending love & healing energy to all. #omicron not #Omarion.”
Although hospitalizations and deaths are trending upward, the New York City Health Department says they’re holding steadily lower. Omicron has caused numerous breakthrough infections among vaccinated New Yorkers, but the vast majority of the cases are mild.
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Even so, the Omicron variant is now the dominant COVID-19 strain in New York only four weeks after the first case was detected as reported by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. On December 20 alone, 13,123 new COVID-19 cases were reported, while the seven-day average case total stood at 12,613.
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Naturally, Twitter is having a field day with the name similarities. Check out some of the reactions below.
