Covid, including what we know about omicron, questions answered

• Scott LaMar
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
  
  Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.

 Jerome Delay / AP Photo

FILE -A resident from the Alexandra township gets tested for COVID-19 , in Johannesburg, Wednesday, April 29, 2020. A new coronavirus variant has been detected in South Africa that scientists say is a concern because of its high number of mutations and rapid spread among young people in Gauteng, the country's most populous province.

Airdate: Thursday, December 2, 2021

It was just a week ago that we heard about the omicron variant of the Covid-19 coronavirus. A week later, we still don’t know much about how transmissible or whether omicron can cause serious illness.

Even without the new variant, the number of Covid cases in Pennsylvania is high. Tuesday’s case count of more than 7,600 is one of the largest in the past few weeks and doctors are warning winter weather driving people indoors and holiday get togethers could mean more infections.

Those are a few of the reasons there still are many questions about the virus and vaccines.

Throughout the pandemic, Smart Talk has featured medical professionals to answer Covid questions.

On Thursday’s program, we’re joined by Dr. John Goldman, MD, an infectious disease specialist at UPMC in Central Pennsylvania.