The omicron variant is likely now the dominant strain of COVID-19 in Tennessee, according to State Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey. She estimated 80% of active cases to be from Omicron. She predicts between 90-95% of statewide cases to be from the variant by next week.

“It is here and it is here in a big way. It came very, very, quickly. Just to put it into context, it took about three months for the delta variant to be the predominant variant nationally. It took omicron about three weeks,” said Piercey.