Lab tests on wastewater samples in Orange County show the Omicron variant of the coronavirus rising to new record levels after Christmas.

At Tuesday’s Orange County update, Mayor Jerry Demings said the wastewater results are an indication that already sky-high case counts will increase further in the coming days. He urges vaccinations and mask-wearing.

“Covid is everywhere in our community,” he said. “But it does not mean that we ought to go out and drink a covid concoction to make sure that you get covid. No, as a community we need to resist.”

Demings says Omicron could adversely impact the workforce in Central Florida. Already, 254 county workers are in isolation, including 59 corrections officers and 53 firefighters.

And 5% of public school teachers called in sick on the first day back after the holiday break.