"Variants continue to worry people, and they should worry people,"

That's part of the reason I can't watch the news. I'm so sick of the fear-mongering. COVID-19 isn't nothing, but being constantly afraid of it doesn't help anything. It's becoming endemic and more like the flu, which is what everyone said would happen. There is no justification for panic.

its starting back up in LA

I think it was an attempt to remind people that CoViD did *not* "just magically go away", and, if this commissioner was noticing the front edge of the rising tide of hospitalizations associated with the newest variant, a timely reminder.

I think that the terminology used is wrong. People should retain some concern but they shouldn't waste time worrying, as you say. Variants can still change the game so we shouldn't be too complacent, but life has to move forward while it can otherwise the pandemic of poverty will be far worse than Covid.