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Omicron (aka B.1.1.529) is a variant of the COVID-19 virus that was recently discovered in South Africa.
Omicron has been designated as a variant of concern by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The new COVID-19 Omicron variant aka B.1.1.529, discovered in South Africa and identified in Israel, has numerous mutations in critical parts of its spike protein. Scientists who assisted in the discovery of the Omicron variant warn of its dangers and state that it is likely the most mutated virus they have ever seen.
However, there is still a lot of uncertainty about the Omicron variant in terms of its properties, such as:
- Transmissibility
- Immune escape potential (from infection and vaccine-induced immunity)
- Severity of disease
- Response to available countermeasures (diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics)
The new B.1.1.529 variant appears to spread faster than the current dominant Delta variant. For example, in less than two weeks, it has surpassed the Delta variant as the dominant variant in South Africa.
According to researchers, the Omicron variant has over 30 mutations in the spike protein alone, and about 50 mutations in the entire genome.
- This is the highest number of mutations found in the spike protein. Some are known to scientists from other variants, whereas others are new and unknown to them.
- Scientists are concerned not only about the number of mutations but also about their distribution along with the spike protein. The combination of the two aids in the virus's attachment to the host cell. The virus attaches much more strongly, making them much more infectious.
- Preliminary research indicates that the Omicron variant can evade the immune system and has a greater ability to infect.
- If the new variant spreads quickly to other countries, it has the potential to replace the dominant Delta variant.
- This does not necessarily imply that these variants are more dangerous in terms of the severity of the disease; rather, it indicates that the virus has further adapted to the human species by generating another variant.
- Further research may reveal whether this adaptation is neutral, less dangerous, or more dangerous. According to scientists, all variations describe mutations of Omicron but do not define its role.
- It will be critical to conduct laboratory experiments to determine whether the combination of these mutations affects the transmission or efficacy of vaccines.
- The WHO emphasized that there are many unknowns about Omicron, including whether the variant will affect the course of the pandemic.
- Although a large number of mutations could certainly make the variant more problematic, which is why there has been so much hype, they may have no significant effect on our vaccines or therapeutics.
No deaths have been reported due to Omicron, but little is known about the variant. However, according to a WHO advisory panel, it may be strong enough to reinfect people who have already been infected with COVID-19.
What are the possible symptoms of the Omicron variant?
According to the World Health Organization, there is no evidence that Omicron exhibits symptoms distinct from other COVID-19 strains. However, symptoms were described as “unusual but mild” by the South African doctor who discovered the Omicron variant.
The affected person may report the following:
- Extreme tiredness or fatigue
- Body ache and pain
- Sore muscles
- Headache
- A scratchy throat
- Fever
- Tachycardia (increased heart rate)
The strain, according to the doctor, could cause complications in the elderly and unvaccinated. The first cases of infection were among university students. Younger people tend to have milder disease, but determining the severity of the Omicron variant can take days to several weeks.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the following are symptoms of COVID-19 (which include Omicron):
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body ache
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
A new surge, and even a new variant, has been long anticipated, but the speed with which Omicron arrived surprised health experts. Although the number of confirmed cases is still relatively low, it is rapidly increasing. The number of cases per day quickly increased from a few hundred to thousands.
How could a variant like Omicron arise?
Scientists suspect the Omicron variant, which has health officials around the world concerned, may have emerged from a person with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome after a long-term COVID-19 infection.
As coronavirus spreads, it mutates, and many new variants, including those with concerning genetic changes, often die out.
- Scientists have kept an eye on COVID-19 sequences for mutations that could make the disease more transmissible or lethal, but they can't tell just by looking at the virus.
- Omicron variants may have evolved in people who were infected but were unable to clear the virus, allowing the virus to genetically evolve. Experts believe the alpha variant, which was first identified in England, emerged similarly by mutating in an immunocompromised person.
- Several cases throughout the pandemic have demonstrated that prolonged infection, which allows the virus to replicate for a longer period, combined with a compromised immune response result in the emergence of immune escape mutations.
- In the absence of a healthy immune system, a prolonged infection can create the ideal environment for new mutations to emerge.
- Scientists know that Omicron is genetically distinct from previous variants, such as Beta and Delta variants, but they don't know if these genetic differences make it more transmissible or dangerous. So far, there is no evidence that the variant leads to more severe disease.
Currently, Delta is by far the most common form of COVID-19, accounting for more than 99 percent of sequences submitted to the world's largest public database.
Researchers are unsure whether this new variant will gain a foothold in areas where Delta is dominant.
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Can Omicron evade COVID-19 vaccines?
Vaccines have been the world's most effective anti-COVID-19 weapon. Therefore, if Omicron is capable of evading the immune response that vaccines are supposed to elicit, that would be a major issue.
According to reports, many people who tested positive for B.1.1.529 in South Africa and other countries had been fully vaccinated, and some had even received booster doses.
Scientists are concerned that the new variant will be able to avoid current COVID-19 vaccines.
- The issue is one of pure biology; vaccines were designed to target an earlier version of COVID-19, and Omicron may have mutated to the point where the vaccines are unable to identify the virus and send the immune system after it.
- However, it is extremely unlikely that Omicron will render COVID-19 vaccines completely ineffective; it may reduce their effectiveness. Determining how effective vaccines are against Omicron may take time and more data.
- One possible reason for optimism is that for people who have received booster shots, the vaccine may have produced such a large number of antibodies that it still does a good job of fighting off even a highly mutated version of the virus for the vast majority of people.
- Another possibility is that vaccines are less effective at preventing infections due to Omicron mutations but still provide strong protection against severe illness, as has been shown with the Delta variant.
- Vaccines provide multiple layers of protection for people, so even if Omicron penetrates one, the immune system may still be effective in preventing the disease from progressing too far.
- However, all of this is speculative. It will take time to find an answer to this question and whether people who have previously been infected with COVID-19 are more likely to be reinfected with Omicron because it evades their immune response.
Because Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna used the mRNA platform to create their vaccines, experts believe they will be able to quickly update the vaccines to target Omicron and distribute those revised vaccines if the need arises.
Can existing COVID-19 treatments hold up against Omicron?
According to the most recent evidence, Omicron spreads quickly and may affect the efficacy of major COVID-19 treatments.
Researchers are optimistic because of the pandemic's trajectory and promise of treatments that would significantly reduce the chance of hospitalization or death in people who become infected with the coronavirus.
- Monoclonal antibodies have been around for quite some time. Merck and Pfizer are both seeking the approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for antiviral medications in the form of pills that could prevent severe illness.
- These advancements promised a new normal in which COVID-19 would be more akin to the flu—unpleasant but manageable for the majority of people.
- However, Omicron, like vaccines, has raised new questions about how well those treatments will work if the variant becomes dominant.
Some experts believe that antivirals will be fine because they target parts of the virus that have not mutated, but they warn that the effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies may be jeopardized. Others argue that it is simply too early to tell.
Are there any Omicron COVID-19 cases in the United States?
Although no cases have been identified in the United States, experts have warned that Omicron may have already made its way to the country.
The Omicron variant has not yet been identified in the COVID-19 data tracker of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of this moment, there have been no reported cases of Omicron in the United States. However, this does not necessarily imply that it is not present.
Although it's difficult to say for sure, health experts believe it's already in the United States. As the U.S. vaccination rate slows, cases rise and Omicron variant looms on the horizon, with health experts warning of a potential “fifth wave” of COVID-19 in America.
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How can we stay safe from the Omicron variant?
We must now redouble our efforts to adhere to the fundamental guidelines that have served us well throughout the pandemic:
- Wear a face mask on public transportation and in all indoor food and retail establishments.
- Open the windows, especially if you have visitors.
- Continue to thoroughly wash your hands regularly.
- When possible, work from home.
- Perform lateral flow tests regularly, especially before mixing with people from outside your household.
- If you are eligible for a booster dose or have yet to receive a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, please get vaccinated as soon as possible.
If you have symptoms:
- Self-isolate and go for tests as recommended by your doctor.
- Cooperate with health experts.
- All close contacts of suspected Omicron cases may be advised to self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of their vaccination status.
Experts have warned people not to be complacent and have stated that the pandemic is not yet over. Therefore, we should not lower our guards but rather resume taking full precautions, including practicing social distancing.
Although the world was already fighting the deadly coronavirus, the Omicron variant has added to the misery. A variant of concern, according to the UN health body, “demonstrates an increase in transmissibility” or a negative change in COVID-19 epidemiology.
Although data on the Omicron variant is limited, preliminary research suggests that there may be an increased risk of reinfection. Despite the widespread concern, little is known about the variant and how dangerous it may be. Preliminary evidence suggests that symptoms in cases have been “mild” or “mild-to-moderate.”
Currently, research is being conducted to determine whether Omicron is vaccine-resistant and more transmissible than other variants of concern. To date, the Delta variant of COVID-19 is by far the most transmissible form of the virus.
