Wondering why the virus variant was named Omicron? When was the Omicron variant first discovered? Where did the Omicron version come from? Why are scientists upset and very concerned about the Omicron version? How do they know which version is more portable? And why are they worried that she is more mortal.
It is Omicron already in Slovenia? We don't know that yet, but given the rapid spread of this strain of the virus, it's very likely. We have checked the world's health sources to bring you first-hand information and all the answers related to the new version of the OMICRON virus. A virus that will definitely mark the coming months, as it promises to become a dominant version of the COVID-19 virus.
Why is the version called Omicron?
The version was initially codenamed – B.1.1.529, but it is World Health Organization on Friday designated it a variant of concern (VOC) because of its "many" mutations and because "preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant." It means that people who have recovered get sick to a comparable extent than people who have not recovered. The WHO system assigns such variants a Greek letter to provide a non-stigmatizing, neutral label that does not associate the new variants with the location where they were first discovered. The new version will thus be called Omicron.
When was the Omicron variant first discovered?
Version B.1.1.529 was identified on Tuesday and highlighted as a concern because of the large number of mutations that could allow her to evade immunity. It has also been linked to a dramatic spike in cases in South Africa's Gauteng province, an urban area that contains Pretoria and Johannesburg, all in the past two weeks. These two factors quickly put it on the radar of international observers, with the UK's Health and Safety Executive's chief medical adviser describing the version as "the most worrying we've seen".
Where did the Omicron version come from?
Although initially associated with Gauteng Province, version is not necessary, that it was created right there. The earliest sample indicating the new variant was collected in Botswana on November 11. Scientists say the unusual constellation of mutations suggests it may have emerged during chronic infection in an immunocompromised person, such as an untreated HIV/AIDS patient.
Why are scientists very concerned about this?
The variant has more than 30 mutations on its spike protein—the key the virus uses to unlock our body's cells—more than twice the number of mutations Delta carries. Such a dramatic change has raised concerns that antibodies from previous infections or vaccinations may no longer be working. Knowing the list of mutations, scientists predict that the virus will be more likely to infect – or re-infect – people who have immunity to previous versions – have gotten over them or are vaccinated against them.
Is the Omicron version of the virus more portable?
This is not entirely clear yet, but the emerging picture is worrying. South Africa has seen cases rise from 273 on November 16 to more than 1,200 by the start of this week. More than 80 % of these were from Gauteng province and preliminary analysis suggests that the variant has rapidly become the dominant strain in this area. The R-value, which shows how fast the epidemic is growing, is estimated at 1.47 for the whole of South Africa and 1.93 in Gauteng. There is a possibility that this is a statistical finding related to a super-expansion event, but the data raised enough concern to warrant precautions. All signs, including the mutations of the virus, point to the fact that it is a super variant that is easily transmitted through the air, just like some of the most dangerous viruses in the world.
Will existing vaccines work against this strain of the virus - Omicron?
Scientists are concerned about the number of mutations and the fact that some of them are already associated with the ability to evade existing immune protection. However, these are theoretical predictions and studies. This is also why tests are already being carried out in practice to check how effectively the antibodies neutralize the new version. Real-world data on re-infection rates will also more clearly indicate the extent of any change in immunity.
Scientists do not expect the variant to be completely unrecognized by existing antibodies, but that current vaccines may provide less protection. So much less than the Delta version, which had half as many mutations. In any case, scientists believe that we will be protected from a difficult course to a certain percentage. The key goal therefore remains to increase the vaccination rate, including third doses for at-risk groups and all others who were vaccinated more than 5 months ago.
What about existing drugs? Will the COVID meds help with this version as well?
Scientists expect recently approved antiviral drugs, such as Merck's pill, to work just as effectively against the new variant because those drugs don't target the spike protein — they work by stopping the virus from replicating. However, there is a greater risk that monoclonal antibodies, such as Regeneron's treatment, could fail or partially fail because they target parts of the virus that will mutate.
Will the variant cause a more severe Covid, i.e. a worse course of the disease?
There is no information yet on whether the variant leads to a change in the symptoms or severity of Covid - this will be closely monitored by South African scientists. Because there is a lag between infections and more serious illnesses, it will take several weeks before clear data is available. At this stage, scientists say there is no strong reason to suspect that the latest version will be worse, ie more deadly or milder. All that can be said now is that it is in all likelihood more transferable.
Is it possible to change vaccines and how long would it take?
Yes, the teams behind the vaccines are already working on updating the vaccines with the new spike protein to prepare for the possibility that a new version may be needed. The process of preparing vaccines is lengthy.
A lot of the preparatory work for such an update took place when the Beta and Delta versions appeared - although in these cases the existing vaccines performed well. That means research teams were already ready to create new versions of the vaccines and were discussing with regulators what additional trials would be needed. However, it may still be four to six months before updated vaccines, if needed, are widely available.
How likely is it to spread worldwide?
So far, most of the confirmed cases have been in South Africa, with a handful in Botswana and Hong Kong. A further case was discovered in Israel on Thursday evening - an individual who had returned from Malawi - and two more cases are suspected in the country. Belgium confirmed on Friday that it had detected a case in someone who had traveled to Egypt and Turkey. Yesterday, the presence of the virus was confirmed by some other European countries - Germany, Italy, Belgium, England. At the time of writing this article, some other countries are reporting this.
Previous experience shows that travel bans tend to save time, but these measures are unlikely to fully stop the spread of a new variant without a potentially life-threatening approach to fighting the virus. We're talking about those absolute shutdowns of public animalism.
What about Slovenia and the new virus - Omicron?!
Omicron has not yet been detected at the time of writing, but we will most likely detect it as early as this week. Omicron is very bad news for Slovenia, because we were expecting this version of the virus with full capacities in hospitals. However, with greater potential transferability and, of course, the possibility of re-infection, this can mean a complete failure of the health system. We can only hope that the new version of the Omicron virus is not more deadly.
