As panic ensues across the nation with the lack of knowledge of the new variant, Omicron, the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) finally said something about it.
NCID Responds to Omicron Variant; Says a Lot of ‘Urgent Work’ is Needed
According to the NCID, in order to understand more about the Omicron variant, a lot of “urgent work” is needed.
Some of the “urgent work” includes:
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- The variant’s transmissibility
- Diagnostics
- Clinical manifestations
- Disease severity
- Acquired immunity from the vaccine or natural infection
As of now, the Omicron variant can be detected on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
The NCID will collaborate internationally to understand more about the Omicron variant. They will also continue monitoring the situation at hand.
The Omicron Variant
Although not much is known about the new variant, we still understand a little about it. Here is a rundown of what we know about the Omicron variant:
- It was first identified in South Africa
- It is the most heavily mutated version with over 30 mutations, double the number that’s associated with the Delta variant
- Current vaccines may not work against it
- It is possibly the most dangerous variant because it spreads easily, people who contracted the disease may have an increased risk of reinfection and its spike protein is more adept at entering the human cells
- It is circulating globally. So far, it’s been detected in South Africa, Belgium, Botswana, Israel and Hong Kong
- In a latest update, it’s reported that young people affected by the virus will have mild symptoms like feeling exhausted, body aches and headaches. Currently, the patients affected with the virus did not report any loss of smell or taste. Their oxygen levels also remained stable.
You can learn more about the variant here.
Moderna: New Vaccine May Be Available in 2022
Paul Burton, chief medical officer at Moderna, suspects that the current vaccines will not be as effective against the Omicron variant.
Thus, they are reformulating a brand new vaccine that should be available in early 2022.
As of now, authorities advise unvaccinated individuals to get the current vaccines for some protection against the virus.
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