By now, we’d all have known about Omicron, even though 90% of us didn’t know how to pronounce it.
But all we want to know is this: would it affect the COVID-19 measures here in Singapore?
So far, the authorities have tightened border controls but there hasn’t been any update about the measures here in Singapore.
Until today, though it’s not exactly an update, but a heads-up of what’s to come.
PM Lee: COVID-19 Measures in S’pore Might be Changed Due to Omicron Variant
There’s a People’s Action Party (PAP) awards and convention today, whereby the party members meet to discuss issues among them and also to hand out awards. Simply put, it’s a closed-door convention, but we’re of course interested to know what was discussed since PAP is our Government, too.
In the first remark made about the Omicron variant, PM Lee, who’s the secretary general of PAP (i.e. the head of the party), said that we must be mentally prepared for more bumps along the road as the coronavirus is an evolving virus.
With regards to the new variant, he added, “We are tracking this very closely. We are not sure yet, but we may well be forced to take a few steps back, before we can take more steps forward.
“Despite all this, I am confident that, eventually, we will find our way to living with the virus and safely resume all the things we love to do.
“We are making all this effort because we want to get there safely, suffering as few casualties along the way as possible.”
Currently, Singapore is slowly easing the COVID-19 measures; we were only allowed to dine in in groups of five on Monday after almost two months of Stabilisation Phase, whereby dine-in groups are restricted to two unless diners are from the same household.
PM Lee added, “The virus has surprised us over and over again. We have repeatedly had to adapt our response, and then press on.”
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What’s the Omicron Variant?
On Friday, World Health Organsiation (WHO) officially designated the omicron variant as a variant of concern, joining the other four variant of concerns: the Alpha Variant (formerly called the UK Variant and officially referred to as B.1.1.7), the Beta Variant (formerly called the South Africa Variant and officially referred to as B.1.351), the Gamma Variant (formerly called the Brazil Variant and officially referred to as P.1), and the Delta Variant (formerly called the India Variant and officially referred to as B.1.617.2).
As you’d probably know, the first three variants of concern didn’t lead to massive infection and changes in policies, but the Delta variant did.
WHO said that the Omicron variant may spread more quickly and may also have an increased risk of reinfection.
In the protein spike alone, there are over 30 mutations. This is double the number that’s associated with the Delta variant.
As for the ACE2 receptor, the protein that acts as the doorway for the COVID-19 to infect human cells, there are 10 mutations. In comparison, the Delta variant has two.
More studies about the variant are still, however, ongoing.
Read Also:
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- Why the New Variant is Named Omicron: Theories State It’s to Due to China
Featured Image: Facebook (People’s Action Party)
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