Almost 2 and a half years into the pandemic, there has been a lot of uncertainty to be seen. But the only thing that is certain is the ever-mutating nature of the CoronaVirus. It all started at the end of December 2019 and now it has further spread into a series of variants like Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and now the big gun Omicron.
The Omicron variant a few weeks after its discovery has spread like wildfire unlike other previous variants observed. It is a new variant which is why it is a little difficult for scientists to comprehend in a very short time. The mutated form has become a big question mark for the hospitals and is pushing the facilities to a breaking point.
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What actually is this Variant?
This particular variant was first identified as Omicron due to its unique combination of more than 50 mutations. Most of these have been seen in the previous variants i.e Alpha and Beta.
These mutations made it very obvious that the virus will spread in a deadly manner. Some other mutations helped coronavirus dodge antibodies manufactured by vaccines.
Based on its rapid and unusual mutations, and anticipation of global risk being too high, it was labeled as a “variant of concern” by WHO.
Omicron’s Spread as Compared to Other Variants — A Serious Warning Sign
The Omicron Variant is likely to spread two to three times as the Delta variant. This has been first observed in South Africa when it grew swiftly in one province and kept spreading in others. Now that the picture is observed closely, the spread is doubling every two to five days. This is way faster than the previous Delta Variant.
For a better understanding of its severity, British Researchers looked into what happened in 121 houses. The observation deducted that Omicron was 3.2 times more likely than Delta to trigger the infection.
The initial analysis has disclosed some facts that might explain the answer to what makes Omicron exceptionally good at spreading.
A major hint indicates that the Omicron variant infects the cells present in the nose. A person when breathes out releases new and mutated viruses.
This new variant of concern has been quite a headache for the medical community because of its resistance to all the vaccines and antibodies.
Symptoms to Watch Out For
Just a few differences in the symptoms of Omicron have been observed as of now. The loss of taste and smell as compared to previous variants and waves has been observed happening a lot less. The other symptoms that were seen during the coronavirus are also observed during the tenure of Omicron infection like,
- Dry Cough
- Nasal Congestion
- Nausea
- Sore Throat
- Muscle Pain
- Lower Back Pain
“There’s probably a huge amount of overlap between Omicron and the prior variants because they are essentially doing the same thing,” said Dr. Otto O. Yang, an infectious disease physician at the University of California, Los Angeles. “If there are differences, they’re probably fairly subtle.”
The Unsettling Role of Immunity from Prior Infections
Although the human immunity system provides shelter against severe and fatal diseases, it also does restrict the spread of infections caused by Omicron.
But the argument given by the scientists in South Africa says something else. They said that the Omicron Variant is great at escaping immunity. This is the reason why 70% of the cases reported had already suffered from Coronavirus at some point during the pandemic. Even though a shockingly big number has been observed all over the world getting Omicron positive who were formerly infected.
Several pieces of research have proven that Omicron is more likely to reinfect people who already have dealt with the Delta Variant as well. What’s more upsetting here is that even people who have taken booster shots are still getting infected by the variant. However, the percentage of such cases is a lot lesser than the unvaccinated ones.
A Mind-Boggling Experiment
For better understanding and comprehension different teams studied the antibodies produced by people who had recovered from COVID-19. In an experiment the antibodies were mixed with previous variants, the results showed that the human cells didn’t get the virus. But, when the antibodies were mixed with the Omicron variant alone, it still managed to penetrate inside the human cells.
Vaccines and Protection Against Omicron
A person who is fully vaccinated and plus has had a jab of the booster shot is protected from the infection with Omicron. In the absence of a booster, two doses of Pfizer and Moderna provide protection but are not as much as an extra booster dose.
The two-dose however provide the needed protection from the severity of Omicron for the time being. To check the details, scientists checked every vaccine on human blood and each one allowed Omicron to penetrate. However, when the antibodies of people with boosters of Pfizer and Moderna were tested, there was a great block seen by the boosted antibodies to stop the entrance of viruses into the cells.
Reduction of Severity Still A Question Mark
A study performed by British researchers has found that people with booster doses are still 81 percent less prone to taking admission in a hospital. It is even less than 65 percent in those who have taken two doses of the vaccine.
Vaccinated people are equally at risk of getting the virus as unvaccinated. This variant bypasses the antibodies produced by vaccines and alters them in the nose and throat. The T cells present in the blood fight diseases. According to scientists, the T cells do recognize the Omicron variant. There is still debate on vaccine’s side effects.
The early research suggests that the Omicron Variant cannot go past the encirclement of the T-cell line.
What to Expect in the Next Few Months
On the basis of assumptions, as of now, two models have been constructed by scientists. These might be altered and changed as new information is gathered. But in the next months, it has been expected that the transmitting rate will keep on increasing.
With that two new antiviral pills have been introduced called Molnupiravir and Paxlovid. The early data says that these two will work great against the Omicron variant. These drugs can be prescribed if symptoms of severe Omicron are seen in the first few days of diagnosis.
Wrapping it Up!
The outbreak of the Omicron Variant has left us all with a lot of questions. The spread is making new records every single day. However, there is also a sigh of relief that it is less severe than the Delta Variant. Try and stay safe and make sure to get your booster doses done after 6 months of your complete vaccination.
