Omicron (B.1.1.529): A new Covid variant
B.1.1.529
The Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) has found a new variant for the SARS-CoV-2 variant: Omicron (B.1.1.529) on 26-11-2021.
The B.1.1.529 variant was first reported in South Africa and Botswana as a ‘variant of concern’. The first infection was found on 09-11-2021. Latterly in South Africa, the increase of COVID cases has been gradually increased. They spotted the increase in COVID cases may be due to the new variant B.1.1.529. TAG-VE undergoes numerous studies to evaluate this variant.
Why Omicron?
The World Health Organization (WHO) has planned to name this variant as nu. But eventually, they’ve decided to have the name omicron leaving the next 2 letters of Greek.
Paul Nuki, the senior editor at The Telegraph, said that a WHO source had confirmed the letters Nu and Xi were skipped to avoid confusion with the word ‘new’ and ‘avoid stigmatizing a region’ respectively.
The below image shows you the Greek letters along with names.
The Omicron variant has a large number of mutations rather than other viruses so far found. This variant is found in most places in South Africa. Current SARS-CoV-2 PCR diagnostics continue to detect this variant. Several labs have indicated that for one extensively used PCR test, one of the three target genes isn’t detected (called S gene dropout or S gene target failure) and this test can thus be used as a marker for this variant, pending sequencing evidence.
Using this approach, this variant has been detected at faster rates than former surges in infection, suggesting that this variant may have a growth advantage.
Omicron’s actual risks aren’t understood yet. But early proof suggests it carries an increased risk of re-infection compared with other highly transmittable variants, the WHO said. That means people who contracted Covid-19 and recovered could be subject to catching it again. It could take weeks to know if current vaccines are less effective against this variant.
Dr. Gagandeep Kang’s words on Omicron.
Gagandeep Kang (India’s top microbiologist and virologist) the omicron variant could be more transmittable, and it may spread to numerous countries.
- “Since we’ve got the first identification on November 9, we formerly have a good sense of sequence data. We know that this is a strain that has mutations unlike the constellations that have been seen previously. So there are chances that it’ll spread more easily, and some chances that it may be able to evade the immune response,” Dr. Kang said.
- “A good surveillance system can stop onward transmission of this variant,” Dr. Gagandeep Kang said.
- “ Whether we call it a booster or third dose, we need to monitor the immune system of immunocompromised individualities and to make sure that they some level of response to vaccines,” Dr. Kang said, adding, “We need specific vaccination strategy, specific operation strategy for them, and so far we don’t have that.”
World Health Organizations (WHO) recommendations.
WHO asked countries to do the following:
1. enhance surveillance and sequencing efforts to better understand circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants.
2. submit complete genome sequences and associated metadata to an intimately available database, similar to GISAID.
3. report initial cases/clusters associated with VOC infection to WHO through the IHR medium.
4. where capacity exists and in collaboration with the transnational community, perform field examinations and laboratory assessments to improve understanding of the implicit impacts of the VOC on COVID-19 epidemiology, severity, the effectiveness of public health and social measures, diagnostic styles, immune responses, antibody neutralization, or other relevant characteristics.