A new type of coronavirus has been found that scientists say is ‘of great concern’.
The Omicron variant worries experts because it is very different from the types of Covid that current vaccines are designed to combat.
A variant is a slightly altered – or mutated – version of a virus. There are thousands of Covid variants around the world, which is to be expected as viruses are constantly mutating.
Omicron is strikingly different from many other species due to the long list of genetic mutations it has undergone.
In particular, there are dozens of changes to the part of the virus that the vaccine targets – the spike protein.
- What do we know about this new variant?
Early signs suggest that current vaccines may not work quite as well against Omicron.
Data from around the world suggests that Omicron may be more contagious and spread very easily.
This suggests the variant may be better at bypassing some of the protection offered by vaccines or previous infections.
Preliminary laboratory studies show two doses of Covid vaccine may not be enough. One answer could be to give people extra doses to boost their immunity, like the UK is doing now.
Research from the UK suggests that booster shots should provide good protection against serious illnesses.
Experts say Omicron could be milder because fewer people get sick enough to require hospital treatment compared to other variants.
However, if it is more contagious, it could lead to more deaths in an unvaccinated population.
As with other Covid variants, the risk remains highest for the elderly or those with significant underlying conditions.
While current vaccines may not be a perfect match for Omicron, they are still the best line of defense against Covid.
They have lowered the risk of serious illness over the other major Covid variants, including Delta, Alpha, Beta and Gamma.
Doctors say it’s important that people get the recommended number of doses to get maximum protection from existing and emerging variants.
The government is stepping up its vaccination program in response to Omicron and hopes to be able to offer a booster shot to every adult in the UK by the end of January.
Although the number of Covid infections has increased, the number of hospital admissions and deaths has remained well below levels of previous waves. Experts say this is due to the success of the vaccination program.
- When do I get my booster and how do I book it?
- How many people have been vaccinated so far?
Updated versions of vaccines against Covid variants are already being developed and tested.
Manufacturers could ramp up production quickly too, and regulators have already been discussing how to speed up the approval process.
Moderna has already said it hopes to have an Omicron booster ready by March.
The most potentially dangerous are known as variants of concern and, in addition to Omicron, include:
- Delta (B.1.617.2), first identified in India and now the most common species circulating in Britain
- Alpha (B.1.1.7), first identified in the UK but distributed in more than 50 countries
- Beta (B.1.351), first identified in South Africa but recorded in at least 20 other countries including the UK
- Gamma (P.1) first identified in Brazil but has spread to more than 10 other countries including the UK
British officials are also eyeing a newer derivative of the Delta variant called the AY.4.2, or “Delta plus”.
Viruses make copies of themselves to reproduce, but they’re not perfect at it. Errors can creep in that change the genetic blueprint and thus lead to a new version of the virus – i.e. a variant.
If this gives the virus a survival advantage, the new version will thrive.
The more chances the coronavirus has to make copies of itself inside us—the host—the more opportunities there are for mutations to occur.
It is therefore important to keep infections to a minimum. Vaccines help by curbing transmission and protecting against severe Covid disease.
Experts say it’s possible that the new heavily altered variant B.1.1.529 came from a patient whose immune system couldn’t get rid of a Covid infection quickly, giving the virus more time to transform.
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