The Omicron strain of Corona... Why do scientists panic?
What is the new "Omicron" strain of the Corona virus? Why do scientists fear it? What did the World Health Organization say about it? What are the specifications of Omicron compared to other strains "variants"?
Omicron Strain
The World Health Organization named the new Corona strain "Omicron", following the pattern of Greek symbol names, such as the "Alpha" and "Delta" variants.
The Omicron strain code is B1.1.529 (B.1.1.529), and it was first reported to the World Health Organization from South Africa on November 24.
What characterizes the Omicron strain?
- This "variant" strain contains a large number of mutations, "some of which are of concern," according to the World Health Organization.
- Preliminary evidence points to an increased risk of "reinfection" with this variant, compared to other strains.
- The number of Omicron strain cases appears to be increasing in almost all provinces of South Africa.
- Contains The Omicron strain has an unusual set of mutations that could: Help the coronavirus evade immunity in the body Make it more transmissible
- The Omicron strain contains 32 mutations in the spike protein, which is part of the virus. From the virus most vaccines use to prime the immune system against COVID-19. This number of mutations is about double the number associated with the Delta strain, according to a report in the British newspaper "The Guardian".
What did the World Health Organization say?
classified The World Health Organization classifies omicron strain as a 'variate of concern' (Variant of Concern VOC).
What is a “variant of concern”?
According to the World Health Organization, mutants or variants of concern are strains of coronavirus that have one trait that is associated with changing one or more of the following traits:
Why are scientists so afraid of Omicron?
Any new variant capable of evading vaccines, or spreading faster than the now dominant delta variant, could pose a major threat as the world emerges from the pandemic.
What is the reproduction number of the Corona Omicron strain?
The basic reproductive number is its symbol (R0), and it is pronounced "R-Nat" or "R-Zero", and it refers to the average number of people that an infected person is expected to transmit disease to them.
The UK's Health Security Agency chief medical adviser, Dr Susan Hopkins, said the 'reproduction number' (R) value of the Omicron variant in Gauteng, South Africa, where it was first found, is now 2, a level of transmission that has not yet been reported. Recorded from the beginning of the pandemic before restrictions began. As for the reproduction number, anything higher than 1 will cause the epidemic to grow exponentially.
What are the characteristics of Omicron compared to other “variant” strains?
The day before yesterday, Thursday, senior scientists described Omicron as the worst variant they had seen since the beginning of the epidemic, according to the Guardian newspaper; It contains 32 mutations in the spike protein, a part of the virus that most vaccines use to prime the immune system against COVID-19, about twice the number associated with the delta variant.
Mutations in the spike protein can affect the ability of the virus to infect and spread cells, but also make it more difficult for immune cells to attack the pathogen.
The director of the Center for Epidemiological Response and Innovation in South Africa, Professor Tulio de Oliveira, said that there is an "extraordinary group of mutations" and that it is "completely different" from other variables that have been circulated.
In a briefing, Professor de Oliveira said there were 50 mutations in total and more than 30 on the spike protein, which is the target of most vaccines and the key the virus uses to unlock the entrance to the body's cells, according to the BBC website.
This level of mutation was likely caused by a single patient who was unable to overcome the virus.
The concern is that this virus is now radically different from the original that appeared in Wuhan, China. This means that vaccines, which were designed using the original strain, may not be effective.
What are the latest developments in the field?
Amid fears of a widespread spread of Omicron, several countries announced the suspension of flights coming from southern African countries, where this new variant of the Corona virus was detected.
After North American, European and Arab countries, Australia - and before that Brazil - closed its borders to those coming from southern Africa.
Australia banned - today, Saturday - flights from 9 countries in South Africa. Health Minister Greg Hunt said non-Australians who had visited South Africa, Zimbabwe and other countries in the past two weeks would also be denied entry to Australia. Citizens and residents traveling from these countries will be subject to a 14-day quarantine.
For its part, the Brazilian Health Monitoring Agency recommended - in a statement yesterday, Friday - the suspension of flights from 6 southern African countries, "given the epidemiological impact that the new variant could have on the global situation."
Canada and the United States announced that travelers from southern countries in Africa will be prevented from entering their lands, while Japan will tighten restrictions with a 10-day quarantine for those coming from this region.
US President Joe Biden said - in a statement - that "information about this new mutant makes it more clear that this epidemic will not end without vaccination worldwide," calling for more vaccines to be provided to poor countries.
In Europe, the Dutch health authorities announced today, Saturday, 61 confirmed cases of Covid-19 among travelers who came on two flights from South Africa, but they need more tests to find out if they are infected with the new mutated Omicron.
One infection was detected in Europe with this variant in Belgium.
Scapegoat
Several European countries - including Britain, France, Italy and Switzerland - banned flights from South Africa and its neighboring countries. Russia will apply a similar decision starting tomorrow, Sunday, and Spain, starting next Tuesday.
One case of Omicron was recorded in Hong Kong. The European Union recommended suspending all flights from South Africa and 6 other countries in the region, while several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, announced that they would close their borders to travelers from this region.
These decisions and recommendations resented South Africa, which considered them "unjustified". "Some of the reactions are unjustified," said Health Minister Joe Vahla - at a press conference on Friday evening. "Some leaders are looking for a scapegoat to solve a global problem," he added.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday, Friday, as they "discussed the challenges posed by the new variant of Covid-19 globally, and ways to work together to deal with international travel and reopen it," according to a spokesperson for the British government presidency. .
No new mutant has ever raised this much concern around the world, since the emergence of the Delta mutant.
The travel ban has tragic consequences in South Africa. It comes just before the southern summer when wildlife parks and hotels are usually full; The tourism sector is just beginning to hope for a normal season.
South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said - in a statement - "Our immediate concern is the damage this decision will cause to the tourism and business sectors."
Moderna wants to develop a vaccine
Fears of a new spread of the Covid-19 epidemic led to the postponement of the Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, its first in 4 years. It was assumed that 4,000 people would participate in the conference, from November 30 to December 3.
After an emergency meeting yesterday, Friday, the 164 members of the World Trade Organization - agreed to postpone the twelfth ministerial conference "indefinitely", in the wake of the spread of the mutated Omicron, "which prompted many governments to impose severe restrictions on travel, This will prevent many ministers from going to Geneva," the organization said.
"This does not mean that negotiations should stop. Quite the contrary," said FAO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Scientists are already trying to understand these new mutations, and Moderna Laboratories announced that they plan to "develop a vaccine" against Omicron.
A WHO spokesman said on Friday that it would take "several weeks" to understand the virus's transmissibility and severity.
For its part, the European Medicines Agency said that it is "premature" to plan to adapt vaccines to the Omicron mutant.
About 54% of the world's population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, but only 5.6% have been vaccinated in low-income countries, according to "Our World in Data" website.
