Omicron variant of Coronavirus in India

On November 24, 2021, a new variant of SARS-CoV-2, B.1.1.529, was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO). This new variant was first detected in specimens collected on November 11, 2021 in Botswana and on November 14, 2021 in South Africa.

On November 26, 2021, WHO named the B.1.1.529 Omicron and classified it as a Variant of Concern (VOC). On November 30, 2021, the United States designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern, and on December 1, 2021, the first confirmed U.S. case of Omicron was identified.

How did the Omicron variant develop?

• When a virus is circulating widely and causing numerous infections, the likelihood of the virus mutating increases. The more opportunities a virus has to spread, the more opportunities it has to undergo changes.
• New variants like Omicron are a reminder that the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. It is therefore essential that people get the vaccine when available to them and continue to follow existing advice on preventing the spread of the virus, including physical distancing, wearing masks, regular handwashing and keeping indoor areas well ventilated.

How fast is Omicron spreading?

• Omicron’s rapid rise in South Africa is what worries researchers most, because it suggests the variant could spark explosive increases in COVID-19 cases elsewhere.
• On 1 December, South Africa recorded 8,561 cases, up from the 3,402 reported on 26 November and several hundred per day in mid-November, with much of the growth occurring in Gauteng Province, home to Johannesburg. Epidemiologists measure an epidemic’s growth using R, the average number of new cases spawned by each infection.

• The Omicron variant has been spreading fast in India. the total number of cases infected with the new strain of coronavirus crossed the 100-mark in the country.
• Maharastra has recorded the highest number of cases followed by the capital which recorded the second highest increase in cases.
• The rate of transmission is found very high for this new variant.

Role of the vaccine in fighting with Omicron variants

• Immunity studies suggest that modest levels of neutralizing antibodies may protect people from severe forms of COVID-19, said by an immunologist at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.
• Other aspects of the immune system, particularly T cells, may be less affected by Omicron’s mutations than are antibody responses. Researchers in South Africa plan to measure the activity of T cells and another immune player called natural killer cells, which might be especially important for protection against severe COVID-19.
• The threat of Omicron has prompted some rich countries, such as the United Kingdom, to accelerate and broaden the roll-out of COVID vaccine booster doses.
• However, WHO reports that so far it looks like the currently available vaccines offer significant protection against severe disease and death.
• It is also important to be vaccinated to protect against the other widely circulating variants, such as the Delta one. When it’s your turn, make sure to get vaccinated.
• If your vaccination involves two doses, it’s important to receive both in order to have the maximum protection.