The world has been coming back on track after combating COVID-19 from November 2019. With vaccines driven across the world, everyone believed that things would get back to normal only until Omicron was found.
Omicron’s new covid 19 variant has been spreading widely across the globe and is predicted to be a more dangerous variant than the variants detected to date. It seems that Omicron’s new COVID-19 variant can mutate itself 32 times and hence can be difficult to treat.
WHO has designated it as a variant of concern? and the Omicron symptoms day by day? The variant has a huge number of mutations and most of them are novel. Other mutations affect the spike proteins used for most vaccine targeting at the time of discovery.
The level of mutation has developed concerns for immune system evasion, transmissibility and vaccine resistance.
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1. What Is Omicron?
WHO philosophy suggested which makes the variants less confusing and easier to understand. The variants are named after Greek alphabets based on “variants of interest” and “variants of concern”. Omicron’s new covid 19 variant is the fifteenth letter of the Greek alphabet.
This alphabet has been used as a name for the new variant of Coronavirus. Omicron variant, also known by the PANGO lineage identifier B.1.1.529, GISAID clade identifier GR/484A, and Nextstrain clade identifier 21K, is a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
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2. How Does Omicron 19 Spread?
Like any Covid virus, Omicron spreads when one comes in contact with the affected person. The affected person transmits through its sneeze, cough or while talking which carries droplets which contain the virus. It can also be airborne or transmitted through the surface.
3. From Where Omicron Spread?
The first infected person of Omicron was detected in South Africa. It is said that it has been spread from South Africa to other countries such as Botswana, Belgium, Israel and Hong Kong. Slowly it is spreading across the world through the travellers going round the world.
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4. Omicron Symptoms Timeline Day by Day
Omicron-infected person does not have any usual symptoms. The person may encounter some fatigue. However, no cough or change in smell was noticed.
The variant does not have any mild symptoms thus reducing the need for hospitalisation. The symptoms are very mild when infected with the Omicron variant. The symptoms of Omicron can vary from time to time.
5. Omicron Symptoms Include
The Omicron symptoms may be very similar to the Covid or other variants. Very common symptoms can be cough, loss of taste, loss of smell, and fatigue. However, people with Omicron infection can show no symptoms.
6. Points To Remember
Whether Omicron or any variant, the rule of the game remains the same. One needs to wear a mask all the time when outside the house or meeting any new person. One needs to wash hands regularly.
You need to take a bath after coming from outside. Avoid contact with people and surfaces when out. Physical distancing is also important. Avoid crowded spaces and keep indoors well-ventilated. Also, get vaccines.
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7. Once You Face the Omicron Symptoms, What to Do
Once you are infected with Omicron, isolate yourself from everyone. Stay at home and take care of yourself. Throughout the illness keep in contact with your doctor.
Avoid public appearance. Keep an eye on your symptoms. Inform the people who have come in contact with you so that they can keep an eye on their symptoms.
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8. Omicron Risk Factors
Omicron has a high risk of spreading. It is a highly divergent variant. It has a high number of mutations with as high as 26 – 32 spikes. Some of the spikes are concerning.
It may be immune escape potential and higher transability. Omicron is the new variant which calls for a new accord for pandemics. It is said that this is the most dangerous variant of all the COVID-19 virus.
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9. Some Medical Conditions Can Also Serve Omicron
With some severe medical conditions, the virus can affect you. People with chronic disease can be affected faster and the mutation can be difficult to handle.
10. Transmission Of Omicron
The traceability of Omicron is not certain when compared to the delta variant. It has been speculated that it can be possible to increase by 100% i.e., twice as transmissible to 500% i.e., size times as transmissible.
South Africa had low yet rising cases of the Omicron variant after its identification. It is not known if the variant is more transmissible than Delta. The rapid spread of the variant can be due to the super spreader events. The correct transmissible reason is unknown.
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11. Steps To Follow for Omicron Prevention
The variant of Omicron can be avoided by a booster dose of J&J or Pfizer. You need to have responsible behaviour in public as well as individuals. Learn to live with the virus without getting bogged down with the effects. Stay strong physically as well as mentally.
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12. History Of Omicron
The Omicron variant was first found on 24 November 2021 in South Africa. However, the first specimen was traced in Botswana on 9th November 2021. One of the cases who travelled to Hong Kong was the reason for a spread in Hong Kong.
One traveller returning from Malawi carried the Omicron variant while the other two from South Africa and Madagascar too carried the variant. By 11th November Belgium and Egypt also confirmed cases.
The cases reported in Botswana were fully vaccinated. Even the cases identified in Israel were fully vaccinated and same as the case in Germany.
By 27th November 2021, the virus spread to the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy. Every country has been tracking flights for the passengers who travelled from South Africa. Governments have also been tracing the people who have recently come from South Africa and other African countries.
On 28th November, two cases were detected in Australia. Both passengers were fully vaccinated and isolated after detection.
Austria also detected the first case of the Omicron variant on 28 November 2021. Many other countries such as the Czech Republic, Canada, Portugal, etc have reported cases of the Omicron variant.
Who Guidelines for Countries Amidst Omicron?
- “Enhance surveillance and sequencing efforts to better understand circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants.
- Submit complete genome sequences and associated metadata to a publicly available database, such as GISAID.
- Report initial cases/clusters associated with virus-of-concern infection to WHO through the IHR mechanism.
- Where capacity exists and in coordination with the international community, perform field investigations and laboratory assessments to improve understanding of the potential impacts of the virus of concern on COVID-19 epidemiology, severity, effectiveness of public health and social measures, diagnostic methods, immune responses, antibody neutralization, or other relevant characteristics.”
With the spread of the Omicron variant and the deadly nature of the variant, many countries have stopped flights from seven African countries to control the spread virus. The frequent mutation and spike formation make it tougher. The neutralising of antibodies differs for each vaccine taken.
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