Omicron a new wake-up call

The world is approaching post-covid challenges and uncertainties still are looming large striving to strike a balance between lives and livelihoods. 

Recently, the discovery of a new and potentially more transmissible coronavirus variant by South African health authorities has sparked a forceful reaction across the world, with several countries banning travellers from several southern African countries. 

The World Health Organization announced Friday has designated the newly identified coronavirus variant, B.1.1.529, as a variant of concern, named Omicron.

Besides South Africa, the newly identified variant has been detected in Botswana, Hong Kong and Belgium. It appears to be spreading rapidly in parts of South Africa and scientists are concerned its unusually high number of mutations could make it more transmissible and result in immune evasion.

Characteristics of Omicron, a New Coronavirus-19 Variant

Variants of concern, which include alpha, beta and delta, and now omicron, have shown to spread more easily, cause more serious disease, or dent the effectiveness of vaccines and other COVID-fighting tools.

As per the WHO Health Emergencies Programme the early evidence on omicron, known by the technical term B.1.1.529, shows that the variant has a large number of mutations, some of which have concerning characteristics. 

Omicron has also been shown to have an increased risk of reinfection compared to other highly transmissible variants, indicating that people who contracted COVID and recovered could be more subject to catching it again with this variant. 

Omicron has thus far been seen in travellers to Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel, as well as in southern Africa. The European Union, along with Canada and Russia, have also announced a pause on flights to and from southern Africa amid growing concerns surrounding the new variant. There has been a concern for potential spikes due to both the Delta and Omicron variants. 

Recently, two Covid-19 cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in India [Karnataka]. 

In order to acquire pandemic-fighting supplies, it is imperative to increase hospital capacity and fight potential staffing shortages and allow the state Health Department to limit non-essential and non-urgent procedures at hospitals. 

According to the WHO Technical Advisory Committee for Virus Evolution will be meeting "regularly" concerning the new variant.  Moreover, tests can take days and weeks to receive results that could provide a better understanding of the impacts of omicron. Until more information is found, encouraged people to prevent their exposure to COVID infection by distancing, wearing a mask, avoiding crowded spaces, consistently washing hands and getting vaccinated. 

A new variant quickly becoming dominant in South Africa is now under investigation by the UK Health Security Agency.  The Government has imposed travel restrictions on six African countries in the hope of preventing its arrival. 

The new COVID-19 strain, named B.1.1.529, was identified from samples taken from 14 to 16 November 2021. It was then confirmed in China, after a South African traveller entered the country, and has since been reported to be in Belgium. 

It is a matter of concern that this new variant may pose a substantial risk to public health and early indications show this variant may be more transmissible than the Delta variant, and current vaccines may be less effective against it. It may impact the effectiveness of a major COVID-19 treatment used in hospitals. 

The WHO has assigned B.1.1.529 the name Omicron, following the theme of letters of the Greek alphabet. 

According to data from the GISAID COVID tracking initiative there have been 65 cases identified in South Africa. Scientists have also confirmed six cases of the Omicron variant in Botswana and four in Hong Kong. 

Scientists are also trying to understand the characteristics of mutants, such as whether they can avoid the immune response caused by the vaccine and whether they cause more severe illness than other mutants. 

However, health authorities around the world need to monitor which ones are more important than others because it cannot be ruled out that this variant may be continuously transmitted to other countries. Much research is underway to identify vaccine effectiveness against omicron variants.  

Boosted vaccinations with approved vaccines are the only strategy currently available to enhance the weakening of the immune system. 

It is to be noted that a travel ban on African countries is no solution. Virus mutations and new variants can be expected to arise more frequently where fewer people are vaccinated. To slow the process, vaccine inequity and vaccine hesitancy both must be addressed - in every country. 

First: Doses of vaccines should be widely available and accessible across high- and low-income countries. This requires vaccine production in low-income countries. 

Second: Scientists need to work with trusted community leaders to disseminate information in a way that responds to local fears, needs and context. 

Third: The encouragement of non-pharmaceutical measures to prevent infection remains necessary. The pandemic's duration has led to fatigue with basic public health measures such as masks and avoiding crowds, but they must be maintained. 

Fourth: Effective testing of international travellers, quarantine, treatment, and tracing of contacts must remain a mainstay of infectious disease control. 

A pandemic is global. It cannot end in some areas without ending everywhere. The discovery of the Omicron variant is a wake-up call for renewed global solidarity. Unless the world works together to tackle vaccine inequity, apathy, and hesitancy, Omicron will be another example in an unending list of variants and an infinite pandemic. 

No matter how successful we are in fighting the threat of covid-19 at home, we will not end the suffering and fear created by the virus unless we also combat it around the world.