Omicron COVID-19 Variant: Everything You Should Know

The virus variant has been found in more than a dozen

countries.

The latest COVID-19 variant to rise to the level of

concern was named on Nov. 26: Omicron.

You might be wondering why the new strain sounds like

a Marvel super villain. The World Health Organization
simply decided to name significant variants after Greek
letters as a way to avoid confusion, according to the
New York Times.

A lot of work needs to be done to understand the transmissibility, severity, and immune evasiveness of
Omicron. But there's a lot we do know and can infer about the virus based on the best scientific and public
health understandings available, which can guide how we act in the weeks and months ahead.

Here’s what we know so far.

What Is the Omicron Variant?

The COVID-19 virus is constantly evolving as it seeks to evade human

immune responses and infect more people but most of its evolutions are
insignificant. Every now and then, a variant of the disease appears that
permits a closer look. Omicron is the latest such evolution, following (from
most recent) Delta, Gamma, Beta, and Alpha.

Epidemiologists in South Africa sequenced the Omicron strain and

reported their findings to the WHO on Nov. 24, noting that it contains
more than 30 mutations in the virus’ spike proteins, which allow it to
penetrate and infect cells. The variant was first discovered in Botswana.

3 Things You Need to Know About the Omicron Variant of COVID-19

 Omicron was first reported in Botswana and then South Africa but has since spread to more than a dozen countries.
 The variant has an unusually high number of mutations, but this in and of itself doesn’t tell us much about its effects
on the human body.
 The same rules apply for containing Omicron as any other variant: vaccine equity; universal access to treatments,
masks, and hygiene maintenance; and poverty reduction measures.

How Does Omicron Differ From Other Strains in Its Effects on the Human Body?

Early reports suggest that people infected with the Omicron variant have symptoms similar to those of the
flu — fatigue and head and body aches — whereas people with the Delta variant often report low oxygen
levels, elevated pulse rates, and loss of smell and taste.
These are early reports, however, and a clearer picture will emerge as more data arrives. While there are
no indications that Omicron causes more dangerous symptoms than other strains, it’s possible that it may
be more transmissible and less susceptible to vaccines.

Where Has Omicron Been Found?

The Omicron variant has been found in Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. The WHO
warns that the virus could soon be present in every country around the world, prolonging the pandemic,
exposing vulnerable populations.

How Are Countries Responding?

Public health experts have advised countries not to sanction travel prohibitions because Omicron has and
will spread beyond borders anyway, and travel bans unnecessarily stigmatize and damage affected
countries.

"The only thing the prohibition on travel will do is to further damage the economies of the affected
countries and undermine their ability to respond to, and recover from, the pandemic.

Many governments are actively monitoring flights from southern Africa, testing travelers on board, and
requiring those who test positive to quarantine. Governments are also ordering stronger public health
measures such as expanded mask and vaccine requirements and restrictions on indoor gatherings.

Omicron has become the dominant COVID-19 strain in South Africa, but the country’s health minister has
urged people and world leaders not to panic and to instead work together to understand and contain the
variant.

That’s an important point that can’t be overlooked — the ongoing refusal of wealthy countries to help low-
income countries obtain vaccines and treatments has arguably created the conditions for Omicron to
emerge in the first place.

What Can Governments Do to Contain Omicron?

The WHO has laid out an action plan for countries to follow.

When it comes to understanding the variant, countries need to increase surveillance and sequencing of the
virus and share data on individual cases and outbreaks to public databases to allow for global monitoring.
Countries should also apply resources to understanding the characteristics and effects of Omicron to
determine if existing vaccines and treatments remain effective.

In terms of containing the virus, experts say we need to provide vaccines to everyone who is eligible,
especially at-risk populations. Countries should also continue to provide economic relief to communities to
ensure that people can isolate themselves without experiencing the hardships of poverty.

Countries need to work together to contain and overcome COVID-19. That means sharing vaccines and
treatments, ensuring all health care systems are properly resourced and staffed, and providing essential aid
to countries suffering from economic repercussions.