With more than 30 changes on its spike protein, the Omicron variant of coronavirus may not be as lethal as the Delta and Alpha and other coronavirus variants, which have claimed more than five million lives worldwide. According to a scientist from Israel’s Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, the variant looks to be more contagious.
Omicron has spread to over 38 nations, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), but no deaths have been documented.
Prof. Dror Mevorach, a senior physician, was reported in the Jerusalem Post as saying, “We have to say this with a lot of caution, but if we look at the already available evidence, there is reason to suspect that the variant is spreading fast, but maybe it is not so hazardous.”
The Tshwane District Omicron Variant Patient Profile in South Africa revealed that 80% of hospital admissions in the previous two weeks were adults under the age of 50, with the vast majority not requiring oxygen support.
“It would definitely be wonderful news for the world,” Mevorach said. I believe we have seen signs of vaccinated persons being infected, but their illness looks to be mild.”
“We may need to accept that some individuals may become ill and treat them with the antiviral medications that are about to become accessible, or the vaccines may need to be altered slightly to be more effective,” he said. “However, I’m not convinced we’ll need to do that.” “Perhaps the first option will suffice.”
According to the report, Mevorach expressed confidence that the booster’s protection would persist for a long period.
While the WHO noted earlier that it has not received any reports of deaths linked to Omicron, the new variant’s spread has prompted fears that it could account for more than half of Covid-19 cases in Europe in the coming months.
According to a preliminary investigation conducted by researchers in South Africa, where the variant was first discovered on November 24, it is three times more likely than the Delta or Beta variants to induce reinfections. South African doctors said there had been a spike in children under five admitted to hospital since Omicron emerged, but stressed it was too early to know if young children were particularly susceptible.
