Omicron super variant: A test for the world's efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic is not over yet

Scientists have long warned that the world will see new SARS-CoV-2 variants as the virus continues to mutate.

On November 25, South African Health Minister Joe Phaahla announced the discovery of the Omicron variant that is spreading rapidly in many areas of the country, a reminder that the Covid-19 pandemic is not over yet.

Hours after the announcement, several countries, including the US and UK, imposed travel restrictions on South Africa and several other African countries.

New travel restrictions announced by President Joe Biden on November 26 will give the US more time to assess the Omicron variant, officials said.

It's inevitable that the Omicron variant will make its way to the US at some point, but the new restrictions will give health officials more time to learn about the new variant, including how severe cases are.

US officials have been quick to implement new restrictions. Although the emergence of the new variant has been a concern for weeks, it is only in recent days that they have seen its seriousness. US officials are scheduled to discuss the Omicron variant with scientists in South Africa on November 28.

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the variant discovered in South Africa, called B.1.1.529, was named Omicron after the letters of the Greek alphabet. The WHO also called on countries to increase surveillance and genetic sequencing to better understand SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Vaccine makers have been quick to identify the Omicron variant as a concern globally, with Moderna saying it poses a “potentially significant risk” to Covid-19 vaccines.

“The Omicron variant contains mutations found in the Delta variant that are associated with increased transmissibility and immune evasion. The combination of these dangerous mutations may impair vaccine-induced immunity,” Moderna said in a statement.

Now, as scientists work to understand the Omicron variant, health officials recommend people wear masks, avoid large gatherings, and get vaccinated if they haven’t already. The emergence of the Omicron super variant is evidence that the Covid-19 pandemic is still present.

SARS-CoV-2 will continuously create new variants

“We understand that people are worried. The good news is that we have surveillance systems around the world to detect new variants quickly. The Omicron variant was detected a few weeks ago and scientists are sharing their research data with us so we can act quickly,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO technical lead on Covid-19.

“It is important for individuals to reduce their exposure and take preventive measures such as wearing masks, social distancing, washing hands regularly, avoiding crowds, staying in well-ventilated rooms and getting vaccinated,” Ms. Van Kerkhove emphasized.

As the world grapples with the worrying Omicron variant, medical guidance on reducing protective measures such as wearing masks may have to change.

Even if Covid-19 becomes endemic, meaning outbreaks still occur but do not have a major impact on people's lives, it is still possible that new variants will continue to emerge.

“New variants will continue to emerge from the SARS-CoV-2 virus, most of which will not be dangerous. However, it is still necessary to characterize and monitor new variants to assess their impact,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security.

Race to find "weapons" to destroy the Omicron variant

Vaccine makers are racing to updateCovid-19 vaccineto deal with new variants.

Scientists at BioNTech have begun studying the impact of the Omicron variant on its vaccine, which is being developed with Pfizer. The study data is expected to be published in the coming weeks.

“We understand the concerns of experts and have immediately initiated investigations into the Omicron variant. We expect to have further data from laboratory testing in two weeks,” BioNTech said in a statement on November 26.

In a statement on November 26, Moderna said it was working quickly to test the ability of its current vaccine to fight the Omicron variant and that data was expected in the coming weeks.

Moderna is testing increased doses of its Covid-19 vaccine in case the vaccine and booster shots aren't enough to combat the new variant.

“Since early 2021, Moderna has implemented a comprehensive strategy to anticipate the emergence of new variants of concern, including three tiers of response if vaccine-induced immunity wanes,” Moderna said.

In response to the emergence of the Omicron variant, Johnson & Johnson said: “We are closely monitoring new variants and testing the efficacy of our vaccine against the rapidly spreading Omicron variant first detected in southern Africa.”

An AstraZeneca spokesperson said the vaccine maker is studying the impact of the Omicron variant on its Covid-19 vaccine and testing antibody combinations against the new variant.

“AstraZeneca is also conducting studies in places where the Omicron variant has been identified, namely Botswana and Eswatini, which will allow us to collect real-world data on the vaccine’s efficacy against this new variant,” AstraZeneca said.

AstraZeneca's antibody treatment, AZD7442, is also being tested against the Omicron variant, and the company hopes AZD7442 will remain effective because it includes two potent antibodies with different activities against the virus./.