Optimistic signals about the Omicron variant
The first patients infected with Omicron had mild symptoms, but scientists say the current vaccine is still effective in preventing severe disease.
Mild symptoms, no increased risk of death
Recently, Ms. Angelique Coetzee - President of the South African Medical Association, informed about the symptoms of the first patients discovered to be infected.Omicron variant.
Dr Coetzee first learned of the new variant at her private clinic in Pretoria, South Africa, when Covid-19 patients presented with different symptoms. “Their symptoms were very different and very mild compared to those I had treated before,” Ms Coetzee said.
The main symptoms were severe fatigue, a 6-year-old had a high heart rate, but no one lost their sense of taste or smell.
Ms Coetzee reported the development to the South African Vaccine Advisory Committee on 18 November.
“What we have to worry about now is that we’re going to see severe cases in older, unvaccinated people infected with the new variant,” Dr Coetzee said. Half of the Omicron patients were unvaccinated.Covid-19 vaccine.
Meanwhile, Professor Calum Semple - Member of the UK Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), also expressed optimism as current evidence shows that Omicron has not increased deaths.
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| Illustration: AS |
Vaccines may still be effective
A British scientist involved in developing a Covid-19 vaccine has expressed optimism that current vaccines will be effective against the Omicron variant, and said a new outbreak in the UK was “extremely unlikely”.
Professor Andrew Pollard, who helped develop the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, said experts would need to wait several weeks to confirm this, but he said the current vaccines were likely to be effective in preventing severe disease.
His comments come as countries rush to close their borders with southern Africa to slow the spread of the Omicron strain, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified as “a cause for concern” due to its increased risk of reinfection.
The UK has banned flights from South Africa and five neighbouring countries and is considering adding more countries to its red list as Belgium became the first EU country to report an Omicron case.
Several pharmaceutical companies are adapting their vaccines in light of Omicron's emergence. Moderna and Novavax have already begun work, while Pfizer and BioNTech hope to have a suitable vaccine ready within 100 days if a variant emerges that evades existing vaccines.
According to Professor Pollard, it is possible to develop a new vaccine very quickly if required by pharmaceutical companies that already have an efficient process.
Most of the mutations in Omicron are in the same regions as other variants, he said. “Even if those mutations are present in other variants, the vaccine continues to prevent severe disease. It is very unlikely that there will be a pandemic outbreak in a vaccinated population.”
But some experts are more concerned. The UK government is also facing calls to do more to prevent the Omicron variant from reaching the UK while the Delta surge is ongoing.
