What do we know so far about the Omicron variant? Does it have different symptoms, does it develop a higher degree of disease severity? Is it true that it is more contagious than the Delta? Positive news: there are a lot of new data arriving every day: numbers, research and statistics that allow scientists to study “live” the epidemiological evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic. It proceeds like this: each data helps and can overcome a previous data, in essence it adds something more to what we know about the virus and its mutations. The urgency to understand how the virus behaves and the impact on human health is evident: often the studies also disclosed in the general press are not yet subjected to peer review, that is, to peer review. Other positive news is that from the first findings (but they are only neutralization tests of the virus at the moment) the third dose of vaccine helps to protect from Omicron, the recent mutation of the virus discovered in South Africa but actually already circulating in the northern hemisphere. This is a good reason not to delay booking the third dose of vaccine for too long.
Different symptoms
South Africa was prompt in isolating the Omicron variant, this prompted the country’s health authorities to immediately take measures such as sweep tests and targeted restrictions. To date we know that throughout South Africa between November 14 and December 4 theoccupation of intensive care units was equal to 6,3%. This is a figure provided by the African WHO. What can it mean? Meanwhile, it suggests that it is a low figure compared to the same period in which the country was facing the peak related to Delta variant in July.
Many other data need to be collected, though. The South African doctor who first identified the virus said he saw “extremely mild” symptoms among his patients, including fatigue it’s a “Scratched throat”, ma no cough or loss of taste or smell – symptoms that, if you remember, have been associated with previous strains of the coronavirus. The doctor in question is Angelique Coetzee and spoke of “unusual symptoms” that differed slightly from those associated with Delta variant, which is the most virulent strain so far and globally prevalent today. “It started with a male patient of around 33 … and he told me he was extremely tired for the past few days and had body aches and a bit of a headache,” Coetzee told the BBC.
That patient reported that he did not have a sore throat, but more the sensation of a “scratched throat”, and therefore irritated but not sore. This is the first single experience reported after November 18 by the doctor who tried to make the diagnosis based on the description of that single patient who then tested positive as his family. And then later, Coetzee saw patients experiencing the same symptoms that day. And they were different symptoms from the delta variant. This prompted her to sound the alarm.
How do you know if it’s Omicron or not
The Omicron variant has a large number of mutations, explains a WHO statement. Some of these mutations are troubling. Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant compared to other variants. Molecular swabs (PCR) continue to detect this variant. Several laboratories have indicated that for a standard PCR test, of those widely used, one of the three target genes is not detected and this test can therefore be used as a marker for this variant, pending confirmation of sequencing (it is important to remember that a complete gene analysis is required to confirm that a suspected case is Omicron or not). The Alpha variant also behaved like this, so to speak. Using this approach, this variant was detected at faster rates than previous peaks of infection.
Let’s take a practical example: I run a swab and when the result is processed it turns out that I am positive and that the test has not found one of those three genes (the S gene) that is always found when the Sars positivity is detected -Cov-2. What does it mean? That most likely we are in the presence of an infection caused by the Omicron variant and that we will have to proceed with a complete gene analysis. However, if the S gene is detected it is unlikely that the infection is due to Omicron.
Then there is an invisible version of Omicron. A version, that is, that cannot be distinguished from the other variants using the molecular tests we undergo for example after having had close contact with a person who tested positive for coronavirus. This variant has many mutations in common with standard Omicron, but one particular genetic change is missing. “There are two strains of Omicron, BA.1 and BA.2 – commented Professor Francois Balloux, director of the Institute of Genetics at University College London – which appear quite different genetically. And therefore they can behave differently ».
How do you protect yourself
The experts explain that the protective measures that we have learned to know in these two years still need to be implemented: vaccinating, wearing masks tightly fitting to the face, hand hygiene, physical distance, improving the ventilation of internal spaces, and avoiding spaces. crowded.
© breaking latest news
.