Popular Science: Why the Omicron strain "needs attention"

The World Health Organization urgently convened a special assessment meeting on the 26th for the mutant strain of the new coronavirus that appeared in some countries recently, and listed it as a mutant strain that "requires attention", requiring countries to strengthen monitoring and sequencing

Why does the Omicron strain "need attention"? What is the significance of this virus mutation? Are the existing anti-epidemic tools still effective?

Variation to watch

All viruses, including the new coronavirus, may make some "mistakes" in the process of self-replication, which is often referred to as mutation

According to Thomas Peacock, a virology expert at Imperial College London, the newly discovered Ormicon strain in November has undergone many mutations, including 32 mutations in its surface spike protein alone, and the new coronavirus is exactly the Infects humans by binding of the spike protein to human cell receptors

Lawrence Young, a virologist at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom, said the new strain not only combines some of the mutations in other strains for the first time, but also new ones

The World Health Organization urgently held a special assessment meeting on the 26th, deeming that some mutations of the Omicron strain were "worrying" and listed it as a mutant strain that "requires attention", requiring countries to strengthen monitoring and sequencing

Mutation significance still unknown

WHO introduced on the 26th that this new strain was confirmed for the first time in South Africa on the 9th and reported to the WHO for the first time on the 24th

Preliminary evidence shows that the Ormicron strain is being detected faster than other mutant strains that have caused infection surges in the past, suggesting that this latest mutant strain may have a growth advantage

However, researchers don't yet know how dangerous the Ormicron strain is

Sharon Peacock, who leads the new coronavirus genetic sequencing project at the University of Cambridge, UK, said available data showed that the new strains carried mutations that could lead to increased infectivity, but the significance of many of the mutations remained unknown

Peter Openshaw, professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College, pointed out that although the Omicron strain may spread faster, the recent surge in infections in South Africa may also be related to intensive surveillance, and whether the new strain will replace the delta strain in South Africa It's hard to tell if it will become a major epidemic strain

Anti-epidemic tools still work

Will the Omicron strain render existing treatments and vaccines ineffective? According to WHO, the currently commonly used polymerase chain reaction test (nucleic acid test) can still be used to label the Omicron strain

In terms of vaccine effectiveness, Neil Ferguson, an infectious disease expert at Imperial College London, said there was no reliable assessment of how the Ormicon strain might weaken the vaccine, so it was too early to assess its risk

　　Richard Hatchett, CEO of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, pointed out that the emergence of new strains has made it more urgent to develop a more effective new crown vaccine, in addition to the need to continue to expand vaccination globally to reduce the spread of the virus

　　While it's unclear how much of a threat to public health the Omicron strain poses, the potential consequences of inaction could be serious, some experts said