Urgent Science | Attention! New variant of COVID-19 - "Omicron"

The newly discovered new variant of the coronavirus has aroused high vigilance in various countries. On November 26, the World Health Organization issued a statement after an emergency meeting, naming this new variant of the coronavirus Omicron.

How was Omicron discovered?

A mass infection among a group of students was discovered in Pretoria, the capital of South Africa. The epidemic quickly developed from a few people infected to thousands of people infected, and spread to other cities in South Africa.

As of November 28, South Africa, Israel, Belgium, Italy, the United Kingdom, Austria and Hong Kong, China have all monitored the importation of this variant strain.

What is Omicron?

On November 27th local time, the scientific research team of the Rome Children's Hospital in Italy released the world's first picture of the new mutant strain of the new coronavirus, Omicron.

As can be seen from the figure, compared with the previously discovered "Delta" strain, Omicron has——

➯More spike protein mutations

➯Variation and Diversification

➯Mostly located in areas that interact with human cells

The following impacts may occur:

➯ Greater risk of transmission

➯ Stronger vaccine resistance

➯Increase the risk of secondary infection with COVID-19

On November 29, 2021, the World Health Organization said that the overall global risk assessment of the Omicron variant of the new coronavirus is "very high" and it may spread widely in the world.

How was Omicron formed?

There are three possible reasons:

➯ After immunocompromised patients are infected with the new coronavirus——

After a long period of evolution in the body, a large number of mutations accumulate and are transmitted by chance.

➯After a certain animal group is infected with the new coronavirus——

It mutated after undergoing adaptive changes during transmission in animal populations and spilled over to infect humans.

➯ Insufficient monitoring capacity in some countries or regions

This variant strain has continued to be prevalent for a long time in countries or regions where the monitoring of coronavirus genome mutations is backward. Due to insufficient monitoring capabilities, the intermediate generation viruses of its evolution were not discovered in time.

Countries' response to Omicron

We should not panic blindly about the emerging novel coronavirus variants. Let's hear what our experts say:

How should the public prevent themselves in daily life?

one

Wearing a mask is an effective way to block the spread of the virus, and it also applies to the Omicron variant.

Even if you have completed the full vaccination and booster shots, you still need to wear a mask in indoor public places, public transportation, etc. In addition, you must wash your hands frequently and ensure indoor ventilation.

two

Monitor your personal health.

If you have suspected symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc., monitor your body temperature in a timely manner and seek medical attention.

three

Reduce non-essential entry and exit.

In just a few days, many countries and regions have reported the importation of the Omicron variant. my country is also facing the risk of importation of this variant, and the global understanding of this variant is still limited. Therefore, we should try to reduce travel to high-risk areas and strengthen personal protection during travel to reduce the chance of infection with the Omicron variant.

Some content sources: CCTV.com, People's Daily Client, Guangxi Disease Control Center