How bad is Omicron?
The omicron variant of COVID-19 has been reported as more transmissible, but overall less severe than previous COVID-19 variants. However, data from a study under peer-review in Nature Communications puts this claim under question, showing that omicron may ...
How dangerous is Omicron?
Omicron can cause croup, cardiac arrest in kids, know details here So far, there were two to three cases detected in Delhi and now one case in Patna. According to the experts, the new variant BA.12 is ten times more dangerous than the original lineage of ...
Why is Omicron so contagious?
What made Omicron so transmissible, most evidence indicates, is a single, potent mechanism: among the variants, Omicron had an unparalleled ability to hide from the immune system.
How long Am I contagious with Omicron?
Patients infected with the omicron variant of the novel coronavirus are contagious for at least six days, according to a new study. Details: A recent small study reviewed blood samples from 56 patients, including 37 people who were infected with the COVID-19 delta variant and 19 who were infected with omicron, per Reuters.
Omicron: A spike in COVID-19 cases and potentially different symptoms
First, some background. Omicron (or B.1.1.529) is a new coronavirus variant that was first identified in Botswana and South Africa in November—although later reports showed earlier cases in the Netherlands. The first case in the U.S. was reported on Dec. 1 in California. More cases have followed in at least 15 other states.
Do current vaccines protect against Omicron?
There is a third—and likely most important—question that has to do with how protective the existing vaccines will be against the new variant, says Dr. Murray.
What are scientists doing to prepare for Omicron?
The good news is that experts are in a better position to prepare for Omicron than they were a year ago, when Alpha, the first coronavirus variant to be identified, surfaced in Great Britain. “At that time, we didn’t have a very robust genomic surveillance system,” Grubaugh says. “Now, we have things in place.”
What you can do to protect yourself from Omicron
One thing people should do is stay calm, Grubaugh says, adding that the behind-the-scenes work to prepare for an Omicron worst-case scenario is necessary even if the variant turns out to be less of a threat than anyone anticipates. “The intent behind these preparations is not to scare people; it’s to do what we need to do to be prepared,” he says.
