New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: Two weeks into the Omicron outbreak and the newly found COVID-19 variant has spread in 63 countries across the world. It spreads faster than the highly contagious Delta variant which wreaked havoc during the second wave. With every passing day, the cases of Omicron are increasing which has caused widespread concerns. People are worried about the possibility of a third wave of Coronavirus and particularly the safety of children who are yet to receive the vaccination.
Here's what we know so far:
What has WHO said?
The Omicron coronavirus variant is more transmissible than the Delta strain, the World Health Organization said on Sunday. It added that the new variant reduces vaccine efficacy but causes less severe symptoms according to early data.
However, WHO stressed that due to a lack of data it could not be accessed if Omicron's rate of transmission is caused because of it being less prone to immune responses, higher transmissibility or a combination of both. The health organization further added that Omicron is likely to outpace the Delta variant where community transmission occurs.
Countries where Omicron is spread
The WHO said Omicron has spread across 63 countries as of December 9. These include India, South Africa, Botswana, Ghana, Hong Kong, UK, and others. Faster transmission was noted in South Africa, where Delta is less prevalent, and in Britain, where Delta is the dominant strain, news agency AFP reported.
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India has also reported around 38 cases of Omicron so far in six states and two union territories (UTs). The states where Omicron is reported in India are:
- Maharashtra (18)
- Rajasthan (9)
- Karnataka (3)
- Gujarat (3)
- Kerala (1)
- Andhra Pradesh (1)
- Union territories of Delhi (2)
- Chandigarh (1)
Do vaccines work against Omicron?
According to the WHO, Omicron is able to largely, but not completely, evade the antibodies generated via COVID inoculation. A study conducted by Pfizer has also backed this argument. “Preliminary evidence, and the considerably altered antigenic profile of the Omicron spike protein, suggests a reduction in vaccine efficacy against infection and transmission associated with Omicron,” WHO said.
Is Omicron dangerous for children?
As per the South African health minister Joe Phaahla, the country initially saw a higher number of cases in children under the age of 5 than previously. However, there were no reports of respiratory issues faced by them.
What are vaccine manufacturers saying?
Vaccine makers are racing to update their vaccines against the newest coronavirus threat. Several pharma companies have announced their plans to introduce a jab for Omicron very soon. While Pfizer has started working on a new version of the vaccine, Moderna is developing a booster shot.
(With inputs from agencies)