On 26 November 2021, WHO designated variant B.1.1529 as a variant of concern, named Omicron, on the advice of the Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution (TAG-VE). This decision is based on evidence from TAG-VE that Omicron has several mutations that may have an impact on its behavior, for example, how easily it spreads or the severity of the disease it causes.
Up-to-date knowledge of Omicron
Researchers in South Africa and around the world are conducting research to better understand many aspects of Omicron and will continue to share the findings of this study as they become available.
Transmission
It is not yet clear whether Omicron is more contagious (eg, more easily spread from person to person) than other variants, including Delta. The number of people who test positive has increased in areas of South Africa affected by this variant, but epidemiological studies are underway to understand whether this is due to Omicron or other factors.
Disease severity
It is not clear whether Omicron infection causes more severe disease than infection with other variants, including Delta. Preliminary data suggest that there is an increase in hospitalization rates in South Africa, but this may be due to an increase in the overall number of people infected, not to specific infections with Omicron. There is currently no information to suggest that the symptoms associated with Omicron differ from those of the other variants. Initial reported infections occurred among college students—younger individuals who tend to have milder disease—but understanding the severity of the Omicron variant would take days to weeks. All variants of COVID-19, including the Delta variant which is dominant worldwide, can cause severe illness or death,
Effectiveness of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection
Preliminary evidence suggests that there may be an increased risk of reinfection with Omicron (that is, people who previously had COVID-19 may be reinfected more easily with Omicron), compared with other variants of concern, but information is limited. More information on this will be available in the coming days and weeks.
Vaccine effectiveness
WHO is working with technical partners to understand the potential impact of this variant on our existing preventive measures, including vaccines. Vaccines remain essential for reducing severe illness and death, including against the dominant circulating variant, Delta. Current vaccines remain effective against severe disease and death.
Current test effectiveness
The widely used PCR test continues to detect infections, including infection with Omicron, as we have seen with other variants as well. Studies are ongoing to determine if there is an impact on other types of tests, including rapid antigen detection tests.
Effectiveness of current treatment
Corticosteroids and IL6 Receptor Blockers will still be effective in treating patients with severe COVID-19. Other treatments will be assessed to see if they are still effective given the changes in viral moiety in the Omicron variant.
Current Study in progress
Currently, WHO is coordinating with a large number of researchers around the world to better understand Omicron. Ongoing or ongoing studies soon include assessment of transmission, severity of infection (including symptoms), performance of vaccines and diagnostic tests, and effectiveness of treatment. WHO encourages countries to contribute to the collection and sharing of inpatient data through the WHO COVID-19 Clinical Data Platform to quickly describe clinical characteristics and patient outcomes.
Recommended actions for countries
Since Omicron has been designated a Variant of Concern, there are several actions WHO recommends countries take, including improved surveillance and case sequencing; sharing genome sequences on publicly available databases, such as GISAID; report initial cases or clusters to WHO; conduct field investigations and laboratory assessments to better understand if Omicron has different transmission or disease characteristics, or affects the effectiveness of vaccines, therapies, diagnostics, or public health and social measures.
Countries should continue to implement effective public health measures to reduce the overall circulation of COVID-19, using risk analysis and a science-based approach. They have to improve some of the public health and medical capacity to manage the increase in cases. WHO provides support and guidance to countries for preparedness and response. In addition, it is critical that inequities in access to COVID-19 vaccines are addressed urgently to ensure that vulnerable groups everywhere, including health workers and the elderly, receive first and second doses, as well as equitable access to treatment and diagnostics.
Recommended actions for individuals
The most effective step that individuals can take to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus is to maintain a physical distance of at least 1 meter from other people; wear a suitable mask; open windows to increase ventilation; avoid poorly ventilated or crowded spaces; keep hands clean; coughing or sneezing into a bent elbow or tissue; and vaccinated when it is their turn. WHO will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available, including after the TAG-VE meeting. In addition, information will be available on WHO’s digital and social media platforms.
Source : https://www.who.int/news/item/28-11-2021-update-on-omicron
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