Why is this so troubling?
It is said to be the worst variant of the genome they’ve ever seen and experts are concerned by its many mutations.
The variant — which the World Health Organization has named Omicron — has 32 mutations on the spike protein — the most ever recorded and twice as many as the currently dominant Delta strain.
Experts worry that vaccines may be 40 percent less effective under the worst-case scenario.
It is due to the fact that so many changes in B.1.1.529 depend on spike protein.
Current vaccines cause the body’s recognition of older strains of the virus.
Botswana’s variant contains around 50 mutations, and over 30 are spike proteins. The body recognizes the older version of the virus’ spike protein with the current vaccines. The mutations could make spike proteins look different, which may cause the immune system to struggle to identify it and defeat it. It can also enter your cells easier thanks to three spike mutations: H665Y (N679K), P681H (P681H). It is also missing NSP6, a membrane protein that was present in older iterations. Experts think this could make the virus more dangerous. Two mutations (R203K, G204R) have been identified in the virus. These two mutations have been found in all known variants and are associated with infectiousness.
The new spike protein may look different, so the immune system might have trouble recognizing it and fighting it.
You can also find mutations on the Delta version that make it more spreadable.
Experts caution that they may not discover how infective the virus really is for two to three weeks.
Which mutations can the variant be subject to?
Botswana has over 50 mutations, with more than 30 on spike protein.
It is mutated P681H, N679K that are “rarely seen together” and might make it more jab-resistant.
The virus may be able to slip into your cells by using these mutations and H655Y.
N501Y, a mutation that may increase the transmissibility of the strain, was first seen in Beta and Kent’s Alpha variants.
R203K, G204R and G204R could also make it more contagious. A mutation missing in this variant (NSP6) may increase its transmissibility.
Additionally, it has mutations K417N & E484A similar to South African variants of the ‘Beta’ variety. These made it easier to resist vaccines.
But it also has the N440K, found on Delta, and S477N, on the New York variant — which was linked with a surge of cases in the state in March — that has been linked to antibody escape.
It also has Q478K and Q496S mutations. However, their significance is still not clear.
Are you concerned about a different type of problem?
The World Health Organization has classified the virus as a ‘variant of concern’, the label given to the highest-risk strains.
Experts at WHO have determined that its mutations can spread more quickly, cause severe illnesses and hinder vaccine protection.
Which variant has been found so far?
It has been detected in South Africa (Botswana), Hong Kong, Israel, Israel, and Belgium so far.
Many cases have been found in Gauteng (a north-east South African province where Johannesburg is situated).
Hong Kong uploaded the initial case to GISAID, an international variant databank. The first was found by someone who traveled from South Africa to find it.
In the UK, no cases of Covid have been reported. However, scientists don’t sequence all positive Covid samples in the UK. Not everyone who gets the virus will be tested.
It is possible that there are people living with this variant in Britain.
What’s the UK doing to combat this variant?
Last night the Health Secretary declared that six additional countries will be included in the red list starting Friday, November 26, at 12 noon.
These countries are red-listed: South Africa Botswana Eswatini Lesotho Namibia Zimbabwe and Botswana. These countries are prohibited from flying direct to the UK.
Anyone arriving in England between midday today and 4am on Sunday from these countries — or who has been in the countries in the 10 previous days — must complete a passenger locator form, quarantine at home and should take a PCR test.
Anybody arriving in these countries after Sunday 4am must be kept for 10 days at a quarantine hotel. They will also need to take the Covid test within the first day and another one on day 8.
B.1.1.529 was also designated by the UK Health Security Agency as a Variant Under Investigation. That means it is susceptible to worrying mutations.
Experts are now conducting a risk assessment. If the virus is more contagious, causes more severe illnesses or makes vaccines and medications less effective, they may raise its rating to Variant Of Concern.
What was the first place that B.1.1.529 appeared?
On November 23, Hong Kong uploaded the first case to GISAID’s international variant database GISAID. Person carrying this variant traveled to Hong Kong from South Africa.
The UK was the first nation to detect the threat of the virus and alert others.
Since then, there have been 77 confirmed cases in South Africa, 2 in Hong Kong, and 3 in Botswana.
Today, Israeli health chiefs announced that they had two confirmed cases and one suspected case of B.1.1.529 in Israel. In Belgium, there are currently two cases.
Experts think the strain could have been originated in Botswana. However, there are not many positive samples from continental Africa so we may never know where it came from.
Francois Balloux from University College London said that the virus was likely to have emerged from a lingering infection of an immunocompromised person, perhaps someone suffering undiagnosed AIDS.
Patients with weak immune systems can have infections that last for several months. This is because their bodies are unable to combat it. This allows the virus to evolve mutations which allow it to bypass the body’s defenses.
Do I get protection if I use a booster to protect me?
Scientists warn that the new strain of Covid could render vaccines 40% less effective.
They said that the emergence of the mutant version makes it more crucial to obtain a booster shot as soon as people are eligible.
Neutralizing antibodies are produced by vaccines, and they provide the most protection against new viruses. Experts say that more antibodies are better.
Britain’s Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, said: ‘The booster jab was already important before we knew about this variant – but now, it could not be more important.’
What will be the next step in learning more information about this variant?
It is currently weeks before data on the transmissibility of this new variant and its impact on deaths and hospitalizations are available.
South Africa is the most affected country in South Africa’s cases. The UK offered to help them gather information. They believe that they can learn more about transmissibility within two or three weeks.
It could take them up to six weeks before they learn more about deaths and hospitalizations.
Which variant is it called?
On November 24, the strain was officially named B.1.1.529, one day after being spotted in Hong Kong.
Alpha, Beta (Delta), Gamma and Delta have so far been officially given a name.
On November 26, experts from the World Health Organization named Omicron the variant.