Researchers are feverishly investigating the new Corona variant Omikron. There are already signs of a high degree of transferability. But what about mortality?
Frankfurt – The new Corona variant Omikron is also causing worried faces in Germany. While the variant has already been detected in eleven countries on the African continent, reports are also increasing in other areas of the world such as the USA and Germany.
In its weekly report dated December 2nd, 2021, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) informed about four confirmed infections with Omikron. Eight other cases would have resulted in a suspicion of the new variant “based on variant-specific PCR testing”. Since then, various other cases have been reported and verified in Germany, including a corona infection with Omikron in southern Hesse.
Anthony Fauci on the Corona variant Omikron: Further research is necessary
Dr. Anthony Fauci, immunologist and advisor to US President Joe Biden, spoke to Agence France-Presse (AFP) about two possible scenarios that should be considered: The “best case scenario” of the new Corona variant Omikron is a high transferability with mild cold symptoms. The US news magazine Newsweek reports on it.
| Person | Dr. Anthony Stephen Fauci (M.D.) |
|---|---|
| Geburtsdatum, -ort | 24.12.1940, Brooklyn (USA) |
| Profession | Immunologe |
| Position | Chief Medical Advisor to the President (seit 2021) |
The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) said that researchers are currently investigating the new variant. Conclusions about the mortality (mortality) could not be drawn from the current research. However, Omikron is showing the first signs of greater transferability than the currently prevailing Corona variant Delta. However, both aspects need further investigation.
Corona variant Omikron: That would be the best scenario
If the assumption of transferability proves to be true, this could mean the change in the corona pandemic, Fauci is certain. Dr. William Schaffner, Professor of Preventive Medicine and Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said: “It would relieve the stress of COVID on the health system and we wouldn’t have to develop a completely new vaccine. It would really change things. “
If Omikron were more contagious than Delta, the new Corona variant could displace the currently prevalent one – without an increase in hospital admissions and deaths related to the virus. Delta is known to have both high transferability and an increased chance of severe disease.
Corona variant Omikron: That would be the worst scenario
What would be worse, however, would be a higher transferability and mortality rate of Omikron compared to Delta. What such a development could look like can be seen from the massive increase in the number of cases after the spread of the delta variant. According to the RKI, “at the present time in Germany, as in other European countries, practically all infections are still caused by the delta variant (B.1.617.2).”
Former head of the Infectious Disease Department at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine, Daniel Havlichek, told Newsweek that it was “too early” to make an assumption about Omikron. Higher transferability with lower mortality could mean the same result in absolute terms.
Corona variant Omikron: This is the role that vaccinations play
Both in the USA and in Europe, experts are working to adapt the existing corona vaccinations to the new corona variant. According to a study, the Omikron variant can partially bypass the protective effect of the Biontech vaccination. Germany’s Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) spoke out in favor of booster vaccinations, as this can at least increase the effectiveness of the vaccinations.
Also to be considered is the appearance of a new version of the Corona variant Omikron: This cannot be reliably detected by a PCR test.
“Pretty normal life” with the Corona variant Omikron?
The verified Omikron cases in the USA have so far been largely mild. In some cases, the symptoms have subsided without medical treatment. If the assumptions about Omikron, high infection with low mortality, were correct and the vaccines were adjusted to the variant, a return to a “fairly normal life” could well be possible, Schaffner said according to Newsweek.
He continued: “One would always worry about fragile people because there is no virus that never causes disease in people, but we could then focus on people with weak immune systems, people with underlying diseases, the elderly and make special efforts, to protect these people. “(jey)
