Omicron variant more transmissible than Delta; reduces vaccine efficacy, confirms WHO

The new COVID-19 variant, Omicron is more transmissible than the previous Delta strain and further reduces vaccine efficiency, stated the World Health Organisation (WHO) based on its early data. Along with that, it has also informed that the variant is less likely to cause serious symptoms. While the Delta variant which was first identified in India earlier this year was responsible for a maximum number of infections across the world, similarly, the Omicron variant which was detected in South Africa has till now prompted a large number of cases across various countries with South Africa being at the top. It has also forced countries to impose travel bans on international flights and further reimpose domestic restrictions for containing the speed of the virus.

Furthermore, the global health body has also said that it is not yet ascertained the reason for such a high rate of transmission. There is still more to be known about whether being less prone to immune responses or high transmissibility is contributing to the fast-spreading of the variant, it added.

Meanwhile, the WHO has also noted that as of December 9, cases of Omicron variant have been identified in 63 countries.

Omicron tends to cause mild or asymptomatic cases: WHO

According to WHO data, the Omicron variant so far has caused milder or asymptomatic cases, however, the severity of the variant is yet to be known. 

"It remains unclear to what extent Omicron may be inherently less virulent. More data are needed to understand the severity profile", it added. Earlier on November 26, 2021, the World Health Organisation identified the variant as a variant of concern (VOC) on the basis of the advice from the body's Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution. 

It was also said to be highly divergent with the huge number of mutations including 26-32 in the spike protein which was said to be concerning and had immune escape potential and higher transmissibility.

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