Ómicron: the new high-risk variant, by Elmer Huerta

The news It was given by South African Health Minister Joe Phaahla on November 25. After documenting a significant increase in cases of COVID-19 In the Gauteng region, in the northeast of the country, the South African genomic surveillance system detected the presence of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2, which was called B.1.1.529.

At the press conference, it was reported that and against which the neutralizing antibodies formed in response to the vaccine or natural infection are directed. For comparison, the delta variant has ten mutations, three of which are in the spike protein.

-South Africa-

One of the nine regions of South Africa,, locating in it both the capital Pretoria, and the most populated city, Johannesburg. Although South Africa was one of the first African countries received vaccines from the AstraZeneca company, their vaccination program was interrupted on February 8 when it was discovered that the vaccine was practically ineffective against the first variant discovered in that country, the 501Y.V2 (later baptized as beta).

After resuming the program with the Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer vaccines, the adoption of vaccination by the population has been very slow: at the moment As of this column, only 28.9% of the population has received at least one dose and 24.3% two doses. Also, the country does not yet have a booster dose vaccination program.

In Tshwane (part of Gauteng), and in a span of only three weeks, the percentage of positivity of PCR tests went from 1% to more than 30%.

“Only 28.9% of the population [de Sudáfrica] has received at least one dose and 24.3% two doses ”.

-Record time-

Less than 48 hours after the announcement of the South African Minister of Health, the Technical Advisory Group on the Evolution of the Virus SARS-CoV-2 (TAG-VE), an independent group of experts that periodically monitors the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, evaluating whether specific mutations and combinations of mutations alter the behavior of the virus, met in the city of Geneva. the November 26 to study the evidence provided by South African scientists.

The meeting concluded by naming the new variant omicron (the fifteenth letter of the Greek alphabet) and naming it a variant of concern.

–Classification of variants–

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the variants are of two types: interest (VDI) and concern (VDP). Usually (something that has not happened with omicron), and, after collecting the studies on its characteristics, they can be reclassified as variants of concern.

According to the WHO, the variants of interest have genetic changes that can affect the characteristics of the virus, such as that they are more transmissible, that they cause a more serious disease or that they can escape the action of the neutralizing antibodies produced by the use of vaccines or natural infection. , so they can be a risk to global public health.

Meanwhile, according to the WHO, the variants of concern are those that, due to having acquired new mutations, have been shown to be associated with one or more of the following characteristics: increased transmissibility, increased virulence that produces a change in presentation symptoms of the disease or a decrease in neutralization by vaccines or monoclonal antibody treatment.

“For many, the appearance of this variant is a sign of inequity in the distribution of vaccines”

In the case of omicron, the evaluation from the VE-TAG indicates the following: “The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all the provinces of South Africa and has a large number of mutations, some of which are worrisome; and compared to other variants of concern, preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfections ”.

Omicron have more than 30 mutations in spike protein (region of the virus used to enter cells and against which neutralizing antibodies are directed), mutations already found in alpha, delta and lambda.

-Corollary-

There is no doubt that omicron identification should raise the alert of public health authorities around the world. Genomic surveillance has already identified cases in Belgium, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Germany, Italy and Israel, and immigration authorities should identify people from South Africa who enter Peru for testing and isolation.

For many, the appearance of this variant is a sign of inequity in the distribution of vaccines. Between the eight countries who have been subject to travel restrictions in the United States,

Until more data are available on the distribution and behavior of the new variant, it is important to be cautious and vaccinated, as well as to apply basic prevention measures: use of masks, avoid meetings in closed places and wash your hands.

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