The Omicron variant has been causing a surge in the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) infection across the world. The number of hospitalisations is less, but the spread of infection is faster, owing to a high number of mutations the Omicron possesses.
This begs the question: Can the Omicron variant re-infect people? Health experts and the World Health Organization (WHO), which keeps tabs on emerging variants of the constantly mutating coronavirus, say the chances of reinfection are high.
The WHO stated in a note on the Omicron variant that the variant can evade people’s previous immunity and can still infect people who have been infected with Covid-19 in the past. This is a wake-up call for those who have not been vaccinated and those who were vaccinated a few months ago.
The WHO said in a report published on its website last month: “Compared with Delta, people who have recovered from Covid-19 are three to five times more likely to be infected with Omicron.”
However, it added that there is still no evidence that Omicron causes more severe disease than the Delta variant, which led to a devastating second wave of infections last year.
The WHO said the virus spread mainly among adults in their 20s and 30s, initially in large cities and in clusters associated with social and workplace gatherings.
However, some studies have confirmed a silver lining for the Omicron variant. Bloomberg reported earlier this week that a combination of broad immunity and numerous mutations has resulted in a virus that causes far less disease than previous iterations.
The Bloomberg report is based on ongoing research on Omicron, including in South Africa, where the variant first appeared.
One of the key factors that makes Omicron less virulent is that it doesn’t infect the lungs as easily as previous variants. One such study was published by a consortium of Japanese and American scientists who conducted experiments on mice and hamsters. Another study in Belgium reported similar results in hamsters, which were severely ill due to a previous mutation of the virus.
Complete News Source : Hindustan Times
