Washington, December 13, 2013 : .Despite renewed calls for booster dosages to stop the spread of Omicron Covid-19, the latest data from US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that a third (33%) of 43 super-mutant strain cases in the US had received the third dose.The CDC reported that 43 Omicron-related infections were detected in 22 US states within the first 8 days of December.
According to the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report of the Agency (MMWR), 34 people were completely vaccinated and fourteen received booster shots.
One person was hospitalized after being fully vaccinated.However, no Omicron patient died.
Cough, fatigue, congestion and a runny nasal passage were the most frequent symptoms.Although the first case appeared mild, there was a delay between infections and severe consequences.
The authors cautioned that even though most cases are not severe, an extremely transmissible strain could cause enough to overwhelm the health system.
As more cases of Omicron variant infection are discovered and studied, we will be able to better understand their clinical severity.
The CDC reported that 18.7 million seniors received a booster dose or an additional dose of Covid between August 13 and November 19.
The World Health Organization (WHO), however, stated that this variant has spread to 63 nations.
According to the UN Health Agency, Omicron has a greater growth potential than Delta based upon current evidence.
WHO stated in a statement that “it is spreading faster than Delta variants in South Africa, where Delta circulation was lower, and also seems to spread quicker than Delta variants in countries with high incidence of Delta, like in the UK.”
Whether Omicron’s observed rapid growth rate in countries with high levels of population immunity is related to immune evasion, intrinsic increased transmissibility, or a combination of both remains uncertain.
The agency noted that “it is likely that Omicron will outpace the Delta variant where community transmission occurs”.
But the data on the clinical severity of Omicron is still limited.
While preliminary findings from South Africa suggest it may be less severe than Delta, “it remains unclear to what extent Omicron may be inherently less virulent”.
Preliminary evidence also suggests a reduction in vaccine efficacy against infection and transmission associated with Omicron.
There is some preliminary evidence that the incidence of reinfection has increased in South Africa, which may be associated with humoral (antibody-mediated) immune evasion.
In addition, few studies of limited sample size have shown that sera obtained from vaccinated and previously infected individuals had lower neutralisation activity (the size of the reduction ranges considerably) than with any other circulating VOCs of SARS-CoV-2 and the ancestral strain.
Scientists, including top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci have urged Americans to get vaccinated, take booster dose and to continue to practice precautions: wearing masks, improving ventilation in closed spaces, getting tested and going into quarantine, or isolation, if needed to slow transmission.
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