Coronavirus News Explained

Omicron and Vaccine Efficacy              Since the initial identification of the Omicron variant in South Africa on Nov. 9 2021, Omicron has been spreading fast across and within countries and is now the dominating variant in multiple regions around the world. In South Africa, 95% of all new positive test samples that have been genetically sequenced are identified as infection by the omicron variant. In the US, US federal health officials announced that Omicron accounted for 73% of new infections last week, a nearly 6 fold increase in only one week. With holiday break right at the corner, is it safe to celebrate with friends and family even if we are vaccinated? Scientists are acting fast to test the effectiveness of vaccines against the Omicron variant. In the recent paper published on medRxiv, a research group in Germany used an in vitro assay to test the neutralization efficacy of vaccine-elicited sera against Omicron. Background Information When we receive a COVID-19 vaccination,

  Rise of the Omicron Virus           As the   number of vaccinated individuals continue to increase each day, the long-lasting COVID-19 pandemic comes closer to nearing an end. However, things seemed to take an unexpected turn when the World Health Organization designated the new SARS-CoV-2 variant, B.1.1.529, or Omicron, as a variant of concern for its large number of mutations which can lead to increased infection and escape from immunity.  The first known confirmed Omicron sample was collected in  South Africa on November 9 2021. There have been many other coronavirus mutations but what worries researchers most is Omicron’s rapid rise in South Africa, which  suggests the variant could result in an explosive increase in COVID-19 cases worldwide. On  December 1, 2021, there have been 8,561 recorded Omicron cases in South Africa. As of December 4, the Omicron variant has spread to over  40 countries and territories, including the United States where it was first detected in California