Know Omicron variant: Is Omicron more harmful than other Covid variants?

Nepal detected two new cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 on Monday. Omicron variant of the virus, first detected in South Africa, is currently spreading rapidly across the globe

Here are some of questions on these, and other related matters:

Is there any evidence that Omicron is any more harmful than any other variant?

Scientists who’ve analysed the variant say they are worried by what they see in the lab. Omicron has more mutations than any other variants and they’re different too.

This could mean it’s more infectious, causes more serious illness and is better at evading vaccines than previous variants.

But none of this is certain. It will take time for the true threat from Omicron to be assessed as cases are detected and monitored across the world.

How do I know if I have the new variant?

Suspected Omicron cases can be detected by PCR tests, which are analysed in a lab. If your Covid symptoms are suspected to be Omicron, you will be contacted by your local contact tracing system.

To confirm whether a suspected swab is Omicron, it needs to be sent to a specialist lab for genomic sequencing.

But by that time, if you’re positive you will be self-isolating. Also, under new guidance, if you have suspected or confirmed Omicron your household and close contacts will have to self-isolate, even if they are fully vaccinated.

Why are we not vaccinating children above the age of five? I keep hearing of young children who have caught the virus.

Young children can be infected with the virus, but they are very unlikely to become seriously ill. Most cases are mild and children recover quickly, particularly young children.

The UK has now advised that children aged over 12 should be offered two doses – but the UK regulator has yet to license any Covid vaccine for younger children.

Even if that happens, as it has in the US, Canada and a number of other countries, the jury is out on whether it’s worthwhile.

Vaccine advisers would have to be convinced that the benefits of vaccinating young children would outweigh any risks (however small) from the vaccines.

But that calculation could all change with fears around Omicron - time will tell.

Is there positive evidence that wearing ordinary masks, not N95 ones, actually makes a useful difference?

Evidence suggests Covid transmission mainly happens indoors where people are close together.

Covering the nose and mouth reduces the spread of coronavirus droplets from coughs, sneezes and while speaking. Routinely wearing one can help reduce virus spread from contagious people who have no symptoms.

The main purpose is to protect others, although there is some evidence they also offer protection to wearers.

To be effective, masks should have a nose wire, contain at least two or three layers of material and fit snugly over the mouth, nose and chin.

Standard surgical masks also work well. It is possible to buy FFP2 and FFP3/N95 masks used by healthcare workers which can offer higher protection. However, these must be fitted correctly to work.

What is this new variant?

Omicron was first identified in South Africa, but cases have been now been found in many other countries, including the UK.

A variant is a slightly altered - or mutated - version of a virus. There are thousands of Covid variants around the world which is to be expected because viruses mutate all the time.

Omicron is strikingly different from many other types of Covid currently in circulation due to the long list of genetic mutations it has undergone.

In particular, there are dozens of changes to the part of the virus targeted by the vaccine - the spike protein.

Will vaccines still work against this variant?

Early signs are that current vaccines might not work quite as well against Omicron.

Scientists in South Africa have detected a surge in the number of people catching Covid multiple times.

This suggests the variant might be better at sidestepping some of the protection offered by vaccines or past infection.

However, this is still not definitive proof, and even if Omicron is more infectious, there is no evidence as yet that it causes more serious illness.

As with other Covid variants, the risk remains highest for people who are elderly or have significant underlying health conditions.

But even so, if a variant is more infectious it will lead to more deaths in an unvaccinated population.

Why do variants occur?

Viruses make carbon copies of themselves to reproduce but they aren't perfect at it. Errors can creep in that change the genetic blueprint, resulting in a new version of the virus - in other words, a variant.

If this gives the virus a survival advantage, the new version will thrive.

The more chances coronavirus has to make copies of itself in us - the host - the more opportunities there are for mutations to occur.

That's why keeping infections down is important. Vaccines help by cutting transmission as well as protecting against serious Covid illness.

Experts say it is possible that the new highly altered variant B.1.1.529 may have originated in a patient whose immune system was unable to get rid of a Covid infection quickly, giving the virus more time to morph.