Much of the concern is related to the mutations present in the virus. Why are experts concerned about the omicron variant? We’ll go through what we know so far about omicron. But the WHO said studies are underway to assess all of this, as well as the effectiveness of the available vaccines and treatments against omicron. Preliminary evidence suggests those who previously had COVID-19 could more easily be reinfected with this variant, as opposed to others. Scientists have cautioned that while there are reasons to be concerned about omicron, it’s not yet known whether the variant is more likely than others to spread easily or cause severe disease. had its first confirmed case - in California, in a person who had returned from South Africa on Nov.
The specimen for the first confirmed case in South Africa had been collected on Nov. Other countries quickly announced travel restrictions on visitors from South Africa and nearby African countries, but just as quickly, confirmed cases due to omicron cropped up in Europe, Israel, Australia and Canada. 26 and labeled it a “ variant of concern,” meaning it could be associated with an increase in transmissibility or virulence, or a decrease in effectiveness of vaccines. The WHO gave the variant its Greek alphabet name on Nov. The next day, South Africa’s health minister, Joe Phaahla, said the variant, also called B.1.1.529, had been identified in South Africa, Botswana and a person who had traveled from South Africa to Hong Kong. 24, South Africa told the World Health Organization that amid a recent increase in COVID-19 cases, it had identified a new variant - later named omicron - with a high number of mutations, raising concerns that it could spread more easily than other variants of the coronavirus.