One other case of the omicron variant of COVID has been reported in Los Angeles County, well being officers mentioned Monday.
The second case of the omicron variant (B.1.1.529) is a university scholar who traveled to the East Coast for the Thanksgiving vacation, in keeping with the Los Angeles County Division of Public Well being.
The totally vaccinated scholar had gentle signs and was self-isolating.
Anybody who got here into shut contact with the coed was quarantining and being examined. Well being officers had been working to find out who else may need come into contact with the coed.
The well being division mentioned it was probably that the coed picked up the virus outdoors of LA County.
The coed’s journey dates and different details about their journey weren’t but disclosed.
The closely mutated coronavirus variant generally known as omicron has arrived in LA county. Hetty Chang reviews for the NBC4 Information at 11 p.m. on Dec. 2, 2021.
The first case of the Omicron variant in LA County was reported Dec. 3. That particular person had examined constructive upon returning to LA County after touring to South Africa through London. That totally vaccinated individual had traveled Nov. 22.
The primary U.S. case of omicron was detected in San Francisco after a traveler returned from South Africa on Nov. 22 and examined constructive on Nov. 29.
That individual was totally vaccinated, however had not but obtained a booster shot, Dr. Anthony Fauci mentioned throughout a Dec. 1 press convention on the White Home.
With a lot of instances detected in the US thus far — together with instances in New York — and omicron persevering with to unfold worldwide, this is what we do and do not know concerning the new variant thus far.
What’s Omicron?
Omicron is a new variant of COVID-19, which the World Well being Group designated a “variant of concern” on Nov. 26, 2021. The identify comes from the letter in the Greek alphabet.
The omicron variant was first detected by scientists in South Africa, the place it’s believed to be the reason for a current spike in instances within the Gauteng province.
It is unclear the place the variant first emerged. After South Africa alerted the WHO to the presence of omicron, the Netherlands stated they noticed omicron instances as much as every week earlier. The variant has since been seen in travelers arriving in a number of nations, from Australia to Israel to the Netherlands, since South Africa alerted the WHO.
As a result of the variant was introduced so lately, there’s nonetheless a lot we do not find out about the way it differs from different types of COVID-19. Scientists worldwide are finding out the omicron variant to assemble extra info.
The variant seems to have a excessive variety of mutations, or genetic adjustments, on its spike protein, a protein found on the surface of the virus that performs a task in how simply the virus spreads between folks.
Lawrence Younger, a virologist on the College of Warwick, described omicron as “probably the most closely mutated model of the virus we’ve seen.”
Is Omicron Extra Transmissible?
It is not but recognized for positive if the omicron variant of COVID-19 is extra transmissible. There’s not but a lot information, and the information that exists hasn’t been studied completely at this time limit.
Nevertheless, scientists are involved that the big quantity — more than 30 — and form of genetic adjustments to the spike protein, make omicron extra transmissible.
Scientists are intently watching how the brand new variant would possibly have an effect on individuals who caught COVID-19 and recovered.
A gaggle of consultants the group gathered to debate obtainable information led the WHO to say that “preliminary proof suggests an elevated danger of reinfection with this variant,” as in comparison with different variants.
Which means individuals who have immunity to COVID-19 might catch it once more, with the omicron variant.
Sharon Peacock, who has led genetic sequencing of COVID-19 in Britain on the College of Cambridge, says that whereas the mutations in omicron match the kinds that would increase transmissibility, “the importance of most of the mutations continues to be not recognized.”
Is Omicron Extra Regarding Than the Delta Variant?
Delta continues to be, by far, probably the most dominant type of COVID-19 worldwide.
There may be a lot that’s unknown about omicron, together with whether or not it’s extra contagious than earlier variations, makes folks sicker, thwarts the vaccine or extra simply breaks by way of the immunity that folks get from a bout of COVID-19. World well being authorities have but to hyperlink any deaths to omicron.
For now, the extra-contagious delta variant accounts for virtually all instances within the U.S. and continues to inflict distress at a time when many hospitals are battling nurse shortages and a backlog of sufferers present process procedures that had been delay early within the pandemic.
The concern is that omicron will foist much more sufferers, and maybe sicker ones, onto hospitals.
Does Omicron Trigger Extra Extreme Illness?
Like the information about transmissibility, we do not but know for positive whether or not omicron causes extra extreme sickness than different types of COVID-19, or whether or not there’s an elevated danger of demise.
There may be not but any indication omicron causes extra extreme illness.
Early reviews from scientists in South Africa, who’re already coping with a speedy improve in instances, recommend that omicron instances are inclined to have gentle signs.
“We have seen a pointy improve in instances for the previous 10 days. To this point they’ve principally been very gentle instances, with sufferers having flu-like signs: dry coughs, fever, evening sweats, plenty of physique pains,” said Dr. Unben Pillay, a common practitioner in South Africa’s Gauteng province the place 81% of the brand new instances have been reported.
Most of these instances had been gentle sufficient to be handled at dwelling, quite than in hospitals. Nevertheless, Pillay famous that, with COVID-19, hospitalizations are inclined to happen a number of days after instances begin to rise.
The omicron variant of COVID-19 is not within the U.S. but, however well being officers urge People to get vaccinated and get their booster shot as quickly as doable. Toni Guinyard reviews for In the present day in LA on Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021.
Many of the omicron instances in South Africa thus far have been in comparatively younger folks, of their 20s and 30s, Pillay famous. Older folks may even see extra extreme signs if contaminated.
And, as has been the case with different types of COVID-19, vaccinated folks seem to fare higher than unvaccinated folks relating to omicron.
How Can I Shield Myself Towards Omicron?
The identical instruments used to cease earlier variations of COVID-19 will assist relating to omicron.
Masks in indoor settings, the place air flow tends to be worse and the virus tends to unfold extra simply if it is current, can assist defend you from turning into contaminated, or defend others in the event you’re sick and have not but realized it.
And vaccines are nonetheless essential. Scientists are finding out whether or not present vaccines are much less efficient in opposition to omicron, which we do not have sufficient information to say for sure is the case.
Even when we find yourself needing an omicron-specific COVID-19 vaccine, partial safety from the vaccines we’ve now could be better than no protection at all.
“There’s a number of causes for optimism that this isn’t some horrible scenario that we’re in. The vaccines ought to maintain up in opposition to extreme illness, particularly with people who find themselves boosted,” Dr. Eric Topol, founder and director of the Scripps Analysis Translational Institute, told CNBC on Tuesday.
Boosters also can play an essential function, reintroducing your physique to what the virus is like, inflicting your immune system to provide larger ranges of antibodies in opposition to COVID-19.
All vaccines additionally enhance T cells, one other a part of the immune system’s response to illness, and one that’s much less affected by the variations between variants of COVID.
“Our T cells are very insensitive, not affected by variants, to any vital diploma,” Topol mentioned.
Ultimately, gathering strong information to make sure statements concerning the results of omicron will take time.
“Cautious research take time,” Dr. Ashish Jha, Dean of Brown College’s Faculty of Public Well being, mentioned on the TODAY present. “You need to develop the virus, run the assessments, see what’s taking place in folks. There is no such thing as a option to go any quicker than that.”
Within the meantime, President Joe Biden said on Monday, “this variant is a trigger for concern, not a trigger for panic.”
