The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variant (Omicron) and increasing calls for COVID-19 vaccine boosters-The debate continues

<p dir="ltr">The emergence of highly mutated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant Omicron (B.1.1.529) has ushered panic responses around the world due to its contagious and vaccine escape mutations. This variant has been designated as a variant of conc...

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Main Author: Naushad Ahmad Khan (6406973) (author)
Other Authors: Hassan Al-Thani (440106) (author), Ayman El-Menyar (440103) (author)
Published: 2022
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author Naushad Ahmad Khan (6406973)
author2 Hassan Al-Thani (440106)
Ayman El-Menyar (440103)
author2_role author
author
author_facet Naushad Ahmad Khan (6406973)
Hassan Al-Thani (440106)
Ayman El-Menyar (440103)
author_role author
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Naushad Ahmad Khan (6406973)
Hassan Al-Thani (440106)
Ayman El-Menyar (440103)
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv 10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102246
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/The_emergence_of_new_SARS-CoV-2_variant_Omicron_and_increasing_calls_for_COVID-19_vaccine_boosters-The_debate_continues/24311884
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv CC BY 4.0
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Biomedical and clinical sciences
Cardiovascular medicine and haematology
Clinical sciences
Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences
Omicron
Variant of concern
SARS-CoV-2
Booster dose
Emerging viruses
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variant (Omicron) and increasing calls for COVID-19 vaccine boosters-The debate continues
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Text
Journal contribution
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
text
contribution to journal
description <p dir="ltr">The emergence of highly mutated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant Omicron (B.1.1.529) has ushered panic responses around the world due to its contagious and vaccine escape mutations. This variant has been designated as a variant of concern (VOC) by the World Health Organization (WHO) [1,2]. Since January 2021, multiple virus variants have emerged and become dominant in many countries [Table 1]. The emergence of these VOCs (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta) variants was responsible for new waves of infections across the entire world [3]. The Delta variant was reported to have increased transmissibility, higher viral load [4] and high rates of reinfection [5]. Because of its ability to escape from natural immunity [6], it became the globally dominant variant. The emergence of Omicron as a new VOC has transformed the notion of the COVID-19 endgame and created a fresh discussion over-vaccination effectiveness and the ongoing booster campaign in an already COVID-19-weary world. Compared to other the VOCs, this variation unusually carries an exceptionally high number of mutations (50) on the spike (S) protein, the major antigenic target of antibodies produced by infections or immunization. This has led the scientific community to investigate how much this new variant could undermine the existing vaccines. The scientific community knows little about Omicron's infectivity, vaccine breakthrough, and antibody resistance, and reliable experimental results from labs will take a few weeks to come out. Although conclusive immunological and clinical data are not yet available, early genomic data show immune evasion capabilities, fast transmission ability, reinfection rate, and severity [7]. This has triggered the calls to intensify vaccination programmes, including booster doses [8].</p><h2>Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Published in: Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease<br>License: <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102246" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102246</a></p>
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network_acronym_str Manara2
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oai_identifier_str oai:figshare.com:article/24311884
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spelling The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variant (Omicron) and increasing calls for COVID-19 vaccine boosters-The debate continuesNaushad Ahmad Khan (6406973)Hassan Al-Thani (440106)Ayman El-Menyar (440103)Biomedical and clinical sciencesCardiovascular medicine and haematologyClinical sciencesPharmacology and pharmaceutical sciencesOmicronVariant of concernSARS-CoV-2Booster doseEmerging viruses<p dir="ltr">The emergence of highly mutated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant Omicron (B.1.1.529) has ushered panic responses around the world due to its contagious and vaccine escape mutations. This variant has been designated as a variant of concern (VOC) by the World Health Organization (WHO) [1,2]. Since January 2021, multiple virus variants have emerged and become dominant in many countries [Table 1]. The emergence of these VOCs (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta) variants was responsible for new waves of infections across the entire world [3]. The Delta variant was reported to have increased transmissibility, higher viral load [4] and high rates of reinfection [5]. Because of its ability to escape from natural immunity [6], it became the globally dominant variant. The emergence of Omicron as a new VOC has transformed the notion of the COVID-19 endgame and created a fresh discussion over-vaccination effectiveness and the ongoing booster campaign in an already COVID-19-weary world. Compared to other the VOCs, this variation unusually carries an exceptionally high number of mutations (50) on the spike (S) protein, the major antigenic target of antibodies produced by infections or immunization. This has led the scientific community to investigate how much this new variant could undermine the existing vaccines. The scientific community knows little about Omicron's infectivity, vaccine breakthrough, and antibody resistance, and reliable experimental results from labs will take a few weeks to come out. Although conclusive immunological and clinical data are not yet available, early genomic data show immune evasion capabilities, fast transmission ability, reinfection rate, and severity [7]. This has triggered the calls to intensify vaccination programmes, including booster doses [8].</p><h2>Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Published in: Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease<br>License: <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102246" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102246</a></p>2022-01-01T00:00:00ZTextJournal contributioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersiontextcontribution to journal10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102246https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/The_emergence_of_new_SARS-CoV-2_variant_Omicron_and_increasing_calls_for_COVID-19_vaccine_boosters-The_debate_continues/24311884CC BY 4.0info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:figshare.com:article/243118842022-01-01T00:00:00Z
spellingShingle The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variant (Omicron) and increasing calls for COVID-19 vaccine boosters-The debate continues
Naushad Ahmad Khan (6406973)
Biomedical and clinical sciences
Cardiovascular medicine and haematology
Clinical sciences
Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences
Omicron
Variant of concern
SARS-CoV-2
Booster dose
Emerging viruses
status_str publishedVersion
title The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variant (Omicron) and increasing calls for COVID-19 vaccine boosters-The debate continues
title_full The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variant (Omicron) and increasing calls for COVID-19 vaccine boosters-The debate continues
title_fullStr The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variant (Omicron) and increasing calls for COVID-19 vaccine boosters-The debate continues
title_full_unstemmed The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variant (Omicron) and increasing calls for COVID-19 vaccine boosters-The debate continues
title_short The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variant (Omicron) and increasing calls for COVID-19 vaccine boosters-The debate continues
title_sort The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variant (Omicron) and increasing calls for COVID-19 vaccine boosters-The debate continues
topic Biomedical and clinical sciences
Cardiovascular medicine and haematology
Clinical sciences
Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences
Omicron
Variant of concern
SARS-CoV-2
Booster dose
Emerging viruses