The coronavirus has affected almost all countries with more than 50 million people around the world.
There are many different COVID types and variants spreading across the world. Because viruses mutate all the time, this is something that is expected.
But this new variant, called B.1.1.529 or Omicron, has experts particularly worried because it is very different to the original COVID, which current vaccines were designed to fight.
It had a long list of genetic changes with 50 in all. Of these, 32 are in the spike protein of the virus, the part which is the target of vaccines.
On 9th November, this new variant of coronavirus was first detected in South Africa and on 12th November, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified this as a variant of concern (VOC).
The main issue with this new variant is we don’t know how it can be transmitted from one person to another and the effectiveness of vaccines is also in doubt.
He stated that Novavax has been working on a revised version of its vaccine with Omicron in consideration and that Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson were looking at whether their vaccines needed to be updated.
AstraZeneca alsohad been working for months on a newly updated version of their vaccine (AZD2816) that targeted the Beta variant.
“Because the Omicron variation has some of the same mutations as the Beta form, it would probably not take a long time to update the AZD2816 to use against the Omicron variant, if indeed there is a need,” he added.
In order to protect the country from the potential spread of the variation, Dr Awang Bulgiba urged that vaccination for kids, as well as the booster programme, be finished as soon as possible in order to attain maximal protection in the population.
Assoc Prof Dr Malina Osman of Universiti Putra Malaysia said early data suggested that the new variant’s protein differed considerably from that utilised to create vaccines against Covid-19 infection.
She stated that the Health Ministry’s present procedures were enough, but that the public must continue to follow the SOP.
“The travel prohibition for the affected nations should be maintained until the particular clinical impact is identified,” Dr Malina stated.
Following the appearance of the new variant, the ministry said on Friday that Malaysians would be barred from travelling to seven African nations.
Foreigners who have visited South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, or Zimbabwe in the previous 14 days will be quarantined entry into Malaysia.
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