‘Omicron may not flourish’

Hyderabad: There are indications that the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 has probably reached many Indian cities and is already there in the community. However, Indians have acquired strong seropositivity and the new virus will not find it easy to be transmissible, top genome expert and former Director of Hyderabad-based Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology […]

Hyderabad: There are indications that the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 has probably reached many Indian cities and is already there in the community. However, Indians have acquired strong seropositivity and the new virus will not find it easy to be transmissible, top genome expert and former Director of Hyderabad-based Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Dr RK Mishra said.

Given the instances in India where people have tested positive for Omicron without any travel history and because of the way it is spreading all over the world, it is unlikely that it has not reached India and most probably the new variant might have taken roots. However, there is a large section of individuals across the country who are vaccinated and there also exists a sizeable population in cities with natural immunity or seropositivity, which will make it very difficult for the Omicron variant to flourish, he said.

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“Due to significant seropositivity and vaccine-acquired immunity, at present, we are very well positioned. If people take precautions seriously, then we will not see a third wave. There could be some sporadic super-spreading events here and there in January. However, the wave will be milder and not noticeable. The good thing is that so far, Omicron variant symptoms have been mild,” Dr Mishra, who is a JC Bose Fellow at CCMB, said.

The top genomics scientist urged people not to repeat mistakes that led to two Covid waves. “If we keep participating in large gatherings and are not serious about wearing proper masks, then we are allowing the virus to thrive. We will simply fritter away our advantage,” he said.

Despite Omicron having many mutations on its spike protein, which essentially latches on to human cells and infects them, the virus will not find it easy to proliferate here, he said. Spike protein is like a ‘key’ for the virus, which it uses as a lock to open the human cells and infect. That’s why antibodies are generated by the body so that the ‘key’ (spike protein) does not work well.

Now, if the virus changes the key, as has happened with Omicron, it will not be able to open the lock easily. That’s why Omicron too has limitations. “The virus can never completely ignore vaccines and that’s why we should not worry too much. Most of us have hybrid immunity from vaccines and natural infections, which means we have broad coverage and the virus will find it very difficult to overtake everything,” Dr Mishra said.

Important points:

1. Omicron probably has already taken roots in Indian cities
2. The new variant, however, will not find it easy to be transmissible
3. Indians have healthy sero-positivity and vaccine immunity
4. Despite large mutations, Omicron will find it difficult to thrive in India
5. People must avoid should gatherings, mask-up and vaccinate

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