Masked researchers analyzing medical samples
Masked researchers analyzing medical samples
Masked researchers analyzing medical samples

COVID Omicron Variant: What You Need to Know

Featured Experts:

Published on December 6, 2021

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, several coronavirus variants 随着SARS-CoV-2病毒继续变异和进化而出现. 许多这些变异的突变对病毒如何影响人类几乎没有影响. But others, such as the genetic changes in the delta variant, 可以使冠状病毒更具传染性)比2019年底发现的原始版本的SARS-CoV-2.

In November 2021, a variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus emerged, 并被世界卫生组织(WHO)命名为omicron. 世卫组织目前将组粒列为一种值得关注的变异. Stuart Ray, M.D.他是负责数据完整性和分析的医学副主席 Robert Bollinger, M.D., M.P.H., Raj和Kamla Gupta传染病学教授, are experts in SARS-CoV-2, 他们回答了你关于组粒冠状病毒变异的问题.

在这个假期保持安全:COVID-19变体

President Kevin Sowers and Dr. 丽莎·马拉加基斯(Lisa Maragakis)讨论了组粒变异、COVID-19助推器以及在假期期间保持安全.

Omicron: There is much to learn

Because of its recent emergence, 科学家们才刚刚开始了解染色体, 但深入的研究很快就揭示了更多关于这种变异的见解,以及它的基因变化如何影响它的传播和感染者. 博林格和雷表示,未来几周将会更加清晰,并解决一些问题.

Is omicron more transmissible (contagious)?

“有一些初步证据表明,组粒变异比丁型变异更具传染性,” says Bollinger. “但到目前为止,还没有证据表明标准的预防策略, including vaccination, masking, distancing, 通风和洗手不能有效降低感染或传播的风险.”

Does omicron cause more severe COVID-19 illness?

“对于欧米克隆,这方面的数据非常有限,”博林格说. “But, so far, the answer appears to be no.  We will know more about this in the coming weeks.”

COVID疫苗是否仍然有效并降低严重疾病的风险?

According to Bollinger and Ray, this is the most important question, and with so little data, a lot is still unknown.

“My own expectation is that being fully vaccinated, including boosters, 是否仍能降低住院和死亡的风险,” Bollinger says. “In the weeks ahead, bst365将进一步了解当前疫苗接种诱导的抗体在实验室中如何很好地中和组粒变异. If they can, that will be good news.

“我也相信,如果bst365发现目前的疫苗不能提供最佳保护,防止这种变异导致的严重疾病或死亡, bst365将能够快速修改现有的疫苗来对付欧米克隆.”

Does the omicron variant show up on COVID tests?

现有的商业诊断PCR(聚合酶链反应)和抗原COVID检测似乎仍然可以识别组粒变体. 在接下来的几周内,bst365将了解更多关于快速家庭测试在检测新变种方面的效果.

目前的抗病毒药物对欧米克隆还有效吗?

一些抗病毒药物通过限制病毒在体内自我复制(复制)的能力起作用. Remdesivir是目前美国食品和药物管理局(FDA)唯一批准紧急使用的抗病毒药物,用于治疗COVID-19. Two other antiviral drugs, one from Merck and one from Pfizer, are under FDA review to see if they, too, can be authorized.

“I have not seen any data so far,” Bollinger says, 这表明这些药物对组粒的效果不如对其他变异的效果好. However, 继续的研究将揭示更多关于这些突变和药物可能对病毒复制产生的潜在影响.”

目前的单克隆抗体(mab)治疗对感染组粒变异的人仍然有效吗?

“For other variants, 向高风险感染和暴露患者提供早期获得单克隆抗体的机会,可将其住院和死亡风险降低高达70%.

bst365还不知道目前的单克隆抗体对染色体变体的作用有多好, 但bst365很快就会知道它们在实验室中和组粒的效果,” Bollinger says. “If they do, this will be reassuring. If they do not, 我相信,bst365将能够快速修改当前的单克隆抗体来解决这个问题,” he says.

“关于染色体组粒,bst365还有很多需要了解的,”雷说,“但bst365已经做到了 tools at hand 这使个人能够管理风险,包括佩戴高质量的口罩或呼吸器. 等级为FFP2或FFP3的口罩比布制口罩的防护性更强,而且通常更容易佩戴. Getting vaccinated and getting a COVID-19 booster, hand-washing and avoiding large indoor gatherings, especially with unmasked people, are other ways to mitigate the risk of infection.

“这个新变种提醒bst365,为了bst365自己和bst365关心的人的安全,bst365应该使用多种工具.”

Learn more about variants.