DOCTOR IS IN by Dr. Adil Manzoor OP/ED
Whenever any infection hits town, it takes a while for science to get up to speed. It takes even longer when the infection is a novel one, which is simply an infection that has not been recorded before. Such was the case with the coronavirus.
It took us quite a few months before we could actually figure out enough about the virus to make strong assertions. The same is happening with the variants of the virus. You may think the variants will share similar traits since they all mutated from the same parent virus, but that’s far from the case. That’s not how mutations work.
Two variants that mutated from the same parent may be polar opposites, depending on the type of mutation. The variants may also be very similar. It all depends on the mutation.
The period between the discovery of a variant and the time to know enough to properly characterize the virus is typically rife with questions – loads of them. Doctors and health experts often have a hard time answering these questions well, which then makes it seem like false news when more reports break out.
It is not uncommon for people to call out health experts for some of the statements they have made in the past when new information arises. Let me make something clear now. These health experts and doctors are not clairvoyants or psychics. We only make educated decisions based on the facts we have access to.
Now that I have that out of the way, let’s briefly consider some of the facts we have of the Omicron variant.
Severity
Well, although there have been very few studies on this topic, there is no real indication that the Omicron variant is more severe than other variants, particularly Delta.
This is definitely a relief, considering how fast it spreads. However, this is not remotely close to being conclusive proof. More studies need to be carried out before we can conclude that it truly isn’t as severe.
Also, there are several factors involved, like the age group predominantly affected, vaccination status, immunity status, pre-existing health conditions, and much more. All of these factors make it difficult to say for sure the severity status of the variant.
The CDC have even said the first few dozen cases of the variant have been mostly mild. While this also isn’t conclusive proof, it’s also not bad news.
We must still wait for more extensive studies before we can be certain of Omicron’s severity. For the meantime, though, no news is good news.
Spread
Omicron’s transmissibility seems to be higher than Delta’s. This is evident in how fast it overtook Delta to be the dominant variant in many countries. That’s not a good sign.
However, we don’t have enough data to make conclusive statements. It’s not looking too promising on this front, though.
Remember that transmissibility is always a recipe for increased deaths and even more mutation. The faster and easier the virus spreads, the higher its chances of mutating as it persists longer around us.
Susceptibility to vaccines
One of the most disturbing features of Omicron is its ability to evade vaccines’ protective efforts. This was easily seen, as many fully vaccinated people had the virus.
While the risk of severe illnesses or death from the variant remains low in vaccinated people, there is no doubt of its ability to infect them.
There’s good news, fortunately. Pfizer and Moderna have claimed that booster doses, even at half-levels in some cases, can effectively prevent Omicron from infecting fully vaccinated people. This, again, follows the central theme of us needing the vaccines if we are to have any chance of beating this virus.
There’s even more good news. Researchers have suggested that fully vaccinated people could develop a “super immunity” to other variants of the virus.
Treatment
Recently, antivirals have been developed to provide an easy way of treating infections. Experts suggest these antivirals will also be effective for Omicron. This, in addition to booster doses, should be sufficient to resist the variant. Stay safe.
This article was written by Dr. Adil Manzoor DO, a Board Certified Internist & Board Eligible Pediatrician, who works as a Hospitalist, and Emergency Room Physician. He is also the current President of Garden State Street Medicine, a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to provide free preventive and acute urgent care services for the homeless. He is also the co-founder of his own unique medical practice Mobile Medicine NJ.
References
· https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna8752
· https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-12-10/antiviral-treatments-should-work-well-against-omicron-experts-say
· https://www.deseret.com/platform/amp/coronavirus/2021/12/21/ 22848453/fully-vaccinated-people-omicron-variant-super-immunity
