This is an archive article published on December 6, 2021
Explained: What has CDC said about Omicron’s transmissibility, vaccine efficacy, treatment
At this point, CDC says it remains unknown if Omicron spreads more easily than the Delta, which is the dominant Covid-19 variant found across the globe.
New Delhi | Updated: December 7, 2021 08:25 AM IST
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CDC has said that the current vaccines are “expected” to protect against severe illness, hospitalisations and deaths due to infection with the Omicron variant. (AP/File)
More information is expected to emerge in the coming days on transmissibility, severe infection and the performance of the Covid-19 vaccine with respect to Omicron. The United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has come out with facts on what is known so far about the Omicron variant of Covid-19 — which has now been detected in several countries in the world.
What has the CDC said about the transmissibility of the Omicron?
At this point, CDC says it remains unknown if Omicron spreads more easily than the Delta, which is the dominant Covid-19 variant found across the globe. “The Omicron variant likely will spread more easily than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and how easily Omicron spreads compared to Delta remains unknown,” it has said.
However, it has highlighted that it expects that anyone with Omicron infection can spread the virus to others, even if they are vaccinated or don’t have symptoms.
Again, CDC has said that more data is required to establish if Omicron infection, especially reinfections and breakthrough infections in people who are fully vaccinated, causes more severe illness or death compared to infection caused by other variants.
Are the current vaccines effective against the Omicron?
CDC has said its scientists are currently investigating Omicron — including how protected fully vaccinated people will be against infection, hospitalization, and death. However, it has been highlighted that the breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated people — is likely to occur.
Second, it has said that the current vaccines are “expected” to protect against severe illness, hospitalisations and deaths due to infection with the Omicron variant.
“With other variants, like Delta, vaccines have remained effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. The recent emergence of Omicron further emphasizes the importance of vaccination and boosters,” the CDC said.
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Will the current treatment work against Omicron?
CDC says its scientists are working to determine how effectively the existing treatments for Covid-19 work against Omicron. “Based on the changed genetic make-up of Omicron, some treatments are likely to remain effective while others may be less effective,” the CDC has said.
Kaunain Sheriff M is an award-winning investigative journalist and the National Health Editor at The Indian Express. He is the author of Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant, an investigation into one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical companies.
With over a decade of experience, Kaunain brings deep expertise in three areas of investigative journalism: law, health, and data. He currently leads The Indian Express newsroom’s in-depth coverage of health.
His work has earned some of the most prestigious honours in journalism, including the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism, the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) Award, and the Mumbai Press Club’s Red Ink Award.
Kaunain has also collaborated on major global investigations. He was part of the Implant Files project with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which exposed malpractices in the medical device industry across the world. He also contributed to an international investigation that uncovered how a Chinese big-data firm was monitoring thousands of prominent Indian individuals and institutions in real time.
Over the years, he has reported on several high-profile criminal trials, including the Hashimpura massacre, the 2G spectrum scam, and the coal block allocation case. Within The Indian Express, he has been honoured three times with the Indian Express Excellence Award for his investigations—on the anti-Sikh riots, the Vyapam exam scam, and the abuse of the National Security Act in Uttar Pradesh. ... Read More
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