Omicron variant

Alright, here’s another one that honestly feels like it deserves its own dedicated thread. It’s being called Nu. 😁
The scientists are calling it B.1.1.529 for now, though you might hear people referring to it as the South African or even the Botswanan variant.
Here’s what we know so far:

https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/2021

https://www.thenationalnews.com/coro...covid-variant/

What’s your take on where this thing is headed?
Is it actually going to wipe out the Delta strain?

🍿

mod EDIT: Changed the title since the variant has been officially dubbed Omicron

I guess that soy got its name from the "Knights Who say ni".

Everyone seems to be obsessing over the Nu variant lately, but I can't help but wonder if anyone else actually remembers Mu?

The Mu COVID Variant Made a Splash, then Disappeared without a Peep
https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/2021...peared-quietly

We're all gonna die

Look, obviously we want it. It’s a given. The real question is just a matter of when it actually happens and where the hell we're getting the funding from.
😁

For the time being, we’re just holding onto the hope that the vaccine maintains its efficacy. Beyond that, we have several new treatments on the horizon—medications specifically designed to bypass these mutations entirely. Regardless, we are definitely in a much stronger position now than we were previously.

The explanation regarding how this latest mutation evolved is actually quite fascinating. In immunocompromised patients, the virus was essentially given an open runway to mutate until it finally hit upon a variant capable of effectively bypassing the immune system.

Some people are operating under the delusion that they possess "good immunity." Sure, they might for now, but that changes the moment a mutation emerges that their system isn't prepared to recognize.

Ultimately, we are seeing exactly what I predicted would happen back when I made my call four months ago.

In the United States, one case was officially identified as the new B.1.1.529 variant—it popped up in someone traveling back from Egypt (on 11/11), and they started feeling under the weather around 22/11.

Word on the street is that Southern Africa supposedly has enough vaccine doses sitting there to cover their entire adult population for a month now, but even there, people seem pretty hesitant to take the plunge. ☕

From Egypt, via a layover in Turkey. Absolutely zero contact with any of those South African nations.

Samuel Turner2 said:It’s the exact same story whether you've been vaccinated or you already caught the bug.
We're all stuck in the same damn mess...

The panic seems pretty intense right now—and maybe it's justified—but we don't have the full picture yet. We'll see how things shake out in the coming days. There's no need to overreact to everything, except for the obvious stuff—like people flying in from Africa...

Antibody therapy might become an option (which means it wouldn't really help Trump 😁)

Linda Harris59 said:The explanation regarding how this latest mutation evolved is actually quite fascinating. In immunocompromised patients, the virus was essentially given an open runway to mutate until it finally hit upon a variant capable of effectively bypassing the immune system.

Some people are operating under the delusion that they possess "good immunity." Sure, they might for now, but that changes the moment a mutation emerges that their system isn't prepared to recognize.

Ultimately, we are seeing exactly what I predicted would happen back when I made my call four months ago.

It’s the exact same story whether you've been vaccinated or you already caught the bug.
We're all stuck in the same damn mess...

Linda Harris59 said:The explanation regarding how this latest mutation evolved is actually quite fascinating. In immunocompromised patients, the virus was essentially given an open runway to mutate until it finally hit upon a variant capable of effectively bypassing the immune system.

Some people are operating under the delusion that they possess "good immunity." Sure, they might for now, but that changes the moment a mutation emerges that their system isn't prepared to recognize.

Ultimately, we are seeing exactly what I predicted would happen back when I made my call four months ago.

.... seriously though... who are you actually fighting?

ruggedhawk20 said:We're all gonna die

There's still plenty of time before we actually hit the "Um" scenario...

Let’s be real, this version has definitely already gone global. Whether it actually takes the lead remains to be seen.

They put restrictions on flights for the previous versions too, so we'll see if that actually did anything at all.

It is high time we put an end to COVID-19.

We have to account for mutations regardless. If necessary, we'll just see another cycle of mRNA vaccine updates—first the primary series, then boosters—alongside measures like masking and gathering restrictions. It’s nothing new.

placidtinker39 said:There's still plenty of time before we actually hit the "Um" scenario...

Hey 👍 there

stormylynx14 said:We have to account for mutations regardless. If necessary, we'll just see another cycle of mRNA vaccine updates—first the primary series, then boosters—alongside measures like masking and gathering restrictions. It’s nothing new.

Yeah, but let's be real, they haven't actually been updating these vaccines for the new variants much at all. Every single one available right now is still basically based on that original strain from Wuhan....

Nicole James said:For the time being, we’re just holding onto the hope that the vaccine maintains its efficacy. Beyond that, we have several new treatments on the horizon—medications specifically designed to bypass these mutations entirely. Regardless, we are definitely in a much stronger position now than we were previously.

States are rolling out new restrictions because hospitalization rates are spiking despite high vaccination numbers, yet you're sitting there hoping that a vaccine designed for the Alpha strain can somehow pull its weight against Delta, let alone this new variant? That is some top-tier optimism right there.🤣

Just keep hoping; I have zero doubts that my recently acquired natural immunity will handle this strain just fine, assuming it even manages to spread rapidly enough to matter...

Samuel Turner2 said:Yeah, but let's be real, they haven't actually been updating these vaccines for the new variants much at all. Every single one available right now is still basically based on that original strain from Wuhan....

This points to the suspicion that current shots offer significantly less protection against new mutations. While Delta didn't show massive differences, there are still notable gaps between different types, like vector vs. mRNA.