Covid-19 FAQs: Will there be a third wave amid increasing Omicron cases?

What makes Omicron a variant of concern (VoC)? And how concerned should we be? The Health Ministry issued a statement on Friday answering the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the new Covid-19 variant. Here is what you need to know:

What is Omicron and what makes it a variant of concern?
B.1.1.529 or Omicron is a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 that was reported in South Africa on 24th November this year.

This variant has shown a particularly large number of mutations, especially on the viral spike protein which is the key target of the immune response.


"Given the collection of mutations in Omicron, which earlier individually have been associated with increased infectivity and/or immune evasion, and the sudden rise in number of positive cases in South Africa, World Health Organization has declared Omicron as a Variant of Concern (VoC)," the health ministry said.

Can current diagnostics methods like RT-PCR detect Omicron?
RT-PCR is the most accepted and commonly used method of diagnosis for SARS-CoV- 2 variant as it detects specific genes in the virus, such as Spike (S), Enveloped (E) and Nucleocapsid (N), etc, to confirm the presence of the coronavirus.

In the case of Omicron, the S gene is heavily mutated, and some primers may lead to results indicating the absence of the S gene.

"This particular S gene drop out along with the detection of other viral genes could be used a diagnostic feature of Omicron. However, for final confirmation of the omicron variant genomic sequencing is required," it said.

How concerned should we be about the new VoC?
"It is important to highlight that Omicron has been declared VoC based on the observed mutations, their predicted features of increased transmission and immune evasion, and preliminary evidence of detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology, such as increased reinfections," the statement read.

However, the definitive evidence for increased remission and immune evasion is still awaited.

What precautions should we take?
The same Covid-appropriate behaviour as before, which includes face masks, vaccinations, social distancing, and maintaining good ventilation.

Will there be a third wave?
The scale and magnitude of the rise in Omicron cases, and most importantly the severity of disease that will be caused, is still not clear.

Cases are increasingly being reported from countries besides South Africa, and given its characteristics, it is likely to spread to more countries, including India, the ministry explains.

"Given the fast pace of vaccination in India and high exposure to delta variant as evidenced by high seropositivity, the severity of the disease is anticipated to be low. However, scientific evidence is still evolving," it added.

Will the existing vaccines work against Omicron?
Vaccines are expected to still offer protection against severe disease and there is no evidence currently to suggest otherwise.

Some of the mutations reported on the Spike gene may decrease the efficacy of existing vaccines. "However, vaccine protection is also by antibodies as well as by cellular immunity, which is expected to be relatively better preserved," it said.