Two scientists from the University of Hong Kong released on Tuesday (8) the first two images of the omicron variant, which alerted the global community to avoid further peaks of the pandemic.
According to official information from the institution, the scientists captured two images of the new variant under a microscope.
On the left, you can see a monkey kidney cell after infection with the omicron variant. The photo shows some cell damage with swollen vesicles and contains small black viral particles.
The right part of the image shows an infected cell. In the part that has a red box, there are viral particles with crown-shaped tips.
First identified in South Africa, the new variant soon caught the attention of the WHO (World Health Organization), which considered it to be a very high risk. The entity has also been highlighting that there are many unknowns about this strain, especially about the real danger it represents.
“Given the mutations that could confer the ability to evade an immune response, and give it an advantage in terms of transmissibility, the probability that the omicron will spread around the world is high,” the WHO said.
More recently, new information has brought a positive outlook towards the omicron. The respected American scientist Anthony Fauci, for example, has said that while it will take weeks to determine the severity of the omicron variant of the coronavirus, early evidence suggests that it is no worse than previous variants and possibly milder.
BioNTech and Pfizer, in turn, reported this Wednesday (8) that three doses of its vaccine against Covid neutralized the omicron variant of the new coronavirus in a laboratory test. In addition, it would be possible to offer a version of the immunizing agent for the new strain in March 2022, if necessary.
On the same day, however, the WHO said that it is still not possible to be certain that three doses of vaccine against Covid neutralize the omicron. According to the organization, there is an expectation of having better evidence on the effectiveness of the vaccine booster in the coming weeks with the development of new research.
.
Chad-98Weaver, a distinguished author at NewsBulletin247, excels in the craft of article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a penchant for storytelling, Chad delivers informative and engaging content that resonates with readers across various subjects. His contributions are a testament to his dedication and expertise in the field of journalism.
