La new Omicron variant is causing many fears around the world. It is a variant of Covid-19 of which, for the moment, we know very little, but the first indications from South Africa have prompted the WHO to classify it as "worrying" and experts from all over the world to study it to find out more. In this context, the (little) news circulated yesterday was enough to send the international markets upside down, with the European stock exchanges closing the last session of the week with discounts of more than 4 percent.
THE COUNTERMEASURES
Meanwhile, the list of countries that have decided to apply restrictions for those arriving from seven African countries is getting longer by the hour. On 25 November, Minister Roberto Speranza signed an ordinance banning entry into Italy to anyone who has been in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini in the last 14 days”. The same decision was taken by the United Kingdom which will also introduce the mandatory molecular test and quarantine for those arriving. A few hours later the European Union announced that it had reached an agreement which plans to temporarily suspend flights from 7 Southern African countries, the same ones already blocked by Italy. Similar measures were taken by Israel and Singapore, while the US announced new restrictions starting Monday.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE OMICRON VARIANT
The Omicron variant was first identified in Botswana, but is spreading mainly in South Africa, causing a significant increase in infections in the province of Gauteng, where Johannesburg, the most populous city in the country, is located, and in the administrative province of Pretoria . According to the first hypotheses, it could have originated in an immunosuppressed subject whose immune system was unable to effectively fight the infection. It should also be underlined that South Africa has a very low vaccination rate, equal to 24% of the total population (Italy is at 74%).
The new variant is known to have numerous (32) mutations of the Spike protein in the genome that could theoretically increase its transmissibility and ability to evade the antibodies of our immune system, both those deriving from previous infections and those deriving from the vaccine. For the moment, it must be emphasized, these are only hypotheses and in the past some variants of Covid-19 had already aroused many concerns and then proved to be almost completely irrelevant during the pandemic.
The WHO has announced that it is "closely monitoring" the variant, classified as "worrying". “At the moment there is not enough data to indicate transmissibility first and secondly whether or not the variant eludes currently available vaccines. It is clear that in that case it would be a problem: at the moment it is early and it is not present in Italy, but it must be paid attention to, ”said Undersecretary for Health Pierpaolo Sileri.
THE VARIANT OMICRON IS ALREADY IN EUROPE
A first case of the Omicron variant has already been identified in Belgium. It would be, according to what Ansa reports, of a young woman who developed symptoms 11 days after traveling to Egypt via Turkey. She had no connection to South Africa or any other country on the southern African continent. The patient had a high viral load at the time of diagnosis, she was not vaccinated nor had she been infected in the past. Subsequently new cases were found in the Netherlands and Germany. Sunday morning it was Italy's turn, which identified a sequence attributable to the new variant of the Coronavirus on a citizen of Campania – vaccinated with two doses – landed a few days ago at Malpensa from Mozambique. The Italian 'patient zero', a professional employee of Eni, was swabbed when he landed at the Lombard airport and shows mild symptoms. Also check on your family members living in Campania.
“The news about the new variant is very worrying. We know that mutations can spread all over the world in a few months. It is important for Europe to move quickly and in a compact way - the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said yesterday afternoon, adding that "The European Union's contracts with manufacturers state that vaccines must be adapted immediately to new variants as they emerge. Europe has taken the precautions”.
(Last update: 8.45 am on 28 November).
