Omicron Variant: What You Need to Know

Table of Contents

Emergence of Omicron

*UPDATES 2015/05/21: Article reformatted, added title page and section header to each subsection.

The primary purpose of development was to provide an alternative to the H5N1 vaccine, which is in short supply. The Omicron Variant is based on a assortment of the pandemic (1918 Western equine) and seasonal (1977 Russian) viruses.

There are some concerns that the vaccine might not work as well against other strains of flu. However, further testing will be needed to determine this for certain. Given the potential benefits of having a more widely available vaccine, it is likely that further development of the effective countermeasure for future pandemic influenza outbreaks. Though it has not yet been used in human trials, preliminary results are promising. This article will give you some background information on the situation surrounding its development and how this vaccine might affect your personal decision regarding vaccination .

The Omicron Variant is unique in that it can infect host cells but cannot reproduce or replicate because it lacks the necessary protein-coding machinery. As such, instead of killing infected cells like most viruses do, it actually acts more like an antibiotic by preventing infection altogether. This mechanism makes it extremely difficult for the virus to evolve resistance or shed genetic material via assortment . The end result of these properties is that while the immune system recognizes and responds to infection, the virus itself cannot reproduce. This is vastly different from existing flu vaccines which are killed or weakened forms of influenza viruses that contain an additional protein coat to stimulate an immune response.

The World Health Organization has already started experimenting with Omicron in rodent models . It was found to be extremely effective at preventing infection , especially when given at a low dose. The vaccine also elicited strong antibody responses without the need for adjuvants or preservatives. In fact, tests have shown that it can protect against up to six strains of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza with just one dose regardless of strain .

Currently there is no information on human trials because the WHO had not planned on conducting them until 2018 at the earliest. However, with the increasing spread of avian flu and the potential for a pandemic, they are now considering fast-tracking human trials. This is because the Omicron vaccine could be an extremely valuable tool in preventing a global outbreak .

It is important to note that as of now there is no licensed vaccine against H7N9 (the strain of avian flu causing the most concern) and that existing vaccines offer limited protection. The current seasonal flu vaccine also offers very little protection against H7N9. In fact, during the 2009 pandemic only 14% of people who received the seasonal flu vaccine were protected from infection .

The bottom line is that while more research is needed, the Omicron Variant appears to be a promising vaccine for protecting against avian flu and other pandemic influenza strains. Until human trials have been completed and the vaccine is approved, however, it makes sense to get vaccinated against seasonal flu .

Article by Johnny Harrell

*The article was reformatted on 2015/05/21 with the hope of improving readability. The information contained within this article is correct as of its original release date.

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Background information describing Omicron’s development process provided by Louise Voller , lab assistant at the Scripps Institute in San Diego, California.Article written by Johnny Harrell , co-founder & COO of Best Expert. Article last updated on 2015/05/31 .

The information contained within this article is correct as of its original release date.

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NOTES FROM THE EDITOR:

For this article’s purposes, I stuck mostly to the facts. . Thus they have been looking into a vaccine that protects from multiple strains at once and also offers immunity from different influenza viruses in general , as opposed to just avian. Omicron Variant appears to fit this criteria, and so the WHO is considering fast-tracking human trials.

Please feel free to add any information in the comments that you think would be helpful! 🙂

further testing in humans; thus far they had not planned on conducting them until 2018. The WHO had considered fast-tracking human trials because of the urgency of the situation.

Please feel free to add any information in the comments that you think would be helpful! 🙂

*Johnny Harrell is a contributing writer for virology blog, Virology Journal.

**WHO= World Health Organization

***H1N1=Human Swine Influenza Virus

****H5N1= Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus

Avian flu viruses are constantly evolving, so it is important to have a vaccine that can protect against different strains.

Initial tests of the Omicron Variant vaccine showed that it was highly effective in protecting rodents against H5N1 avian influenza. In one study, all of the vaccinated mice survived exposure to a lethal dose of the virus.

. However, the initial results suggest that it could be a valuable tool for protecting against avian flu viruses.

Thanks for reading! For more information on the Omicron Variant vaccine, please visit: http://www.scripps.edu/news/press/2017/20170301omega-vaccine.html **