Indian-origin scientist among UBC researchers unveil world’s 1st molecular-level analysis of Omicron
2 years, 11 months ago

Indian-origin scientist among UBC researchers unveil world’s 1st molecular-level analysis of Omicron

India TV News  

Highlights Omicron has greater binding affinity than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus The findings show strong antibody evasion and binding with human cells Spike protein helps the virus enter and infect cells A team of researchers, including an Indian-origin scientist at the prestigious University of British Columbia, has become the first in the world to conduct a molecular-level structural analysis of the Omicron spike protein, which could help accelerate the development of more effective treatments against the variant. “UBC researchers are the first in the world to conduct a molecular-level structural analysis of the Omicron variant spike protein,” it said. Subramaniam said: “the Omicron variant is unprecedented for having 37 spike protein mutations, that’s three to five times more mutations than any other variant we’ve seen”. Both the characteristics seen as a result of spike protein mutations, strong binding with human cells and increased antibody evasion, are likely contributing factors to the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant, he said.

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History of this topic

‘Just like Omicron…’: Why are scientists paying more attention to new Covid variant?
1 year, 4 months ago

‘Just like Omicron…’: Why are scientists paying more attention to new Covid variant?

Hindustan Times  

Is the highly-mutated new variant of coronavirus, BA.2.86, a matter of global concern? NEXU Science Communication/File Photo Much like Omicron, BA.2.86, which is causing spike in Covid cases in the US, UK and other countries, carries numerous changes in its spike protein. According to Nature, several scientists believe that the emergence of this new variant won't create a wave like …

Omicron Sub-variant Behind Covid Spike in US Might be Cause for Surge in Delhi. All About BA.2.12
2 years, 8 months ago

Omicron Sub-variant Behind Covid Spike in US Might be Cause for Surge in Delhi. All About BA.2.12

News 18  

Omicron sub-lineage BA.2.12 has been detected in a majority of the samples sequenced from Delhi in the first fortnight of April and it could be behind the recent surge in Covid-19 cases in the city, sources said Thursday. Although there has been no official confirmation, an Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium source told news agency PTI that Omicron variant derivative BA.2.12.1 …

Explained: Why antibodies become ineffective against Omicron
2 years, 11 months ago

Explained: Why antibodies become ineffective against Omicron

India TV News  

The presence of a large number of mutations, and more than 30 on its spike protein makes antibodies ineffective against the Omicron variant of Covid-19, shows a study. Further, the team used a preexisting S-protein structure, one which would theoretically prevent the binding of antibodies to a virus, to assess whether or not the Omicron mutations would similarly affect the …

Indian-origin scientist among UBC researchers unveil world’s first molecular-level analysis of Omicron
2 years, 11 months ago

Indian-origin scientist among UBC researchers unveil world’s first molecular-level analysis of Omicron

The Hindu  

A team of researchers, including an Indian-origin scientist at the prestigious University of British Columbia, has become the first in the world to conduct a molecular-level structural analysis of the Omicron spike protein, which could help accelerate the development of more effective treatments against the variant. The analysis, done at near atomic resolution using a cryo-electron microscope, reveals how the …

Expect More Worrisome COVID Variants After Omicron, Scientists Say
2 years, 11 months ago

Expect More Worrisome COVID Variants After Omicron, Scientists Say

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Get ready to learn more Greek letters. “It’s the longer, persistent infections that seem to be the most likely breeding grounds for new variants,” said Dr. Stuart Campbell Ray, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University. For a virus that spreads exponentially, he said, “anything that curbs transmission can have a great effect.” Also, when vaccinated …

Expect more worrisome variants after omicron, scientists say
2 years, 11 months ago

Expect more worrisome variants after omicron, scientists say

Associated Press  

Get ready to learn more Greek letters. “It’s the longer, persistent infections that seem to be the most likely breeding grounds for new variants,” said Dr. Stuart Campbell Ray, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University. For a virus that spreads exponentially, he said, “anything that curbs transmission can have a great effect.” Also, when vaccinated people get sick, …

Omicron mutating but disease severity remains mild, shows Delhi's LNJP Hospital study
2 years, 11 months ago

Omicron mutating but disease severity remains mild, shows Delhi's LNJP Hospital study

India TV News  

Highlights 35 mutations included 3 non-significant mutations in the spike protein, the research revealed Such patients were either asymptomatic or mild in nature, Dr. Suresh Kumar said The doctor has also welcomed Delhi govt's decision of closing all restaurants Omicron variant of coronavirus is mutating but the disease severity is mild, a study conducted by Delhi's Lok Nayak Jai Prakash …

New Covid-19 variant ‘IHU’ discovered in France, has more mutations than Omicron
3 years ago

New Covid-19 variant ‘IHU’ discovered in France, has more mutations than Omicron

Hindustan Times  

Scientists in France have identified a new strain of coronavirus with more mutations than the Omicron variant. The emergence of the new variant, which probably originated in Cameroon, as per the study, harbours both substitutions N501Y and E484K in the spike protein. "The mutation set and phylogenetic position of the genomes obtained here indicate based on our previous definition a …

New Covid-19 variant ‘IHU’ discovered in France, has more mutations than Omicron
3 years ago

New Covid-19 variant ‘IHU’ discovered in France, has more mutations than Omicron

Hindustan Times  

Scientists in France have identified a new strain of coronavirus with more mutations than the Omicron variant. The emergence of the new variant, which probably originated in Cameroon, as per the study, harbours both substitutions N501Y and E484K in the spike protein. "The mutation set and phylogenetic position of the genomes obtained here indicate based on our previous definition a …

Scientists identify antibodies that can neutralise Omicron and other variants
3 years ago

Scientists identify antibodies that can neutralise Omicron and other variants

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Identifying such “broadly neutralising” antibodies on the coronavirus spike protein, which the virus uses to …

Omicron antibodies that can block variant identified
3 years ago

Omicron antibodies that can block variant identified

India TV News  

Highlights Antibodies that can block Omicron variant have been identified Omicron cases tally in India is increasing day-by-day Omicron variant was first discovered in South Africa Scientists have identified antibodies that neutralise Omicron and other variants of coronavirus by targeting areas that remain essentially unchanged as the virus mutates. The Omicron variant has an unusually high number of 37 mutations …

Scientists identify antibodies that can block Omicron variant of Covid-19
3 years ago

Scientists identify antibodies that can block Omicron variant of Covid-19

India Today  

Scientists have identified antibodies that neutralise Omicron and other variants of coronavirus by targeting areas that remain essentially unchanged as the virus mutates. "This finding tells us that by focusing on antibodies that target these highly conserved sites on the spike protein, there is a way to overcome the virus' continual evolution," said David Veesler, an associate professor at the …

Omicron less likely to cause severe illness in lungs as Delta: Study
3 years ago

Omicron less likely to cause severe illness in lungs as Delta: Study

India TV News  

Highlights Omicron spike protein has been found to be less efficient than the Delta spike, says study Omicron variant appears to be much better than Delta at evading neutralising antibodies Preliminary evidence suggests Omicron less likely to cause severe illness in lungs The Omicron variant of Covid-19 may be significantly better than previous variants at evading vaccine-induced antibodies, but preliminary …

A tantalizing clue to why omicron is spreading so quickly
3 years ago

A tantalizing clue to why omicron is spreading so quickly

NPR  

A tantalizing clue to why omicron is spreading so quickly Enlarge this image toggle caption NIAID-RML/Science Source NIAID-RML/Science Source Omicron is spreading lightning fast. Preliminary data, published online Wednesday, gives us the first look at how omicron may behave inside the respiratory tract — and the data offers a tantalizing clue as to why this heavily mutated variant is spreading …

Explained: A recap of emerging evidence on Omicron
3 years ago

Explained: A recap of emerging evidence on Omicron

The Hindu  

It has been two weeks since the World Health Organization designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern in the ongoing SARS-Cov-2 coronavirus pandemic. The transmission rate, immune evasion and the proportions of patients developing severe disease and death are the useful parameters which would enable broad assessments on how the variant would impact the population. In the perspective of public …

Explained | Two Omicron variants
3 years ago

Explained | Two Omicron variants

The Hindu  

The story so far: The World Health Organization designated Omicron as a variant of concern on November 26, three days after the genome sequence was deposited in a public database by South Africa and Botswana. As a result, the Omicron variant has been split into two sub-lineages, namely BA.1, “for the original globally-distributed lineage”, and BA.2, “for the new outlier …

Omg, Omicron! Why it's too soon to panic about new vaccines to tackle the COVID-19 variant
3 years, 1 month ago

Omg, Omicron! Why it's too soon to panic about new vaccines to tackle the COVID-19 variant

Firstpost  

Vaccines may end up protecting us against Omicron after all, as they have done with earlier variants. The World Health Organization says it will take us another two to four weeks to figure out what’s going on Brisbane: Researchers around the world are trying to work out whether existing COVID-19 vaccines protect us from the latest variant, Omicron. For instance, …

Scientifically Speaking | The emergence of Omicron was expected
3 years, 1 month ago

Scientifically Speaking | The emergence of Omicron was expected

Hindustan Times  

Researchers have been saying for months that as long as one part of the world remains unprotected from SARS-CoV-2 infection, there is an opportunity for new variants to emerge. Omicron is a new variant of concern first identified in Botswana and reported to the World Health Organization by South Africa last week. But variants can also emerge over time as …

Scientists race to answer the question: Will vaccines protect us against omicron?
3 years, 1 month ago

Scientists race to answer the question: Will vaccines protect us against omicron?

NPR  

Scientists race to answer the question: Will vaccines protect us against omicron? In essence, they took about 20 mutations and put them all together onto one spike protein, which they call a "polymutant spike mutant." "Omicron appears to have certain combinations of mutations that together would confer more pervasive resistance to individual classes of antibodies," he says. "This polymutant spike …

As Omicron Threat Looms, Prioritise Vaccination Coverage and Boosters for Vulnerable
3 years, 1 month ago

As Omicron Threat Looms, Prioritise Vaccination Coverage and Boosters for Vulnerable

News 18  

Every time someone in India declares emphatically that we have attained herd immunity and no longer need to fear the virus, SARS-CoV-2 serves a reminder that it has new tricks to reveal. Arrival of the Omicron variant follows fresh claims of herd immunity, which led to abandonment of COVID-appropriate behaviour in many parts of India during the festive season of …

Omicron challenge for pharmas as race to make vaccines effective begins again
3 years, 1 month ago

Omicron challenge for pharmas as race to make vaccines effective begins again

Firstpost  

Vaccine makers across the world are studying the new COVID-19 variant Omicron, and trying to develop boosters by early 2022 ‘Will my vaccine work against the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, is the question that almost everyone is asking. Cardiff University’s immunologist Prof Paul Morgan speaking to The Guardian said that although the Omicron variant looks more infectious “a blunting rather …

Omicron is here: So keep calm and carry on with covid shots
3 years, 1 month ago

Omicron is here: So keep calm and carry on with covid shots

Live Mint  

At least we’re learning. South Africa’s government didn’t sit on information about a worrying new variant of Sars-CoV-2, which the World Health Organization has dubbed Omicron. There are questions about whether the new variant may change the effectiveness of monoclonal antibody treatments, proteins that attach to a specific target in the spike protein of the virus and can be a …

Biden says new Omicron variant is ‘cause for concern, not a cause for panic’
3 years, 1 month ago

Biden says new Omicron variant is ‘cause for concern, not a cause for panic’

CNN  

CNN — President Joe Biden on Monday said the new Omicron coronavirus variant is “a cause for concern, not a cause for panic,” as federal health officials brace for the first cases of the new variant to be detected in the US. “This kind of transparency is to be encouraged and applauded because it increases our ability to respond quickly …

COVID-19 vaccines may partially work on new variant Omicron, says ex-ICMR scientist Dr Gangakhedkar
3 years, 1 month ago

COVID-19 vaccines may partially work on new variant Omicron, says ex-ICMR scientist Dr Gangakhedkar

Firstpost  

Gangakhedkar said the public has an important role to play by following the basic rules of wearing masks, maintaining hand hygiene and social distancing Amid growing concerns over Omicron, former Indian Council of Medical Research scientist Dr Raman Gangakhedkar told News18 that vaccines may provide only partial protection against the new ‘heavily mutated’ variant of SARS-CoV-2. “Everyone must make efforts …

Omicron: Vaccines May Partially Work Against New Variant, Ex-ICMR Scientist Dr Gangakhedkar Says
3 years, 1 month ago

Omicron: Vaccines May Partially Work Against New Variant, Ex-ICMR Scientist Dr Gangakhedkar Says

News 18  

Amid growing concerns over Omicron, former Indian Council of Medical Research scientist Dr Raman Gangakhedkar told News18 that vaccines may provide only partial protection against the new ‘heavily mutated’ variant of SARS-CoV-2. “Everyone must make efforts to protect themselves against the virus and not provide an opportunity for the virus to enter, replicate and thus mutate further inside their body.” …

Omicron variant reportedly has over 30 mutations in spike protein, may bypass vaccines: AIIMS chief
3 years, 1 month ago

Omicron variant reportedly has over 30 mutations in spike protein, may bypass vaccines: AIIMS chief

India Today  

The new Omicron variant of coronavirus has reportedly got over 30 mutations in the spike protein region giving it the potential to develop a immunoescape mechanism, and thus the efficacy of vaccines against it needs to be evaluated critically, AIIMS chief Dr Randeep Guelria has said. "The new variant of coronavirus reportedly has got more than 30 mutations at the …

Omicron: Heavy Mutations Don't Always Make a Virus Deadlier But Need High Vigilance, Says ICMR Scientist
3 years, 1 month ago

Omicron: Heavy Mutations Don't Always Make a Virus Deadlier But Need High Vigilance, Says ICMR Scientist

News 18  

Virus with “heavy mutations” doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be lethal, but there is high need for vigilance, ICMR scientist Dr Samiran Panda told News18.com. A new coronavirus variant — B.1.1.529, officially named ‘Omicron’ by WHO — has been red-flagged by scientists due to an alarmingly high number of mutations, expecting that the heavy mutations might make the virus …

Everything we know about the Omicron COVID-19 variant
3 years, 1 month ago

Everything we know about the Omicron COVID-19 variant

Salon  

There's a new COVID-19 variant on the scene, and the heavily mutated strain has experts worried about the potential for another devastating spike in cases this winter. The World Health Organization named it "Omicron" Friday, calling it a "variant of concern" — the agency's most serious designation — just as a number of countries around the world enacted a new …

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