KOLKATA: The new variant of the coronavirus detected in South Africa, called B.1.1.529 or Omicron – which has been classified as a ‘variant of concern’ by the WHO – will require a new vaccine to act as a shield against it, has estimated a section of experts in Calcutta.
Being a combination of a much larger number of mutations that are different and more potent than what existing vaccines are designed to prevent, Omicron will make them toothless, they feared. Like the flu vaccine, which is changed every year, it’s time to change the Covid vaccine as well, they argued.
Early reports on the variant are extremely concerning, especially as international air travel opens up, said Peerless Hospital microbiologist Bhaskar Narayan Chowdhury. “This is a group of mutations resistant to existing Covid antibodies and more transmissible than any mutations we have seen. So our vaccines won’t work against it and it can spread faster than any of the previous variants. We need to develop a vaccine against this as soon as possible, ”Chowdhury said. He added that while other variants also spread from South Africa, Omicron appeared to be a much more virulent variant.

South African studies have called Omicron a “very unusual constellation of mutations, over 30 in the spike protein alone, 10 more at the ACE2 receptor”. It is believed to have “improved transmissibility” and may be able to bypass our immune system.
The cat-and-mouse game between virus and vaccine will have to continue, said Raja Dhar, CMRI’s director of pulmonology. “With each mutation of the virus, existing vaccines will lose their effectiveness. Thus, vaccines should be dynamic and change every year, taking into account the extent of the mutation. This variant seems dangerous because it apparently has multiple mutations at the ACE 2 receptor where the antibodies generated by the vaccines bind, ”said Dhar.

Even though Omicron has yet to reach a large number, it has already been detected in several African countries and even in Hong Kong. “It is indeed like a new virus since it has over 30 mutations in the spike protein alone. If it spreads quickly, we may have to think about modifying the vaccine to neutralize Omicron, otherwise the pandemic will break out. again. We still have a large chunk of unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people who are vulnerable anyway. A vaccine against a dead virus like Covaxin, I think, will be more effective against this variant than Covishield, “said Rahul Jain , consultant in internal medicine at the Belle Vue Clinic.
Some, however, felt that it might be too early to hit the panic button. On the contrary, we should stick to appropriate behavior at Covid and focus on completing the vaccination, said Sauren Panja, intensivist at the RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences (RTIICS). “Studies on Omicron are still in their infancy and we’ll wait to see if it is indeed as virulent and transmissible as the first reports claim. It would be wrong to conclude now that existing vaccines will not work at all, ”said Panja.