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A first, small study suggests Omicron is a larger threat to Covid-19 immunity than other variants.

8 Dec, 2021 | 10:22h | UTC

A first, small study suggests Omicron is a larger threat to Covid-19 immunity than other variants – STAT

Original Study: SARS-CoV-2 Omicron has extensive but incomplete escape of Pfizer BNT162b2 elicited neutralization and requires ACE2 for infection – medRxiv

 

Commentary from the author on Twitter (thread – click for more)

See also (thread – click for more)

 

Editorial: Omicron is bad, but the global response is worse – “The pandemic will not end while vaccine equity keeps getting pushed to the margins”.

8 Dec, 2021 | 10:07h | UTC

Omicron is bad but the global response is worse – Nature

 

The world has the tools to end the coronavirus pandemic. They’re not being used properly.

7 Dec, 2021 | 10:15h | UTC

The world has the tools to end the coronavirus pandemic. They’re not being used properly – CNN

 

Perspective | ‘It’s misinformation at worst.’ Weak health studies can do more harm than good, scientists say.

7 Dec, 2021 | 10:17h | UTC

‘It’s misinformation at worst.’ Weak health studies can do more harm than good, scientists say – Science

 

European data on Omicron: Out of 109 cases confirmed so far, all cases for which there is available information on severity were either asymptomatic or mild.

5 Dec, 2021 | 23:50h | UTC

Epidemiological update: Omicron variant of concern (VOC) – data as of 3 December 2021 (12.00) – European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

 

Commentary on Twitter:

 

Early data from South Africa hints Omicron variant may cause less severe Covid, but more research is needed.

5 Dec, 2021 | 23:51h | UTC

Early data from South Africa hints Omicron variant may cause less severe Covid, but more research is needed – STAT

Original report: Tshwane District Omicron Variant Patient Profile – Early Features

 

Fauci says early reports encouraging about omicron variant – “Thus far, it does not look like there’s a great degree of severity to it”.

5 Dec, 2021 | 23:47h | UTC

Fauci says Omicron variant doesn’t look severe, but ‘got to be careful’ – Associated Press

 

WHO has no reports yet of Omicron Covid deaths.

5 Dec, 2021 | 23:48h | UTC

WHO has no reports yet of Omicron Covid deaths – MedicalXpress

 

Commentary on Twitter

 

[Preprint] Preliminary data points to increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection associated with the emergence of Omicron variant in South Africa.

3 Dec, 2021 | 10:29h | UTC

Increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection associated with emergence of the Omicron variant in South Africa – medRxiv

Commentaries:

Global Omicron COVID cases rise as evidence for immune escape grows – CIDRAP

Omicron seems to carry higher Covid reinfection risk, says South Africa – The Guardian

Reinfections three times more likely with Omicron: S. African research – MedicalXpress

 

Commentary from the author on Twitter (thread – click for more)

 

Podcast: The Omicron Variant of SARS-CoV-2.

3 Dec, 2021 | 10:21h | UTC

The Omicron Variant of SARS-CoV-2 – New England Journal of Medicine

 

Interactive Infographic: Visualizing SARS-CoV-2 transmission routes and mitigations.

3 Dec, 2021 | 10:26h | UTC

Visualising SARS-CoV-2 transmission routes and mitigations – The BMJ

Commentary: New interactive graphic tool illustrates SARS-CoV-2 transmission routes and mitigations – News Medical

 

Commentary on Twitter

 

Omicron is supercharging the COVID vaccine booster debate – “The data are growing that booster jabs enhance protection — but their durability, impact and ability to quash the new variant are unknown”.

3 Dec, 2021 | 10:19h | UTC

Omicron is supercharging the COVID vaccine booster debate – Nature

 

Omicron-variant border bans ignore the evidence, say scientists – “Researchers say travel restrictions in response to the newly detected coronavirus variant come too late and could even slow studies of Omicron”.

3 Dec, 2021 | 10:20h | UTC

Omicron-variant border bans ignore the evidence, say scientists – Nature

 

How bad is Omicron? What scientists know so far.

3 Dec, 2021 | 10:18h | UTC

How bad is Omicron? What scientists know so far – Nature

 

Opinion | Omg, Omicron! Why it’s too soon to panic about COVID vaccines and the new variant.

3 Dec, 2021 | 10:16h | UTC

Omg, Omicron! Why it’s too soon to panic about COVID vaccines and the new variant – The Conversation

 

Germany on Thursday announced a nationwide lockdown for the unvaccinated.

3 Dec, 2021 | 10:14h | UTC

Germany locks down unvaccinated people, as leaders plan to make shots compulsory – CNN

See also: Germany locks unvaccinated out of public life; mandate looms – Associated Press

 

Perspective | Harms versus benefits in medicine: not just a decision for experts.

3 Dec, 2021 | 10:05h | UTC

Harms versus benefits in medicine: not just a decision for experts – The Conversation

 

The Omicron Variant Is a Mystery. Here’s How Science Will Solve It – “So far, panic about the new Covid variant has outpaced actual information. Here’s what scientists around the world are trying to uncover”.

2 Dec, 2021 | 10:08h | UTC

The Omicron Variant Is a Mystery. Here’s How Science Will Solve It – Wired

See also the latest articles on the subject:

Where did ‘weird’ Omicron come from? – Science

We can prevail over Omicron. We just need to use the tools we have – The Guardian

How South African Researchers Identified the Omicron Variant of COVID – The New Yorker

The omicron variant has been found in 23 countries – NPR

These countries have found cases of the Omicron Covid-19 variant so far – CNN

Scientists say it will take weeks to tell how dangerous Omicron really is. Here’s why – CNN

Coronavirus variants: Here’s what we know – CNN

To catch variants like omicron, the world needs to sequence way more virus genes – Vox

Omicron’s Best- and Worst-Case Scenarios – The Atlantic

Africa: tackle HIV and COVID-19 together – Nature

Omicron Travel Bans Violate International Health Rules and Decimate Southern Africa’s Fragile Tourism Industry – Health Policy Watch

The mystery of where omicron came from — and why it matters – NPR

A reason for optimism on Omicron: Our immune systems are not blank slates – STAT

Omicron – Science-Based Medicine

Covid: Omicron may require ‘very stringent response’, say Sage scientists – BBC

WHO warns against Omicron travel bans as nations shut borders – MedicalXpress

Israeli doctor believes he caught Omicron variant of Covid in London – The Guardian

First case of Omicron coronavirus variant identified in the U.S. – STAT

 

World Health Assembly agrees to launch process to develop historic global accord on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.

2 Dec, 2021 | 10:03h | UTC

World Health Assembly agrees to launch process to develop historic global accord on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response – World Health Organization

Commentary: Standing Ovation as WHO Member States Commit to Negotiating New Pandemic Accord – Health Policy Watch

 

WHO advice for international traffic in relation to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529).

1 Dec, 2021 | 10:02h | UTC

WHO advice for international traffic in relation to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) – World Health Organization

Commentary: Over-60s, vulnerable should postpone travel due to Omicron: WHO – MedicalXpress

See also the latest articles on the subject:

Will omicron – the new coronavirus variant of concern – be more contagious than delta? A virus evolution expert explains what researchers know and what they don’t – The Conversation

WHO pleads for ‘rational’ Omicron response – MedicalXpress

Omicron: WHO warns of ‘high infection risk’ around globe – BBC

Video: Why Omicron is the most worrying Covid variant yet – video explainer – The Guardian

Doctors hope Omicron causes milder cases of Covid — but it’s still too early to say – STAT

Doctor: Many South Africans ill in surge have mild symptoms – Associated Press

New Findings Show the Omicron Variant Spread Widely At a Faster Pace Than Initially Thought – TIME

Why some researchers think the omicron variant could be the most infectious one yet – NPR

Omicron Covid variant ‘present in Europe at least 10 days ago’ – The Guardian

Netherlands says Omicron variant was already in country earlier than previously thought – CNN

Netherlands detections hint at earlier Omicron spread – CIDRAP

Epidemiologist awaits clearer picture on omicron – Harvard University

Pfizer research head envisions a sprint to develop Omicron vaccine, if it’s needed – STAT

Omicron COVID variant was in Europe before South African scientists detected and flagged it to the world – CBS News

Moderna boss predicts current vaccines may be less effective against Omicron – The Guardian

Wealthy nations starved the developing world of vaccines. Omicron shows the cost of this greed – The Conversation

Travel restrictions by country following the Omicron variant outbreak – CNN

 

Ending the COVID-19 Pandemic Hinges on Trust: Science alone won’t pull us out of the pandemic.

1 Dec, 2021 | 09:47h | UTC

Ending the COVID-19 Pandemic Hinges on Trust – Think Global Health

 

Commentary on Twitter

 

Using wearable data, a real-time alerting system can be used for the early detection of Covid-19 and other stress events.

1 Dec, 2021 | 09:59h | UTC

Real-time alerting system for COVID-19 and other stress events using wearable data – Nature Medicine

Commentary: Scientists develop a smartwatch-based device for early detection of COVID-19 – News Medical

 

Commentary on Twitter

 

WHO Technical Brief and Priority Actions: Enhancing Readiness for Omicron.

30 Nov, 2021 | 08:46h | UTC

Enhancing Readiness for Omicron (B.1.1.529): Technical Brief and Priority Actions for Member States – World Health Organization

Commentaries:

The World Health Organization warns of very high risk posed by the omicron variant – NPR

Omicron Covid variant poses very high global risk, says WHO – The Guardian

See also the latest articles on the subject:

Statement On Omicron Variant – Infectious Diseases Society of America

Covid-19: Omicron may be more transmissible than other variants and partly resistant to existing vaccines, scientists fear – The BMJ

Helen Salisbury: Omicron—panic mongering or appropriate caution? – The BMJ

The Omicron variant underscores the global stakes of Covid-19 vaccine inequity – STAT

EXPLAINER: What we know and don’t know about omicron variant – Associated Press

Omicron: How do you detect it? – BBC

Are new COVID variants like Omicron linked to low vaccine coverage? Here’s what the science says – The Conversation

Omicron: why the WHO designated it a variant of concern – The Conversation

It looks like Omicron causes milder illness – is this how COVID becomes endemic? – The Conversation

As Omicron spreads, studies suggest that travel bans alone don’t do much good – NPR

 

RCT: SARS-CoV-2 transmission was largely prevented through a comprehensive preventive intervention in a large, live, indoor gathering event.

30 Nov, 2021 | 08:43h | UTC

Prevention of SARS-CoV-2 transmission during a large, live, indoor gathering (SPRING): a non-inferiority, randomised, controlled trial – The Lancet Infectious Diseases

Invited Commentary: Concerts and COVID: can the beat go on? – The Lancet Infectious Diseases

Related: No COVID-19 cases found after a well-controlled indoor concert.

 

Commentary on Twitter

 

WHO Update on Omicron + Several Articles on the Subject.

28 Nov, 2021 | 21:38h | UTC

Update on Omicron – World Health Organization

Classification of Omicron (B.1.1.529): SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern – World Health Organization

See also:

Omicron COVID-19 variant: Africa CDC statement

Expert reaction to B.1.1.529 variant situation in South Africa; and UK travel restrictions in response – Science Media Centre

Threat Assessment Brief: Implications of the emergence and spread of the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1. 529 variant of concern (Omicron) for the EU/EEA – European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

‘Patience is crucial’: Why we won’t know for weeks how dangerous Omicron is – Science

Scientists rapidly identified the Omicron variant. But firm answers about its impact could take weeks – STAT

New Covid variant: Will new measures against Omicron work? – BBC

Vaccine inequity and hesitancy made the Omicron variant more likely, scientists say – CNN

Travel bans aren’t the answer to stopping new COVID variant Omicron – The Conversation

Scientists sharing Omicron data were heroic. Let’s ensure they don’t regret it – The Guardian

The Omicron variant reveals the true global danger of ‘vaccine apartheid’ – The Guardian

We Know Almost Nothing About the Omicron Variant – The Atlantic

Covid: New Omicron variant not a disaster, says Sage scientist – BBC

New Covid variant: Will new measures against Omicron work? – BBC

World is put on high alert over the Omicron coronavirus variant – CNN

Moderna Announces Strategy to Address Omicron (B.1.1.529) SARS-CoV-2 Variant – Moderna

Omicron is the new COVID kid on the block: five steps to avoid, ten to take immediately – The Conversation

What’s known and unknown about Omicron, the coronavirus variant identified in South Africa – STAT

The new variant is worrying – but it doesn’t change how we tackle Covid – The Guardian

Omicron: everything you need to know about new Covid variant – The Guardian

Omicron variant unlikely to reboot Covid in UK, expert says – The Guardian

UK detects Omicron cases, as more countries eye new COVID-19 variant – CIDRAP

New COVID variant alarms researchers, triggers travel bans – CIDRAP

The omicron variant spreads across Europe as new travel bans take effect – NPR

What to know about omicron, the new COVID variant – NPR

What we know about the Omicron variant – CNN

The new Omicron variant is a pandemic gut check – CNN

Newly discovered Covid-19 variant B.1.1.529 is ‘red flag’ but US needs to learn more, Fauci says – CNN

Omicron, a new Covid-19 variant with high number of mutations, sparks travel bans and worries scientists – CNN

What to know about the omicron variant of the coronavirus – The Washington Post

 

Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)

 

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