TORONTO – The new Omicron variant scares Canada. In our country, as in the rest of the world, concern is growing about this new strain of covid-19 discovered for the first time in South Africa that has already been identified in Germany, England, Italy and other European countries. 

Worldwide, the alert was launched on Friday by the World Health Organization itself, based on the first data on this new variant, highly contagious, which could become predominant by supplanting the Delta. But why is the concern of the international scientific community so strong? According to the very first indications, this new strain has numerous changes in the spike protein of the coronavirus and this – virologists say – could facilitate contagion even for people who have been vaccinated. But on this point the scientific community is not unambiguous. We need caution, we need prudence.

In Canada, virologist Zain Chagla called for calm and stressed that more data is needed right now to better identify the problem. The Federal Chief Medical Officer, Theresa Tam, reiterated how the vaccination campaign will have to proceed according to the planned roadmap, with the third dose first for the less protected groups and then gradually reaching the entire population that has already received the two doses.

In Italy, Franco Locatelli, coordinator of the Technical scientific committee, took stock of the situation. The Omicron variant appears “rapid in spread, but we do not know if it is capable of causing a serious disease. The vaccine, now more than ever, remains fundamental, combined with the use of the mask”.

“It is not clear to date if this strain will have greater capacity to cause serious illness – explains Locatelli – But the attention must be maintained at the highest level and Minister Speranza was the first to do, followed by the other EU Ministers, to promptly interrupt access and flights from the 8 countries that have been invested with it”. A move that has been repeated here in Canada, with the blocking of flights to and from the countries of South Africa until January 31.

As for the resistance to vaccines of the new variant, “it is the crucial question – says Locatelli – The presence of mutations in the regions of the Spike protein recognized by antibodies or lymphocyte T cells could partially reduce the effectiveness of vaccines. However, only further assessments will give us an evidence-based response.”

Finally, news arrives from South Africa that if confirmed could be reassuring. According to Angelique Coetzee, president of the South African Medical Association (Sama), the Omicron variant is probably more contagious, but the symptoms, however, appear mild.

Coetzee stated that “patients complain mainly of a sore body and tiredness, extreme fatigue, and we see this in the younger generation, not in older people.” Coetzee pointed out that only 24% of the country’s population is fully vaccinated.