BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

Omicron variant: What are the factors of a COVID-19 variant of concern?

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

(NewsNation Now) — As the omicron variant continues to be detected worldwide, this is not the first time a coronavirus variant has raised alarm bells in the global health community.

But how often do these alarm bells turn into something with global health implications? Here’s what you need to know.

27 COVID-19 variants have been tracked by the World Health Organization. Only five of those have been of major concern.

Alpha, beta, delta, gamma, and omicron are the five variants of concern as described by the WHO. A variant of concern means that the variant has either increased transmissibility, increased severity, and/or significant impacts to global health.

So far, the delta variant seemingly has been the only variant to overwhelm the global health care systems. Back in June, delta supplanted other variants as the most dominant strain.

WHO also monitors variants of interest. WHO’s variants of interest have been determined to exhibit “genetic changes that are predicted or known to affect virus characteristics” including transmissibility, immune escape, disease severity or resistance to treatment. WHO’s current variants of interest are lamba and mu. If there are changes to the virus that means it looks like it has the potential to do more harm, then it is designated as a variant of concern.

Multiple mutations have been downgraded because they didn’t end up impacting global health systems, despite being more transmissible or causing more severe infections.

Variants like epsilon which emerged in the U.S. as significantly transmissible was seen in few global cases and wasn’t directly linked to more severe illness. Epsilon has now been downgraded to a “formerly monitored variant.”

One of the things that has caused this concern over omicron is it’s seemingly more transmissible. But still so much is unknown about the variant.

Morning In America

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Site Settings Survey

 

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Sunny

la

69°F Sunny Feels like 69°
Wind
5 mph S
Humidity
30%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 52F. Winds light and variable.
52°F Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 52F. Winds light and variable.
Wind
4 mph SW
Precip
15%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Waxing Gibbous