Explainer-How worried should we be about the Omicron variant?


  • World
  • Saturday, 27 Nov 2021

FILE PHOTO: Travelers line up for a COVID-19 test during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., November 26, 2021. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

(Reuters) - The new Omicron coronavirus variant - identified first in South Africa, but also detected in Europe and Asia - is raising concern worldwide given the number of mutations, which might help it spread or even evade antibodies from prior infection or vaccination.

News of the variant prompted countries to announce new travel restrictions on Friday and sent drugmakers scrambling to see if their COVID-19 vaccines remain protective.

Subscribe now and receive FREE sooka plan for 1 month.
T&C applies.

Monthly Plan

RM13.90/month

Annual Plan

RM12.33/month

Billed as RM148.00/year

1 month

Free Trial

For new subscribers only


Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
   

Next In World

Russian air defences down Ukrainian drones in different regions
U.S. stocks close lower
Boeing elects Tim Buckley to board of directors
Chinese FM meets Canadian counterpart in Lima
Crude futures settle lower
U.S. dollar little changed
National strike causes postal service delays for millions of Canadians
Three-quarters of U.S. adults now overweight or obese: study
South African president orders immediate closure of tuck shops linked to food poisoning cases
Americans increasingly vote along class lines, not racial ones: WSJ

Others Also Read