SARS‐CoV‐2 Omicron variant: Characteristics and prevention

TLDR

COVID‑19 poses a global public health threat, and the emergence of SARS‑CoV‑2 variant B.1.1.529 (Omicron) in South Africa triggered rapid case increases, leading the WHO to classify it as a variant of concern after initially monitoring it, with its spike protein carrying 15 receptor‑binding domain mutations and additional shared changes with Alpha, Beta, and Gamma variants that heighten worries about transmissibility, pathogenicity, and immune evasion. The authors aim to describe the discovery and characteristics of Omicron, compare its spike mutations with those of the five VOCs, and propose strategies to prevent and mitigate its spread. They conduct a comparative mutation analysis of the spike protein across VOCs and outline potential preventive measures based on the observed genetic differences.

Abstract

Abstract Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) has brought about a great threat to global public health. Recently, a new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) variant B.1.1.529 has been reported in South Africa and induced a rapid increase in COVID‐19 cases. On November 24, 2021, B.1.1.529 named Omicron was designated as a variant under monitoring (VUM) by World Health Organization (WHO). Two days later, the Omicron variant was classified as a variant of concern (VOC). This variant harbors a high number of mutations, including 15 mutations in the receptor‐binding domain (RBD) of spike. The Omicron variant also shares several mutations with the previous VOC Alpha, Beta, and Gamma variants, which immediately raised global concerns about viral transmissibility, pathogenicity, and immune evasion. Here we described the discovery and characteristics of the Omicron variant, compared the mutations of the spike in the five VOCs, and further raised possible strategies to prevent and overcome the prevalence of the Omicron variant.