key: cord-0884646-bjep6s54 authors: Sohan, Md.; Hossain, Md. Jamal; Islam, Md. Rabiul title: The SARS‐CoV‐2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant and effectiveness of existing vaccines: What we know so far date: 2022-01-13 journal: J Med Virol DOI: 10.1002/jmv.27574 sha: 1a7147ff2fc0f04669d04ec0a18d58b4eb186170 doc_id: 884646 cord_uid: bjep6s54 The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant first emerged in early November 2021, has prompted worldwide fear due to its contagiousness and immunity escaping capacity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant first emerged in early November 2021, has prompted worldwide fear due to its contagiousness and immunity escaping capacity. 1, 2 Omicron has gotten a lot of attention in a short amount of time because it has more mutations (>30) in the spike protein than any other variants. 3 The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified this variant as a variant of concern (VOC). On November 29, 2021, WHO published a statement mentioning the Omicron variant as a "very high" danger for the world. Also, preliminary research suggested that it might be a more transmissible variety, potentially resulting in infection outbreaks. Omicron may have the ability to impair the effectiveness of vaccines as the number of mutations on the spike protein of this variant theoretically suggests that the efficacy of antibodies produced by COVID-19 vaccinations will be diminished. 4, 5 Monoclonal antibodies are useful antiviral drugs for patients with a high risk of developing severe COVID-19. However, the spike protein of the Omicron variant has been changed extensively. 6 Therefore, this variant has created huge concerns among the scientific communities. [7] [8] [9] According to South African inquiry findings, this variant may be responsible for higher hospitalization rates in children than prior SARS-CoV-2 variants. However, this increased infection rate in children may be due to lower rates of previous coronavirus infection and immunizations. At the same time, it can be the result of this variant's high mutation rate. 10 The scientific community knows very little about the infectivity, antibody resistance of Omicron, and vaccine breakthrough information. Nevertheless, early genomic data reveal immune evasion capabilities, quick transmission ability, reinfection rate, high disease morbidity or mortality, and severity, while conclusive immunological and clinical evidence is still unavailable. 4, 11 All of this information has the potential to pique our attention in this highly mutated variety. According to some laboratory studies, the Omicron variant may have the ability to evade immunity induced by some COVID vaccines. As per published data from UK Health Security Agency, the current vaccines could not give similar protection against the Omicron variant as they gave against other SARS-CoV-2 variants. However, the finding was preliminary to determine the exact role of existing vaccines against Omicron. 12 SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant shows less efficient replication and fusion activity when compared with delta variant in TMPRSS2-expressed cells mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine boosters induce neutralizing immunity against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant Omicron: a speculation on its potential superpowers SARS-CoV-2 Omicron has extensive but incomplete escape of Pfizer BNT162b2 elicited neutralization and requires ACE2 for infection. medRxiv Omicron variant and booster COVID-19 vaccines SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron (B.1.1.529) is in a rising trend of mutations increasing the positive electric charge in crucial regions of the spike protein S Detection of highly muted coronavirus variant Omicron (B.1.1.529) is triggering the alarm for South Asian countries: associated risk factors and preventive actions Detection of Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant has created panic among the people across the world: What should we do right now Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) of SARS-CoV-2, a global urgent public health alert How severe are Omicron infections? 529): a new SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern mounting worldwide fear Omicron is supercharging the COVID vaccine booster debate Urgent call for mass immunization against coronavirus in Bangladesh Recommendation and roadmap of mass vaccination against COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh as a lower-middle-income country (LMIC) Knowledge, perception, and willingness towards immunization among Bangladeshi population during COVID-19 vaccine rolling period. 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