The new coronavirus strain Omicron is three times more infectious for people recovered from COVID-19 than its previous mutations. Scientists from the South African Center for Epidemiological Modeling and Analysis and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) came to such a conclusion, Reuters reports.
In particular, experts pointed to «evidence for Omicron’s ability to evade immunity from prior infection».
NICD expert Anne von Gottberg pointed out that previous infection did not provide protection from the Omicron variant. Only vaccination can protect against a severe course of COVID-19, she said.
The new strain of coronavirus has been detected in South Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified it as «causing concern» and named it Omicron. Experts suggest that the new variant of the virus has not only seriously mutated, but is also more easily transmitted from person to person than the Delta strain.
Cases of infection with the Omicron strain were registered in dozens of countries. No such cases were registered in Kyrgyzstan yet.
