When will we know how well covid-19 vaccines work for the omicron variant?
Travel bans and other restrictions are already in place globally after the World Health Organization designated a strain of covid-19 first detected in Botswana a variant of concern on Friday (Nov. 26). Named omicron from the Greek alphabet, the variant contains over 30 mutations to its spike protein, which allows it to invade host cells and invite a response from the body’s immune system. At this stage little is known about whether it’s more contagious or dangerous than other strains, or the effectiveness of current covid-19 vaccines.
