Omicron: Virologists share who is 'most at risk' and vulnerable to new COVID-19 variant

As the World Health Organization (WHO) warned about Omicron’s global spread potential due to its high constellation of 50 mutations and more than 30 on the spike protein, the scientific experts are weighing in who may be at ‘most risk’. Hospitals across the United States have cautioned those in line to get their second shot, the most vulnerable groups with co-morbidities, and the children that are non-vaccinated to resort to adherence to health safety norms and get their first, second or boosters jab to mitigate the worse impact of the variant. 

Countries where children aged between 5 and 11 are eligible for a pediatric COVID-19 vaccine must get inoculated amid global concerns raised over Omicron variant. “Given that kids remain most vulnerable because they’ve not had opportunities that adults have had to get vaccinated, we’re still on guard,” Chief of Infectious Disease at Dayton Children’s Hospital Dr. Michael Klatte told United States-based WDTN network. “Younger children who have not had the opportunity to be vaccinated are at a significantly increased risk,” Klatte emphasised. 

Once B.1.1.529 hits 'higher-risk' vulnerable groups, symptoms will worsen: US virologist 

Several health experts in the United States are urging eligible adults to get their boosters to protect children as boosters are available for everyone 18 and older. Dr. Davey Smith, a virologist and head of the division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health at UC San Diego told the local NBC 7 that while the early reports of Omicron do not give much information on the variant’s total behaviour, the newly evolved strain has mutated heavily in an effort to evade an immune-system response and at this time, since it’s spread may have been limited, the variant is depicting a selection bias;” and therefore is causing milder symptoms. “The variant might not have reached the most vulnerable people yet,” warned Smith. “The people who are getting infected first are the younger group and, perhaps, the vaccinated," he told WDTN. 

“Once B.1.1.529 starts hitting the higher-risk populations where people we’ve known have had problems with COVID in the past, that’s where we might see the worsening of symptoms,” WDTN quoted the virologist Dr. Davey Smith as cautioning. 
 

WHO says risk for vulnerable population 'substantial'

In its technical brief on Sunday, the WHO warned its 194 member states that the new variant's complex and large number of mutations "may confer immune escape potential and possibly transmissibility advantage," and as a result "the likelihood of potential further spread of Omicron at the global level is high. The risk to vulnerable populations, particularly the countries with low vaccination rates is "substantial." How dangerous it is, remains still uncertain, said the WHO.