The identification of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in South Africa, characterized by a large number of mutations (55 in the entire genome, 32 in protein S or spicule) and the vertiginous increase in its relative incidence in that population has skyrocketed once again the alerts on a global scale.
Several countries have closed air traffic with South Africa and there are experts who indicate that it is "the most worrying variant that we have seen to date". The WHO has elevated it to the category of "worrying variant" and has designated it with the Greek letter omicron.
The genomic sequence of the omicron variant (lineage B.1.1.529 in the PANGO system, or lineage 21K of NextStrain) shows 55 mutations with respect to the original Wuhan virus, 32 of them located in protein S or spicule, the most important due to its role in cell infection and immune response.
Many of these mutations have been previously detected in variants of concern (VOCs) or of interest (VOIs) of the virus, such as the N501Y mutations (present in alpha, beta and gamma VOCs), T95I, T478K and G142D (all in delta ), or their role in the interaction with the ACE2 cell receptor (S477N, Q498R), or they are found in binding regions of some antibodies (G339D, S371L, S373P, S375F).
This accumulation of mutations with known effects is already a matter of interest and concern, but adequate experiments have yet to be performed to demonstrate their effects when they are found simultaneously.
At the moment, we have the same tools as against the others: vaccinate, wear masks, maintain distances, ventilate closed areas, that is, reduce exposure and circulation of the virus to the maximum, increase the immunized population in all countries on the planet, limiting the opportunities for new mutations to appear in the virus.
