Omicron easier on the lungs, British study suggests

[canetoad]

London: Omicron may be less efficient at replicating in the lungs than previous COVID variants, British laboratory research has suggested.

A study conducted by scientists at the Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease found that mutations on the virus’s spike protein, which make it able to evade antibodies, may also reduce its ability to attack the lungs and cause severe disease.

“We demonstrate significantly lower infectivity of lung organoids and Calu-3 lung cells,” says the Cambridge preprint, which was posted late on Friday night.

“These observations highlight that Omicron has gained immune evasion properties whilst compromising on properties associated with replication and pathogenicity [harm].”

The study was led by Ravi Gupta, professor of clinical microbiology at the University of Cambridge and a contributor to Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies.

more https://www.theage.com.au/world/europe/omicron-easier-on-the-lungs-british-study-suggests-20211219-p59irl.html

Will wait to hear more about this - first report I've seen but seems a credible source.

[dem4decades]

1. That's great, will it also give you antibodies against Delta?

[LisaL]

4. Vaccines give you good protection against delta.

Especially if boosted.
You don't need omicron for that.

[dem4decades]

6. I'm not talking about me, I got boosted the very first day.

I'm talking about moving forward for the entire country so we can get back to normal. 30 to 40 percent of the population are morons, Delta will probably kill 2% of them but we need less Delta, will getting Omicron make Delta less deadly? That is the real question.

[LisaL]

8. Omicron is likely worse than delta, because it will infect more people.

So even if less deadly to an individual, it could kill more people overall.
As for delta, the thinking right now that omicron will displace it and it will go away.
Not that omicron is going to be an improvement.

[dem4decades]

9. Isn't this article about Omicron being an improvement?

If it concentrates in the head and not the lungs that has to be an improvement, correct?

[beaglelover]

10. Yes it's absolutely good news.

But the doom and gloomers here will say otherwise.

[LisaL]

12. If you don't use your head then I guess it would be good news if it concentrated there.

NT

[roamer65]

2. Through sheer numbers it will probably kill more.

[Meowmee]

16. Yep

[SheltieLover]

3. K&R!

Just read something similar at statnews.com.

[canetoad]

5. Another article on the same page

Doctors push for stronger action to quash Omicron outbreaks

The Omicron variant is spreading so quickly that experts fear soaring cases may overwhelm hospitals and cause mass illness and death, even if the strain is found to be significantly milder than other COVID-19 variants.

Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid has urged state governments including Victoria to use a combination of proven measures such as masks and social distancing as well as vaccination to flatten the new wave of COVID-19 infections.

He joined many infectious diseases experts now warning that failure to urgently take simple steps to reduce the spread of Omicron could result in the need for lockdowns or other drastic measures later.

One leading epidemiologist has also questioned whether it is safe to stage the Australian Open next month, while Cricket Australia on Saturday moved to ramp up its COVID-19 protocols for Test matches by banning players from signing autographs for fans.

“Even if Omicron isn’t that bad, it’s still going to cause a lot of illness, a lot of death and a lot of disruption in the community if it’s left to run riot,” Dr Khorshid said.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/doctors-push-for-stronger-action-to-quash-omicron-outbreaks-20211218-p59ino.html

Emphasis mine.

[brer cat]

7. I know you have been cautious and careful, canetoad.

Are you still coping with it?

[canetoad]

13. Yes I am, bc

Spending a lot of time tramping the tracks and beaches with dogs for company - life couldn't be better!

Although my town is not a 'resort' town, we are on the coast and it fills up with tourists in summer. I've decided to just avoid them, do my shopping first thing in the morning.

How about you? Everything going well?

[brer cat]

14. Doing good.

Snow birds are back in FL, tourists no longer here; getting back to the slow pace we like.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

11. I'm inclined to think this pandemic will not end until

at least 80 to 90 percent of people have been infected and/or gotten vaccines and boosters.

The rapidity with which Covid is mutating is actually a good sign. It, meaning Covid, is trying very hard to reposition itself to infect as many people as possible. Keep in mind, that a disease that kills most of whom it infects won't last very long, because it will quickly run out of potential hosts. The reason colds are so common and ubiquitous, is that there are very many different versions of the common cold, and they essentially never kill. They infect, do their thing, get passed on to others, and repeat the process.

[uponit7771]

15. +1, Correct and we have NY as proof and since we're not going towards eradication we should

... stop posting infection alarms but focus on hospitalizations and deaths now.

If eradication was the goal I can see focusing on infections numbers