How the Omicron variant spreads faster than its predecessors

Just when the world felt some relief over the Delta variant, Omicron came about. With warnings issued by the World Health Organization about its distinct ability to spread, countries all over the world are putting precautions in place. The variant, which emerged in South Africa, is already picking up pace around the world. President Joe Biden has warned his country about a “winter of severe illness and death” if vaccines are overlooked and regulations unfollowed. Already having entered India, Omicron is threatening to repeat the precarious situation from earlier this year. But why does this variant spread so easily and quickly? And, why does that make it dangerous even if it is mild? Here is all you need to know. 

How fast exactly does Omicron spread?  
Scientists have already established that this strain of the coronavirus is the fastest-spreading one known yet. According to research conducted in Hong Kong, Omicron spreads a staggering 70 times faster in comparison to the preceding variant, Delta and the original COVID strain. Its highly-transmittable nature is fundamentally what makes the situation different. It took less than three weeks since being reported for the new variant to become the dominant strain of the virus in South Africa. Omicron is also apprehended to do the same in other countries like Canada and the UK soon. 

Why is this highly transmittable variant milder? 
Researchers have discovered that the Omicron variant has the unique tendency to multiply at a much faster rate in the human bronchi- almost 70 times more than the Delta variant or the original strain. This multiplication rate is comparatively 10 times than its predecessors. This is why the new variant poses relatively milder symptoms. However, it is important to note that the severity depends on how the host immune system reacts to it. The weaker the immune system, the more severe the virus. 

How much has this variant spread so far? 
Since its emergence in South Africa, Omicron has been extremely quick to spread around the entire southern African region. Following this were hundreds of cases reported across Europe and North America. India, too, is on its way to hit 100 reported cases. So far, 77 countries have reported the presence of this variant. The WHO believes that the strain, in all probability, has reached almost all countries by now, albeit unreported.