This is an excellent 🧵about this new paper led by @emcat1.
@dgurdasani explains the details much better that I ever could but one important takeaway from this is that Omicron is a rather different virus from Delta in key aspects.
What are the implications of this?
1/8
@dgurdasani explains the details much better that I ever could but one important takeaway from this is that Omicron is a rather different virus from Delta in key aspects.
What are the implications of this?
1/8
https://twitter.com/dgurdasani1/status/1476725393235357701
1. We should be careful when we extrapolate from what we know about delta and previous variants, and from what we know so far about differences between Omicron and Delta.
2/8
2/8
2. A virus capable of such plasticity is fascinating but it means that there is a lot we still have to learn about Omicron and we should be cautious.
3. Boosters are important, please get yours if you can.
3/8
3. Boosters are important, please get yours if you can.
3/8
4. We need to be particularly careful about neat and falsely reassuring linear narratives like 'SARS-CoV-2 will evolve into a mild virus', which give the impression that variants follow a linear progression down a single path, becoming progressively milder.
4/8
4/8
The evidence for this is questionable (unless you include the possibility of a pathogen becoming 'milder' because the only humans left are the ones who were able to survive it, those who couldn't, didn't).
5/8
5/8
Omicron really scuppers this linear narrative.
It is not the next step from Delta, it is from a different lineage and seems to have evolved down a different path.
So far it's not replacing Delta, instead we have a dual pandemic.
6/8
It is not the next step from Delta, it is from a different lineage and seems to have evolved down a different path.
So far it's not replacing Delta, instead we have a dual pandemic.
6/8
If Omicron does turn out to be truly milder- less illness, deaths & LongCOVID- that'd be amazing. But it wouldn't be a nice, neat story about viruses evolving to become milder, it would be a lucky twist in the tale. And not necessarily the last chapter.
7/8
7/8
By which I mean, it is unlikely to be the last major variant given the potential of this virus to mutate.
We need to control the pandemic, we can't let it rip, at least for the sake of the Greek alphabet.
Please continue to take care in every way you can.
8/8
We need to control the pandemic, we can't let it rip, at least for the sake of the Greek alphabet.
Please continue to take care in every way you can.
8/8
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