News surrounding the emergence of Omicron XE has caused a frenzy online today in Malaysia, just as the country began to reopen fully while doing away with mandatory quarantine for inbound travellers.
Should you be worried?
What is Omicron XE and how is it different from the prevalent Omicron strain?
According to a CNBC report, Omicron XE was detected in the UK and it has infected at least 637 patients per UK Health Security Agency’s statistics.
Omicron XE is a recombinant variant – meaning it is a combination of the Omicron BA.1 strain, which emerged and subsequently swept across the world due to its highly infectious nature, as well as the Omicron BA.2 variant, which is currently UK’s most dominant strain.
The recombinant process takes place within a patient’s body, where the individual is infected concurrently with two or more variants, resulting in cross pollination of the virus’ genetic materials.
Is Omicron XE pervasive and should Malaysia be worried?
Omicron has exhibited its uncanny ability to evade vaccines, as well as natural immunity from previous infections, including the severe Delta variant. While current data is insufficient for experts to draw any conclusion, preliminary study has shown that Omicron XE is just as easily transmittable if not more so than Omicron.
The earliest confirmed case dated back to January 19 this year, while Thailand has already reported the unwelcomed arrival of Omicron XE.
Malaysia is bracing for the worst with health experts giving an ominous warning that the new variant will breach our shores in a month’s time. “According to reports, this variant is 10% more infectious,” says Universiti Putra Malaysia’s consultant clinical microbiologist Prof Dr Zamberi Sekawi in a Star report.
What are the symptoms of Omicron XE?
The XE strain exhibits symptoms typical of Omicron – shortness of breath, fatigue, body ache, high temperatures, change in taste or smell, persistent coughs, inter alia. There are still relatively many unknowns about Omicron XE. Newer symptoms not already known are yet to be established.
Will Malaysians be getting another Covid booster shot for extra immunity?
While some countries have begun rolling out a second booster shot for the vulnerable age group, Malaysia has no concrete plan thus far. The present focus is to inoculate school-going children, as well as those are yet to receive their initial booster shot. The Edge has reported that the Health Ministry is considering a fourth Covid-19 dose for the immunocompromised.
Mass vaccination has helped in suppressing transmission and the severity of the disease. Omicron has shown to be milder than the earlier Delta variant, which overwhelmed healthcare systems globally.
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The post What we know about the dreaded emergence of Omicron XE thus far appeared first on Lifestyle Asia Kuala Lumpur.
