“We are now vaccinated against time,” the SPD health expert confirmed in a tweet. News ticker for the new Corona variant Omikron.

• With Omicron * I recently became a new one Corona *Find out the variable. A biologist has now published an explosive graphic (see first report).
• US Chancellor Fauci now gave hope (See update from December 5, 8:30 p.m.).
• SPD *Health expert Karl Lauterbach shared a bitter bill from the UK (See the update from December 5, 5:38 p.m.).
• This newsfeed for the Corona Omikron variant is constantly updated.

Update from December 5th at 8:30pm: American immunologist Anthony Fauci told the TV station on Sunday CNN The first known results of the new Omikron variant. US Presidential Adviser Joe Biden said the current assessment is that Omikron does not cause the particularly serious disease Covid-19.

Although the variant appears to have a 'transmission advantage’, the disease processes observed so far are not difficult. „So far, the signs have been a bit encouraging,” Fauci said. The expert cautioned that it was still too early to make a final assessment.

The omicron variant of the coronavirus was only discovered in South Africa on November 4 – which does not mean, however, that it originated there.

The number of Omicron cases in the UK rose to 246 on Sunday

Update from December 5th at 6.30pm: The number of confirmed cases of Omicron in Great Britain rose to 246 on Sunday, AFP reported Sunday evening. 86 new cases were reported within 24 hours. The British government had already revised entry rules last week due to the Omikron variant, but tightened them again on Saturday night. From Tuesday, vaccinated people must also submit a negative coronavirus test before entering the UK – Not like it was just two days ago*.

According to the European Union Disease Control Authority (ECDC) on Sunday, there are now confirmed Omicron infections in 17 countries in the European Economic Area. So Germany has a total of 15 omicron cases detected, in Portugal 34, in Norway 19, and in the Netherlands 18.

104 known cases of omicron in England, 29 in Scotland

Update from December 5th at 6:18pm: The number of infections with the omicron variant of the coronavirus in England has more than doubled. In the greater part of Britain, the Health Security Agency of the Health Authority (UKHSA) announced on Friday evening that another 75 cases with the B.1.1.529 variant had been found. This means that 104 cases of Omicron are now known in England. In addition, there are 29 infections in Scotland – double the number there was before. One case is known in Wales, but the variant has not yet been discovered in Northern Ireland.

UKHSA chief Jenny Harry said there were now cases unrelated to overseas travel. This refers to local transmission. Harris called on residents to adhere to hygiene procedures, isolate themselves immediately in case of infection, and obtain a vaccine or a booster dose as soon as possible.

’We are now being vaccinated against time’: Lauterbach shares Omicron’s bitter predictions

Update from December 5th at 5:38pm: “Now we are vaccinating against the clock,” with these words Karl Lauterbach warns of the increasing prevalence of the Omikron variant. The SPD politician posted a British statistical assessment on Twitter. Accordingly, the proportion of the Omikron variant in the UK could double „every three days” – despite the very high vaccination rate there. “Such a spread, without an example, is not easy to stop,” says Lauterbach.

Update from December 5, 5:21 PM: The Omikron variant continues to be prevalent in Scandinavia. In Denmark, the number of confirmed cases has jumped to 183. A Christmas party will also be held in Norwegian Oslo is increasingly becoming a high-profile event*. There are already 120 positive tests in a restaurant after the party. More than half of them are said to be of the Omikron type.

The Omikron variant is likely older than Delta

Update from December 5th at 3:39pm: early forms of The Omicron variant must have been around for much longer than previously assumed*. According to the German co-discoverer of the mutation, Omikron „evolved as its own viral species” before the emergence of alpha and delta, says Wolfgang Preiser.

Then Omikron then most likely developed over several months unnoticed. “The question is: Why did Omikron stay hidden for so long and only started now? Is there one or two mutations still missing so it can spread quickly?” The oldest known evidence of the variant comes from the first half of November.

In Germany, according to the Robert Koch Institute, four cases of the Omikron variant had been confirmed by genome sequencing by Wednesday – all of them returning from South Africa. In eight other cases in Germany the variant was suspected. However, experts assume that an event beyond that will occur.

Update from December 5th at 3:04 PM: While concerned about the Omikron variant (see first report), Karl Lauterbach (SPD) also tweeted good news about it this weekend. „Two things you should trust at the time of the Second Coming,” the epidemiologist wrote on Sunday. Omikron can be identified with quick tests. A severe course can almost certainly be avoided with booster vaccination. So we are on the right track. Even if Omicron came.”

Omikron in Denmark: the authorities reported a sharp increase

Update from December 5th at 2:58pm.: In Denmark, the number of confirmed infections with the novel Omicron virus variant has risen to more than 180. Danish health authorities announced on Sunday that 183 infections with the variant first identified in South Africa have been detected. The European Union country recently expanded its preventive measures against Corona due to the virus variant that is particularly likely to be contagious.

Biologist publishes a graph of Omikron: „So there will be an increase beyond what we have seen so far”

First report from December 5: BERLIN – In addition to virologists and epidemiologists, designers are also dealing with the current model pandemic*. One of them is Trevor Bedford, who works at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Of course, the new Corona mutation is also on his list Omicron * — and himself on Karl Lauterbach’s Twitter list.

So far, there is little reliable knowledge about Omikron, and that too SPD *A health expert warned against jumping to conclusions. On Saturday think of Bedford with a retweet. Biologist Bedford thinks it is conceivable that Omicron would be immunized against the former Variables * -Depending on the scenario – a not large percentage can be handled. One talks about the „escape variant” or the immune escape variant.

Lauterbach commented on the Bedford drawing regarding the vaccination rate of less than 70 percent in Germany: „This is how it can work with Omikron. If 30 percent of the population is not vaccinated or is insufficiently vaccinated by the arrival of Omikron, it will be There is a significant increase in cases beyond what we have seen before. So now we are feeding against time.”

An American model on Corona: Omicron is also a danger to vaccinated people?

The basic reproduction number R0, which Bedford mentioned in his tweet, indicates the average number of people infected by an infected person. However, the scientist recently confirmed in an interview with the American news portal FoxThat big factor is also Omikron’s portability. Assuming it is high, that would be a particular problem for non-vaccinators.

„However, it is also possible that Omikron has a low infection rate, but a high immune capacity.” Then it will be set to Omicron booster vaccinations* it is necessary.”

Lauterbach on Omikron: „Delta waves break briefly”

Top manufacturers such as Bionic * want them Corona vaccine modification. „The incidence of infection in the omicron is twice as high as in the delta variant and is increasing,” Lauterbach wrote in a tweet over the weekend.

And: “It is good that the vaccines are adapted. But the massive delta wave must be broken in the short term. We already have the vaccines.”

Current numbers on the delta variant of Germany and England

On Friday, 3 December, the British Health Authority announced that more than half of Omicron’s recorded infections so far relate to those who have been vaccinated: of the 22 confirmed infections so far, at least twelve have received corona vaccinations.

However, it cannot be concluded from these figures that vaccinated people have a similarly high risk of developing Omicron as unvaccinated people. The more people vaccinated, the proportionately more people are vaccinated—even if the rate of vaccinated people with the infection is very low.

Even among those infected with the currently prevalent delta variant, the proportion of those vaccinated against the infection in Great Britain or Germany is now higher than ever – because the majority of people in these countries are vaccinated. In both countries, nearly 70 percent of people received at least two doses of the vaccine. (frs with material from dpa and AFP) *Mercur.de is a show of IPPEN.MEDIA