Roughly four years ago, a severe flu virus changed the whole world. Now, the world is still recovering from its effects. COVID-19 is not going anywhere soon, according to medical professionals.
COVID-19 is a type of coronavirus that causes flu-like symptoms, breathlessness, and worsens existing medical conditions in immunocompromised individuals. But why is it so hard to cure? Well, viruses mostly do not have permanent cures. It is because of what they are.
Even though a virus is considered a microorganism, it is not considered alive because it only has a nucleus and a protein coating. So, when it attaches to a living cell, it kills or changes the cell, causing disease. That is how the COVID-19 virus operates.
A virus’ spread also depends on how it can be transmitted. The COVID-19 virus is transmitted by water droplets in the air, much like other flu viruses. This mode of transmission is what makes it so contagious.
Another fatal thing about viruses is that they evolve. The COVID-19 virus is not the same as it was three years ago, and it will not be the same in the future. One proof of this is the Omicron variant named XBB.1.5.
Omicron variants have evolved from the original COVID-19 virus to be highly contagious compared to the Delta variants. The first omicron mutation was recorded in late 2021 and has been characterized differently because of how infectious it is. Since late 2021 it is suspected to be the cause of widespread outbreaks of COVID-19.
The newest Omicron XBB and XBB.1.5 variants are suspected to be behind the spike in COVID-19 cases in the United States. Data suggest a rapid rise from 25% to 44% in the last week of December. Like all other COVID-19 mutations, the World Health Organization (WHO) is still studying it.
However, according to senior epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization (WHO) is keeping an eye on the new mutations. Their main concern is how fast the spread of infection is. “We do expect further waves of infection around the world, but that doesn’t have to translate into further waves of death because our countermeasures continue to work,” she said.
As of writing, Omicron XBB.1.5 is still suspect to the rate of hospitalizations due to respiratory problems. Scientists cannot pinpoint the mutation as the sole cause. Factors like the weather and other diseases could cause a spike in hospitalizations.
However, experts have said that the new COVID-19 variant is expected as a usual evolution of the virus. It does not mean there is another medical crisis in view. The director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, Andrew Pollard, assured the public about the emergence of this new variant. He said, “we do expect further waves of infection around the world, but that doesn’t have to translate into further waves of death because our countermeasures continue to work.”
Nevertheless, people should not disregard COVID-19 altogether. The omicron variants are still highly infectious and can reinfect individuals who are already vaccinated and have had COVID-19 before. WHO advises the public to be vigilant about respiratory infections.