# The Omicron Variant **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [November 29, 2021, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134 "2021-11-29T13:54:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2021, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/41 "2021-12-04T01:43:44Z")
So, if Omicron is more transmissible but less deadly than Delta, would that be a good thing? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2021, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/42 "2021-12-04T02:38:34Z")
Depends how much less deadly, but yeah, it could be. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2021, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/43 "2021-12-04T05:41:15Z")
So Omicron could supplant Delta while _reducing_ deaths? ---
**Author:** ![Tfletch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tfletch1/32/5340_2.png) [@Tfletch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tfletch1)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2021, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/44 "2021-12-04T17:16:18Z")
Yep. It would be like a very contagious coronavirus that causes colds. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2021, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/45 "2021-12-04T18:04:52Z")
Interesting you say that, because I came across this indicating that Covid has picked up genetic info from the commn cold. > **[Omicron variant may have picked up a piece of common-cold virus](https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/omicron-variant-may-have-picked-up-piece-common-cold-virus-2021-12-03/)** > > The Omicron variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 likely acquired at least one of its mutations by picking up a snippet of genetic material from another virus - possibly one that causes the common cold - present in the same infected cells,... ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2021, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/46 "2021-12-05T03:23:57Z")
So wouldn’t this scramble international travel? You test positive to Covid, but it’s Lameass-Omicron-Covid, which isn’t dangerous, but you can’t get on (or off) the plane because we can’t distinguish variants? ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2021, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/47 "2021-12-05T09:27:51Z")
Having had a different strain of Covid does not seem to confer immunity to Omicron, but it remains to be seen of the reverse is also true. If it is true, then we’re going to have two distinct pandemics: Omicron and Delta. ---
**Author:** ![Tfletch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tfletch1/32/5340_2.png) [@Tfletch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tfletch1)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2021, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/48 "2021-12-05T15:43:22Z")
Fingers crossed that this variant really is super mild and incurs some immunity to future variants. Like a, well, vaccine. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2021, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/49 "2021-12-06T12:36:47Z")
It’s best not to jump to conclusions. Even with Delta, vaccinated people on the whole get much milder cases of COVID than the unvaccinated. We have yet to see if Omicron follows that pattern. If so, the unvaccinated may be in just as much danger as they are with Delta. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2021, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/50 "2021-12-06T13:39:30Z")
South Africa has a surge in hospitalized cases. Most of those haven’t been sequenced, but odds are they are omicron. I wouldn’t assume omicron is benign just yet. ---
**Author:** ![Tfletch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tfletch1/32/5340_2.png) [@Tfletch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tfletch1)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2021, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/51 "2021-12-08T01:31:18Z")
A preliminary in vitro study shows that Pfizer vaccination is still partially effective against Omicron. Antibodies from vaccinated people’s serum don’t neutralize the Omicron virus as well as the original strain, but they still work. Serum from previously infected and vaccinated works even better. They didn’t test boostered people but are speculating that being boostered is at least as good as previously infected plus vaccinated. > **[Omicron coronavirus variant partly evades Pfizer vaccine's protection, study...](https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/07/health/omicron-variant-pfizer-vaccine-south-africa-study/index.html)** > > The Omicron coronavirus variant partly escapes the protection offered by the Pfizer vaccine, but people who have been previously infected and then vaccinated are likely to be well protected, researchers working in South Africa reported Tuesday. ---
**Author:** ![Tfletch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tfletch1/32/5340_2.png) [@Tfletch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tfletch1)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2021, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/52 "2021-12-08T15:52:41Z")
Okay, great preliminary booster data is in. Booster protects against Omicron as well as two doses (I’m assuming fairly fresh two doses). So the CDC’s encouragement of boosters was a good call. > **[Pfizer says COVID booster offers protection against omicron](https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-coronavirus-vaccine-46a0cedcefcc938ba84ea2868bf69db1)** > > Pfizer said Wednesday that a booster of its COVID-19 vaccine may offer important protection against the new omicron variant even though the initial two doses appear significantly less effective. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2021, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/53 "2021-12-08T16:00:20Z")
I already got the booster, so that is good news. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2021, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/54 "2021-12-08T16:17:27Z")
Glad I got Moderna (all three). ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2021, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/55 "2021-12-08T16:29:35Z")
Dang it. I guess I can’t procrastinate on the booster anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2021, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/56 "2021-12-08T16:36:46Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > I guess I can’t procrastinate on the booster anymore. Yup - if you’ve already had two shots, even the tiny prior risk of severe anaphylactic reaction is reduced to pretty much zero. So you can be confident that the only downside is the kind of temporary reaction that you had before. I thought the risk-reward was in favor of the booster months ago, even when the benefit was uncertain, because the downside was negligible. No question now everyone should get it, even if it means an unpleasant day or two in bed. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2021, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/57 "2021-12-08T16:59:08Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > Speaking of “Omicron”, I read a PC run amok Facebook post that stated the new variant was discovered in South Africa only because of their alert and brilliant scientists, and it actually originated somewhere else. In other words, calling it the “South African Variant” is “South-Africaphobiac”, and people doing so are being haters. Actually, it’s true that South Africa has been doing excellent genomic surveillance. They’ve done us a favor by surfacing this information. Had they not done this research or shared this information, it would have cost valuable time, and we might be calling it the “America Variant” or “Australia Variant” by now. By labeling it the “South Africa Variant”, and slapping them with a travel ban, do you think this encourages South Africa or similarly positioned countries to be as cooperative in the future? It’s sad how information gets obliterated by the knee-jerk hypersensitivity to things seen as “PC”. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2021, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/58 "2021-12-08T17:00:42Z")
Any word on how quickly the booster gets you to maximum protection? Is it still 2 weeks? I’m scheduled for my Moderna #3 next week, but have a bunch of social events over the next 2-3 weeks. My concern is that I’m past 10 months since my 2nd. Also, people keep saying that #3 is a half dose. If so, should I expect the same side effects as after #2? ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2021, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/59 "2021-12-08T17:28:39Z")
I seem to have more intense side effects each time (wondering if the pharmacist gave me a full dose instead of a booster on round 3, TBH). ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2021, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134/60 "2021-12-08T17:48:19Z")
I think it just varies from individual to individual. I felt effects from #2 but absolutely nothing from the booster. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omicron-variant/955134.md?page=4)