Omicron Variant: An Acute Public Health Problem

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has persisted as a pandemic for just over two years; vaccines have been developed to prevent the clinical disease and treatment regimens improved upon, but severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) appears to be up to the task, coming up with mutations resulting in multiple variants, alpha, beta, delta, Omicron and so much more. The most important and recent one, the omicron variant, with an amazing 50 genetic mutations, 37 of which are on the spike protein, has emerged as a massive public health problem, rapidly replacing the delta-variant and the predominant variant in many countries, and foretelling a new and likely more devastating wave of the pandemic. To deliver a comprehensive overview to global health authorities and prospective readers worldwide, we detailed in this review, the properties of the Omicron Variant, its infectiousness, and the perils it poses to the general public; we also discuss the situation in Nigerian and the rest of the world alike.