Professor Altstein: there is no evidence that the omicron strain causes severe COVID-19 
Anatoly Altstein, Professor of the NF Gamaleya Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, on the Doc Tok program on Channel One, assessed the ability of the omicron strain of coronavirus to cause a severe course of the disease and lead to death. According to him, there is no such data yet, since this virus was found recently, only three weeks have passed since the first infections.
“All people who have isolated this virus, they transferred this coronavirus infection very easily. So we still have no reason to think that this is a very dangerous virus in terms of its lethal effect, “the scientist explained.
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Altstein added that it is not yet clear how the infection with the COVID-19 strain omicron was transferred to the most vulnerable category of the population – the elderly. It will take some time to watch how it will spread.
The professor stressed that the hysteria that has arisen due to the many mutations of the omicron is an unjustified thing. He recalled that mutations do not enhance the virus.
Earlier, the head of Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, said that all vaccines against COVID-19 existing in Russia are effective against the omicron strain of coronavirus. She added that PCR testing, which is being carried out in Russia, is also capable of identifying a new strain. According to the latest estimates, no omicron-strain of coronavirus has been detected in Russia.
On November 11, a new strain of coronavirus under the code B.1.1.529 was detected in South Africa. The first cases of infection were registered on November 24.