ATLANTA — Scientists studying the Omicron variant have developed different categories to warn the public about the level of concern that should be placed on mutations of the coronavirus.
Variants of the virus are sometimes more bark than bite, but occasionally the threat is real. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization have developed a system to warn us of changes to the virus, and whether the mutations are more bark or a potentially harmful bite.
In an effort to survive, the coronavirus has changed. Scientists are focused on any genetic signs that the virus may have evolved to grow stronger, spread faster, or attach more easily to our cells so it can multiply.
According to Georgia Tech’s Dr. M.G. Finn, at the first sign of potential trouble, a mutation becomes a Variant of Interest.
“If there’s some reason to believe it could represent an increased threat, it becomes a Variant of Interest,” Dr. Finn said. “It hasn’t been demonstrated to, but because of an anticipated potential. And that’s pretty much speculative.”
If a variant’s bark turns into a bite, it becomes a Variant of Concern. Scientists see that it’s more than a theory, that the variant is acting in a way that poses a greater risk.
“That could include being more transmissible or more harmful once you do get it,” Dr. Finn added. “If it has bubbled up in an unexpectedly rapid manner.”
That’s what happened with the Omicron variant, that bubbled up to quickly became a Variant of Concern.
Over time, a variant can be reclassified if scientists determine it no longer poses a risk. Alpha was once one of the CDC’s Variants of Concern. In September, it was dropped into the category of Variant being Monitored.
Should a variant come along that proves to be significantly too much for the current vaccines, the CDC would classify it as a Variant of High Consequence. No variant has reached that level so far.