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January 12,2022

Anna Murray 

On January 11, the World Health Organization's (WHO) Technical Advisory Group issued an interim statement on COVID-19 vaccinations in the context of the Omicron variant's circulation, outlining existing COVID-19 vaccines against Omicron and future coronavirus variations.

In September 2021, WHO established the Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition (TAG-CO-VAC). The work of this group complements that of the Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE), the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) and its Working Group on COVID-19 Vaccines, and the WHO R&D Blueprint for Epidemics. This multidisciplinary group of 18 experts investigates and assesses the public health implications of VOC development on COVID-19 vaccine performance, and makes recommendations on COVID-19 vaccine composition.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus has continued to mutate since the discovery of COVID-19, according to the "Interim Statement on COVID-19 Vaccines from the WHO Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition (TAG-CO-VAC)," and WHO has recognized five versions as SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern (VOC) to date, namely Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron, due to their impact on transmission, illness severity, or immune escape potential. While the Omicron variant is rapidly spreading around the world, SARS-CoV-2 is expected to evolve further, and Omicron is unlikely to be the final VOC.

The Omicron variant of the new coronavirus has become the most common strain in the United States. Dr. Craig Spencer, Director of Global Health in Emergency Medicine at New York-Presbyterian/ Columbia University Medical Center, discovered that every patient who received a third COVID-19 booster shot suffered from mild symptoms. Among the symptoms were a sore throat, tiredness, and muscle ache.

Many people believe that the rapid development of vaccines will allow the COVID-19 epidemic to be quickly contained. When vaccines were introduced, the virus began to recede in many countries. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths have decreased in countries with widespread vaccine coverage.