Omicron variant remains sensitive to eight of the widely used antiviral drugs and drug candidates for the treatment of COVID-19, shows a study by scientists from the University of Kent, England and the Goethe-University Frankfurt, Germany.
The Omicron variant of Covid is highly contagious but is known to cause less severe disease than Delta This is after being better at escaping immune protection by vaccinations and previous infections However the reasons for this have so far remained elusive
The coronavirus pandemic is disrupting universities and research institutes across the world. But the same institutions are also working very hard to find out how the disease can be stopped and its effects mitigated. Follow this live blog for the latest updates on how the crisis is impacting research and innovation, and what governments, funders, companies, universities, associations and scientists are doing to stop or cope with the pandemic.
A new study by researchers from the University of Kent and the Goethe University Frankfurt shows that the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant is less effective than Delta at blocking a cellular defense mechanism against viruses, the so-called “interferon response”.