KUALA LUMPUR: Vaccination and strict compliance with the current Covid-19 guidelines, which include wearing a face mask, observing physical distancing of one metre, and practising good hand hygiene remain vital in protecting people from the virus and newer variants, like the Omicron XE.
Molecular virologist Dr Vinod Balasubramaniam of the Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences at Monash University Malaysia said that while Malaysia is in its transition towards endemicity phase, it does not mean people can let their guard down.
This, he said would also put those vulnerable (elderly, immunocompromised, and individuals with comorbidities) at risk of contracting Covid-19.
"Vaccination is the best way to protect oneself against getting sick with and spreading Covid-19, including from Omicron.
"Early estimates indicate the Omicron XE variant is 10 per cent more transmissible than BA.2 and while there is no laboratory evidence to confirm this nor the ability/efficacy for it to evade antibodies from vaccine or natural infection from previous strains, this new variant still may pose some interesting questions.
"However, because XE is a hybrid of two Omicron sub-variants (BA.1 and BA.2 sublineages of Covid-19), vaccines are likely similarly effective at preventing severe diseases from this variant.
"Those who require or are eligible for booster doses should get them immediately, especially if you are from the vulnerable group.
"As it was previously, it is important to stay vigilant and practise proper hand hygiene, masking indoors and maintain proper distance when possible," he told the New Straits Times.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) had recently issued a warning against the new mutant 'XE' that could be more transmissible than strains of Covid-19 seen before.
In its Covid-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update (published on March 29), WHO said the XE recombinant (BA.1-BA.2) was first detected in the UK on Jan 19 and over 600 sequences have been reported and confirmed since.
Bangkok Post reported that Thailand has recorded its first case of the Omicron XE on Saturday (April 2) found through genomic sequencing of a swab sample taken from a Thai patient at the Center for Medical Genomics, Ramathibodi Hospital.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin yesterday said Malaysia has so far not recorded any cases of the new Omicron XE variant.
Bernama reported Khairy as saying that the ministry was currently following the developments and studying the characteristics of this variant to identify its infectivity rate and seriousness to patients.
What is Omicron XE
The Omicron XE, Dr Vinod said is a recombinant variant, as it is comprised of genetic material from two other strains - BA.1, the original strain of Omicron, and BA.2, known as 'stealth omicron.'
Recombinant viruses, he said arise when two or more strains swap some of their genetic material.
"A new hybrid virus is born, which typically contains some characteristics of each of the strains. This process happens naturally in coronaviruses and some other viruses.
"Recombinant variants are not an unusual occurrence, particularly when there are several variants in circulation, and several have been identified over the course of the pandemic to date.
"As with other kinds of variants, most will die off relatively quickly, so we are currently still playing the waiting game to assess the full capabilities of this new variant."
He added that as of now, there is insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about growth advantage or other properties of this variant until further tests are done.
Symptoms of this new variant
Dr Vinod said this depending on one's vaccination status and immunity acquired from earlier infections, symptoms and severity of the Covid-19 virus depend from person to person.
The symptoms, he said could be mild for some and severe for others.
Some of the symptoms to watch out for include fever, sore throat, scratchy throat, cough and cold, skin irritation and discolouration, and gastrointestinal distress, he said.
While some of the symptoms of severe diseases, he said are heart ailment, palpitation, and sometimes the virus could also cause severe nerve diseases.
How can we prepare for newer variants
As new variants of the endemic coronaviruses naturally evolve, the immune system has a head start in fighting them off-not enough to eradicate the virus instantly, but enough to ensure that symptoms don't progress much beyond the sniffles, Dr Vinod shared.
"In a way, the virus is also its own enemy because every time it infects us, it tops up our immunity.
"Past studies make clear that partial immunity can keep people from getting seriously ill, even as coronaviruses successfully enter their systems.
"Long-term, the same is likely to be true for the new coronavirus, including the current Omicron strain. So far, currently authorised vaccines, which spur the production of high levels of antibodies seem to be effective against the most concerning variants."
Covid-19 cases in Malaysia
Meanwhile, Dr Vinod said current vaccines by themselves were insufficient to stem transmission, and so increases in cases should be expected whenever public health and social measures are lifted, irrespective of vaccination coverage.
"The increase of cases is expected as Malaysia heads towards endemicity. What is important now is that we have successfully removed the severity of this disease thanks to our vaccination coverage.
"Getting booster doses definitely helps. We know that vaccinated people clear the virus much faster compared to unvaccinated individuals."
He added that while the drop in daily Covid-19 cases could be attributed to fewer people getting tested and reporting, the public should do due diligence and take responsibility in terms of taking safety and precaution whenever it is possible.
"While Malaysia is heading towards endemicity, it is about time that Malaysians realise that our safety should transit from government intervention to personal responsibility."
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah earlier today, in a statement said Malaysia recorded 10,002 new Covid-19 infections on Monday, the lowest daily toll in the country reported since Feb 6.