SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Interest

SARS-CoV-2 variants of interest (or variants of concern) are evolutionary offshoots in the SARS-CoV-2 phylogenetic tree that are at least temporarily evolutionarily stable due to outcompeting other strains in their immediate geography.

The Greek alphabet is being used to name SARS-CoV-2 variants of interest.

https://academic.oup.com/jtm/article/28/7/taab124/6346388

The omicron* strain of SARS-CoV-2 was first identified and sequenced in South Africa.

The first four cases of COVID-19 resulting from the Omicron variant in Botswana were reported to be in vaccinated individuals.

• Geert Vanden Bossche predicts omicron will infect those with prior immunity from asymptomatic infections.
• Nov 26, 2021 ZeroHedge: WHO Meeting Amidst the Rise of the Nu Variant Underscores Failing Vaccination Strategy
• Dec 21, 2021 Jean-Pierre Kiekens of COVEXIT: Dr. Shankara Chetty Interview: All You Need to Know about the Omicron variant.

• December 13, 2021, TruthJournalist reports that the CDC released a report showing 79% of Omicron COVID-19 cases were among the fully vaccinated who made up less than 60% of the U.S. population, suggesting an odds ratio between 2.5 and 3 (that those vaccinated were more likely to get sick from Omicron than the rest of the population).
• Dec 24, 2021 97% of hospitalized at Delhi hospital are fully vaccinated.

Pulliam et al, 2021 claims increased risk of reinfection associated with Omicron in South Africa. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.11.21266068v2.full.pdf

Omicron was in California weeks ago, before officials raised alarms, water sample suggests https://greatgameindia.com/children-hospitalized-vietnam-vaccine/

• Dec 20, 2021 Eugyppius: The phylogenetic tree of SARS-CoV-2 variants places Omicron branching far back in lineage, indicating the possibility that it was leaked from a lab.

An enigmatic book titled “UNDERSTANDING OMICRON VARIANT: All You Need To Know About Omicron Variant, Where It Comes From, Answers To Questions You Have, And Lots More Update To Keep You Well Informed” (sic) appeared on Amazon with a publication date of December 5, 2021¹⁾ The “Look inside” feature reveals the book's apparent copyright date of 2020.²⁾ While this edition was sold out, the author luckily had re-released the book 11 days later with a new cover. The sole available paperback copy has been purchased by Liam Sturgess.³⁾

December 13, 2021, saw reports of the first death with Omicron in the UK⁴⁾, or possibly from Omicron,⁵⁾ nobody knows.

Then 'John' called into an LBC Radio phone-in programme to clear up the confusion, saying the victim was his stepfather, a recluse in his 70s who was, nevertheless, fighting fit, though he did believe in conspiracy theories, and that's why he'd refused to be vaccinated. The gentleman died in hospital in Northampton. Sadly, such is the state of journalism in this country, no-one thought to check if 'John' was for real, and no-one thought to check in with the hospital. Which forced the hospital trust to go on record to say that “The NHS system in Northamptonshire has not recorded an Omicron-related death at this time”.⁶⁾

Find discussions on both sides.

An Emergency Room doctor told financial YouTuber Gregory Mannarino on air that he believes “all variants are likely caused by the vaccine.”⁷⁾

Niesen et al: vaccination dampens antigen mutational variance https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.01.21259833v1

Bret Weinstein, talking to Joe Rogan, explains that Geert van den Bosch predicted that the vaccines would cause variants through evolutionary pressure. And here we are.

Wang et al: Mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 evolution revealing vaccine-resistant mutations in Europe and America. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34873910/