• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
LLODO – Education and technology

LLODO - Education and technology

Find your international education - university and college study education programs, student Exam, and course information.

  • Technology News
  • Blog Anony
  • Technology Quiz

How Could Available Technology Help the U.S. Respond to Omicron?

12/08/2021 by admin Leave a Comment

U.S. cases of COVID-19’s latest variant, Omicron, are increasingly being reported in different parts of the country. Early reports from other nations suggest that the variant may be highly transmissible. However, the extent of the risks it poses—including how current vaccines will hold up against it— is not fully known.

Today’s WatchBlog post looks at our recent work to help answer those questions.

Finding and tracking variants

One of the technologies being used to identify and track variants, like Omicron, is genomic sequencing, which decodes the genes of the virus. In the U.S., the technology allows health officials to sequence up to 80,000 virus samples per week, a substantial increase over just a few months ago. This means health officials may more rapidly detect and potentially respond to new variants.

 

Sequencing can also help researchers predict how a new variant will behave. In the case of Omicron, sequencing has shown that the variant differs from other strains in more than 30 places on its spike protein—the component that lets it invade a cell.

Assessing the need for new vaccines

The spike protein is also what all the current U.S. vaccines mimic to prepare the body to fight COVID-19. Scientists are already studying how well the current vaccines work against Omicron.

At the same time, researchers are assessing new Omicron vaccine candidates. If a new or modified vaccine is needed, recent advances in vaccine development might accelerate that process.

These technologies include new “vaccine platforms,” which deliver genetic code using vehicles such as viral vectors (engineered, non-infectious viruses) and tiny envelopes of lipid (a building block of fat). We describe these vaccine platforms here. We also reviewed these and other vaccine innovations in a recent technology assessment.

The resulting vaccines directly deliver genetic code, leading to stimulation of the immune system. This approach can be more efficient than other methods, which require growing the target virus or synthesizing one of its components.

 

Challenges with applying the technology

While this all sounds like good news in the efforts to respond to Omicron, there are some challenges in applying recent technological advances.

For example, tracking Omicron with genomic sequencing relies on additional testing on samples from COVID-19 patients. However, we previously reported that testing supplies or kits have at times been in short supply. In addition, earlier this year, we reported that the federal government lacked a comprehensive testing strategy. In prior work, we also described the capabilities and challenges of rapid point-of-care testing systems.

The Department of Health and Human Services has taken steps to address some of these issues, but they still have not developed a testing strategy. Without a strategy, and without adequate access to testing supplies and results, it will be hard to fully assess the impact and reach of any new variant.  

As for vaccines, diverting resources to developing new ones could actually be undesirable. The World Health Organization has expressed concern that a focus on developing new vaccines could delay wider vaccination using existing vaccines. The current large, global reservoir of unvaccinated people is a potential source of new variants, and reaching them with existing vaccines may be the fastest route to controlling the pandemic.

There is no doubt that technology allowed for the development of powerful new tools for fighting the pandemic. As the virus continues to evolve, the puzzle that remains is how to apply those tools for the greatest benefit to public health. We will continue to report on federal efforts to do so. Check out our Coronavirus Response page to find out more about the federal efforts to address the pandemic.


================

Source link

Filed Under: Technology News Tagged With: omicron, Respond, technology

Related posts:

  1. Transforming the Group Dining Experience, Social Technology Group Launches Reg CF Campaign on WeFunder | National News
  2. Transforming the Group Dining Experience, Social Technology Group Launches Reg CF Campaign on WeFunder
  3. Will the Democratization of Technology Accelerate Progress in AI?
  4. Technology to enhance screening operations
  5. New Atlas’ most read science and technology stories of 2021
  6. India’s Reliance to buy UK battery technology player Faradion in $135m deal
  7. Japan's NARO develops new technology to zap flying insects – Nikkei Asia
  8. South Korea to develop technology for artificial sun ‘KSTAR’ by 2026
  9. S Korea to develop technology for artificial sun to maintain 100 million degrees for 300 seconds by 2026
  10. Technology or IT funds gave 67% returns in 2021; should you invest?
  11. Yunli Zhihui Technology Secures Several Hundred Million Yuan in Round A Financing
  12. Anti-drunk driving technology could be in all new cars by 2026
  13. RIL subsidiary acquires UK-based battery technology firm Faradion
  14. Introspect Technology Adds DisplayPort and Embedded DisplayPort Test and Measurement Solutions | News
  15. Lanakila Meals on Wheels Kupuna Tech class helps local seniors to be comfortable operating technology
  16. Airlines Forecasted Their Way Through COVID. Can They Use That Technology To Earn Lifelong Customers This Holiday Season?
  17. The top technology buzzwords of 2021
  18. Heliogen, Inc. Announces Completion of Business Combination with Athena Technology Acquisition Corp.
  19. Technology & Telecom: Tech leaders from Comcast, Thomson Reuters, others look back on busy year – Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal – Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal
  20. Arctech to Map the Green Future of Latam with Upfront Tracker Technology

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Google launches new website for kids learning to read
  • Street Fighter 6 is bringing the ‘80s (and feet) back
  • Google TV will reportedly get wearable integration next year
  • Samsung Galaxy Unpacked: all the news and updates from the event
  • Crypto lender Hodlnaut follows other firms in freezing withdrawals




Categories

  • Blog Anony (409)
  • Family and Friends 1 (63)
  • Family and Friends 2 (80)
  • Family and Friends 3 (80)
  • Family and Friends 4 (84)
  • Family and Friends 5 (82)
  • Grade 1 Math (61)
  • Grade 2 Math (96)
  • Grade 3 English (68)
  • Grade 3 Math (67)
  • Grade 4 English (68)
  • Grade 4 Math (77)
  • Grade 5 English (68)
  • Grade 5 Math (88)
  • Grade 6 English (104)
  • Grade 6 Math (67)
  • Grade 6 Physics (30)
  • Grade 7 English (104)
  • Grade 7 Math (57)
  • Grade 7 Physics (30)
  • Grade 8 Biology (64)
  • Grade 8 Chemistry (43)
  • Grade 8 English (104)
  • Grade 8 Math (75)
  • Grade 8 Physics (29)
  • Grade 9 Biology (63)
  • Grade 9 Chemistry (56)
  • Grade 9 English (104)
  • Grade 9 Math (61)
  • Grade 9 Physics (62)
  • Houseware (126)
  • Learning English (50)
  • Linux Quiz (300)
  • Software (31)
  • Technology News (7,793)
  • Technology Quiz (850)
  • Windows Quiz (200)

Copyright (c) 2022 · LLODO.COM - About Us - Privacy Policy - Contact Us - Site map
Link: Question Answer English - Hoc edu - Internet Do