Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 and long COVID

Chengliang Yang; Hedi Zhao; Casey P Shannon; Scott J Tebbutt

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.1061686

Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 and long COVID

Front Immunol. 2022 Dec 9:13:1061686. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1061686. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Chengliang Yang^{1

2

3}, Hedi Zhao⁴, Casey P Shannon^{1

2}, Scott J Tebbutt^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Prevention of Organ Failure (PROOF) Centre of Excellence, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
² Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, Providence Research, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
³ Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
⁴ Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Abstract

Understanding the epidemiology of long COVID and emerging variants has significant public-health implications as physical interventions and restrictions that help limit viral spread are eased globally. Here, we provide rationales for the necessity of updating current vaccines to improve protection against omicron and emerging variants, as well as more research into understanding the epidemiology and mechanisms of long COVID.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; long covid; omicron variant; post COVID-19 condition; vaccine.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Humans
Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome*
Public Health
SARS-CoV-2 / genetics

Supplementary concepts

SARS-CoV-2 variants

Grants and funding

177747/CIHR/Canada