Coronavirus: How worried should we be about the Omicron variant?

Omicron's mutations are likely to render certain COVID-19 treatments - including some manufactured antibodies - ineffective

The new Omicron coronavirus variant - identified first in South Africa, but also detected in Europe and Asia - is raising concern worldwide given the number of mutations, which might help it spread or even evade antibodies from prior infection or vaccination.

News of the variant prompted countries to announce new travel restrictions on Friday and sent drugmakers scrambling to see if their COVID-19 vaccines remain protective.

WHY ARE SCIENTISTS WORRIED?

The World Health Organization on Friday classified the B.1.1.529 variant, or Omicron, as a SARS-CoV-2 "variant of concern," saying it may spread more quickly than other forms of coronavirus.

The Delta variant remains