When the variant now known as omicron first appeared on a global database of coronavirus genomic sequences, scientists were stunned. This was the weirdest creature they’d seen to date. It had an ...

The coronavirus spike protein (shown in gray) as bound to host receptor ACE2 (cyan). Mutations in omicron are shown in blue. Modeling suggests that the innate immune response protein LLRC15 (orange) ...

Scientists are working to determine the potential risks associated with the new COVID-19 variant called B.1.1.529, which prompted an emergency meeting on Friday by the World Health Organization. 1- A ...

Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. The Omicron variant of COVID continues to spur governments and scientists into action this week, with booster shot ...

The omicron variant of the coronavirus has about 50 genetic mutations, and a whopping 36 of them are in the all-important spike. That is the part that lets the virus attach to human cells and worm its ...

Thirteen of Omicron’s mutations should have hurt the variant’s chances of survival. Instead, they worked together to make it thrive. By Carl Zimmer As nurses and doctors struggle with a ...

An array of different mutations or combinations of mutations may help the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 escape immune responses or therapeutic antibodies, according to a study published today in eLife ...

Like storm waves battering a ship, new versions of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have buffeted the world one after another. Recently, scientists keeping tabs on these variants noticed a trend: Many carry the ...

In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers investigated the efficacy of diagnostic tests for identifying severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) variants ...

NIH Director Francis Collins said Sunday that the Omicron variant could present challenges to existing vaccines. The new variant has a "record" number of mutations to the spike protein, the part of ...