The Omicron variant carries concerning mutations that may make it more transmissible and allow it to evade immunity, scientists said on Monday, stressing that the one certainty in the uncertainty of the many things unknown is this -- Covid is not a short-term crisis and vaccines are still a critical tool.

As the world and India slides into escalated Covid anxiety and the global scientific community grapples with the emergence of a new strain with multiple mutations, several experts here said current Covid vaccines are likely to be effective against Omicron too.

The B.1.1.529 Covid variant, first detected in South Africa last week, was designated by the World Health Organisation as a Variant of Concern (VOC), the health body's top category for worrying coronavirus variants.