Omicron is spreading sooner than some other Covid variant, WHO warns

The World Well being Group on Tuesday warned the brand new Covid-19 omicron variant is spreading sooner than any earlier pressure, and it’s in all probability current in most nations of the world.

“Omicron is spreading at a fee now we have not seen with any earlier variant,” WHO Director-Common Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus mentioned throughout a Covid replace in Geneva. “Seventy-seven nations have now reported instances of omicron. And the fact is that omicron might be in most nations, even when it hasn’t been detected but.”

Tedros mentioned the WHO is anxious that nations are dismissing omicron as a gentle variant. Although omicron is extra contagious, it isn’t but clear whether or not the pressure causes extra delicate or extreme illness than previous variants of the virus.

“We now have discovered by now that we underestimate this virus at our peril,” Tedros mentioned. “Even when omicron does trigger much less extreme illness, the sheer variety of instances may as soon as once more overwhelm unprepared well being programs,” he mentioned.

Tedros warned that vaccines alone won’t defend nations from omicron, emphasizing the significance of masks and social distancing.

“It is not vaccines as a substitute of masks. It is not vaccines as a substitute of distancing. It is not vaccines as a substitute of air flow or hand hygiene. Do all of it. Do it constantly. Do it effectively,” Tedros mentioned.

The omicron variant considerably reduces the safety towards an infection supplied by Pfizer and BioNTech’s two-dose vaccine, in keeping with preliminary lab knowledge launched by the businesses final week. Scientists on the College of Oxford printed a research on Monday that additionally discovered the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines are much less efficient towards omicron.

Nevertheless, the two-dose vaccines doubtless nonetheless defend towards extreme illness. Pfizer and BioNTech discovered {that a} booster shot supplies vital ranges of safety towards omicron an infection.

Dr. Mike Ryan, govt director of the WHO well being emergencies program, mentioned mitigation measures like masking and social distancing will not absolutely cease transmission of the virus, however they are going to scale back the strain on well being programs around the globe.

“If all of us apply these measures, we cannot cease transmission of omicron or delta — it is vitally arduous to cease,” Ryan mentioned on the briefing with Tedros. “However what we are going to do is critically scale back the power of an infection, we are going to scale back that strain wave, after which hopefully get by way of this wave in a means during which we do not disrupt or collapse our public well being programs.”

Ryan mentioned governments around the globe want to arrange for a wave of an infection by ensuring hospitals have the staffing, triage and oxygen provides in place. He additionally mentioned governments have to maintain pushing for the unvaccinated to get immunized.

“Well being programs are weaker now than they had been a yr in the past in actuality,” he mentioned. “So sadly, generally you may stand up after the primary punch, nevertheless it’s very arduous to stand up after the second. And that is the issue. We’re counting on well being staff of the well being system which were weakened by this response.”

Tedros mentioned the WHO is anxious that rich nations rolling out booster doses for his or her total grownup populations will exacerbate vaccine inequity around the globe. He made clear the WHO isn’t towards administering boosters to individuals liable to extreme illness, however the principle precedence ought to nonetheless be vaccinating those that haven’t obtained a shot but.

The WHO director mentioned 41 nations haven’t but reached 10% vaccination of their populations, and 98 nations haven’t reached 40% vaccination of their populations.

“We additionally see vital inequities between inhabitants teams in the identical nation,” Tedros mentioned. “If we permit inequity to proceed, we permit the pandemic to proceed.”

Ryan mentioned blanket journey bans create a false sense of safety as a result of variants like omicron unfold upfront of detection. The U.S. final month banned guests guests from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.

“International locations have a proper to defend and defend themselves, they’ve a proper to manage their borders, they do it for every kind of different causes,” Ryan mentioned. “But it surely should be completed in a means that maintains to the utmost extent attainable the free motion of individuals, particular person human rights and with due regard for the financial impacts that such measures have on nations.”