The agency notes that it is important to speed up the vaccination of people who are not yet immunized.
The World Health Organization (WHO) today tried to reassure the world in the face of the emergence of the omicron variant, recalling that the delta still represents more than 99% of COVID-19 cases worldwide and pointing out that the measures of prevention against both.
Among the measures to be reinforced, it is important to accelerate the vaccination of people who are not yet immunized, said the agency’s experts at a press conference at the end of an extraordinary assembly of the organization to promote a future treaty to prepare for future pandemics.
On the potential of omicron to have a greater transmission capacity or to cause more serious COVID episodes, WHO experts indicated that it will still take days to analyze the information that is being collected in the countries where this variant has been detected and establish its features.
“Let’s remember that the delta (variant) is dominant, but the more the virus circulates, the more opportunity it has to change, so we have to strengthen surveillance around the world, genetic sequencing (of the virus) representative of all parts of the world” commented the head of the WHO anticovid technical cell, María Van Kerkhove.
This information “should continue to reach us, without countries being penalized for sharing information,” he added, alluding to the fact that South Africa and Botswana suffered the suspension of their air links with much of the world after being the first to report cases of the omicron variant.
On the different scenarios that are being outlined before the new variant, the expert said that it is still too early to draw conclusions.
“We do not have all the data on transmissibility, we hope to have information about it in a matter of days, not necessarily weeks,” he said.
Regarding the severity, he commented that there are known cases from mild to severe caused by the omicron variant, but also in this aspect it is too early to be categorical.
Information in recent days from Africa shows an increase in hospitalizations, but Van Kerkhove pointed out that this could be a normal consequence of the increase in cases in general, not only those caused by the new variant.
Cases of the omicron variant have been reported to the WHO in 23 countries, a number that will surely increase, the director general of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stressed at the same press conference.
Regarding the efficacy of the vaccines, the experts insisted on encouraging people who have not yet been vaccinated and have access to doses to take the step, because if they become infected with any variant, the chances of them developing a serious condition and dying are significantly less than if they are not immunized.
“There is a lot of uncertainty in relation to omicron, but there are no indications that the vaccine will not work, even if there is a reduction in its effectiveness, it will still be better to be vaccinated because it can save your life,” said Van Kerkhove about it.
The WHO experts were again critical today with the decision of many countries to cancel all trips with certain regions, such as southern Africa, a measure that was taken even before the experts of this organization issued any report on the variant omicron.
“Travel bans can be useful at the beginning of an epidemic outbreak, to give countries more time to prepare for the spread, but it is clear that such a ban does not stop the circulation of viruses,” said the director. WHO Assistant General for Emergencies, Jauad Mahjour.
The expert insisted that all countries apply comprehensive measures in the countries of departure and arrival, using “science-based” decisions. (I)
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