WHO estimates that more than 50% of the European population will be infected with omicron in the next 6 to 8 weeks

More than fifty percent of the European population will have contracted the omicron variant of the coronavirus in the next 6 to 8 weeks at the current rate of transmission, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Tuesday.

The forecast is based on a calculation carried out by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluations (IHME), of the University of Washington, cited by the director of WHO-Europe, Hans Kluge.

Kluge highlighted in his first appearance in 2022 that twenty-six countries in the WHO European region – which comprises 53, including several from Central Asia – have reported that more than one percent of their population is catching coronavirus each week.

Of the total number of countries in the region, 50 have already registered cases of omicron, which is rapidly becoming the dominant variant in Western Europe and is now spreading in the Balkans.

“Data collected in recent weeks confirms that omicron is highly transmissible because the mutations it has allows it to adhere to human cells more easily and can infect even those who have been previously or vaccinated,” Kluge said.

Vaccines continue to provide good protection against severe or fatal cases, but the “unprecedented scale of transmission” has led to an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations.

“That is challenging health and service delivery systems in many countries where omicron has expanded rapidly, and threatens to overwhelm many more,” Kluge said.

Health personnel, caregivers and other essential workers are bearing “the greatest burden” and are the most exposed to the virus, recalled the director of WHO-Europe, who called for more support for their well-being and mental health.

Kluge urged the countries of the region not yet hit by the new variant to implement measures such as the use of high-quality masks indoors, promote full vaccination, including the booster dose; and prepare response systems that include, for example, test augmentation and that are accessible.

In countries where there is already a wave of omicron, the priority should be to avoid and reduce harm to vulnerable groups and minimize disruptions to health systems and essential services.

Thus, it is necessary to prioritize the access of these groups to vaccines and booster doses and to promote the deployment of tests.

Any decision to cut the quarantine or isolation period recommended for those infected should be taken in combination with negative tests and “only if it is considered essential to preserve the continuity of critical services,” warned the WHO. (I)