The World Health Organization (WHO) tried this December 1 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 they should be reinforced prevention measures 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 Ómicron 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.
Delta variant is dominant
"Let's remember that the Delta (variant) is dominant, but the more the virus circulates, the more opportunity it has to change, so we must strengthen surveillance throughout the world, the genetic sequencing (of the virus) representative of all parts of the world" commented the head of the WHO anticovid technical cell, Maria 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 in the face of 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," she said.
Regarding the severity, she commented that cases ranging from mild to severe are known caused by the Omicron variant, but also in this regard it is too early to be categorical.
Information from the last few 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.
