The Omicron Variant And What We Know So Far About It
In this article, we discuss in greater detail about the rise of the omicron variant that is spurring many governments to take immediate action.
The rise of the Omicron variant has taken the world by surprise. The rising number of cases of the new variant has spurred many countries to take immediate actions. This has ranged from border closures to lockdowns.
However people have many questions regarding the new variant. In this article, we help answer those queries and reveal facts about the new Omicron variant.
1) About The Variant Itself
The Omicron variant was first detected in South Africa. According to scientists, the new variant has the potential to be more transmissible in comparison to other variants of the virus.
However, other scientists have stated that there is not enough evidence to help establish a precise consensus on whether it is more spreadable or not.
2) Where Has It Spread So Far?
In South Africa, where the variant originated from, there are up to 50 cases. However, there is a wide speculation among health experts that the cases could be a lot higher.
In addition, cases of the new variant has also been detected in other parts of the world. These include Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Australia, Hong Kong and Israel. So far, there has been no case of the new variant in Pakistan.
3) Are The Vaccines Effective?
Many experts have stated that more examinations need to be done to assess if currents vaccines are good enough against the new strain.
According to the head of Emerging Diseases and Zoonosis, Maria Van Kerkhove, she said; “It will take a few weeks for us to understand what impact this variant has on any potential vaccines.”
However, Professor Helen Rees, who is from WHO’s African Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group, believes that people should not be fearful of the new variant.
She said; “[Currently] we are trying to identify how widely spread this is. There will be a lot of work looking at: Is it more transmissible? Is it associated with any more severity of disease? Does it render the vaccines less effective?”
4) What Actions Have Been Taken By The Rest Of The World?
The US, UK and EU have barred the entry of travelers from South Africa and a handful of other Southern African nations.
In addition, many EU nations have announced tougher restrictions to help curb the current spread of the virus that has currently besieged the continent.
Israel, Japan and Morocco have banned foreign travelers altogether from entering their borders. Pakistan, has banned entry of travelers from seven countries. These include; South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique and Hong Kong.
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