Well being measures taken to fight COVID-19 earlier than the emergence of Omicron would additionally assist in opposition to the new variant of concern, World Well being Group officers stated Friday.
What they’re saying: Takeshi Kasai, WHO regional director for the Western Pacific, stated during a virtual briefing broadcast from Manila, Philippines, that border controls imposed by the U.S. and other nations can “purchase time” to take care of the variant, however warned “each nation and each neighborhood should put together for brand new surges in circumstances.”
- “The constructive information in all that is that not one of the info now we have at the moment about Omicron suggests we have to change the course of our response,” Kasai added.
- “Our expertise of the final two years, particularly in coping with variants like Delta, gives a information about what to do now, in addition to how to deal with future surges in a extra sustainable manner.”
The massive image: Since Omicron was first detected in South Africa final month, the brand new variant has been reported in at least five U.S. states and two dozen countries — together with the Netherlands, the place scientists discovered a case of the variant that predates the South African discovery.
- WHO regional emergency director Babatunde Olowokure famous that established measures together with COVID-19 vaccinations, masks sporting and social distancing all assist.
- “Our expertise of the final two years, particularly in coping with variants like Delta, gives a information about what to do now, in addition to how to deal with future surges in a extra sustainable manner,” Olowokure stated.
The underside line: Kasai stated it is “clear that this pandemic is way from over.”
- “I do know that persons are apprehensive about Omicron,” he added. “However my message at present is that we are able to adapt the best way we handle this virus to higher address the long run surges and cut back their well being, social and financial impacts.”
“What’s most essential is to arrange for these variants with potential excessive transmissibility. Up to now, the knowledge out there suggests we do not have to alter our method.”
— Takeshi Kasai
Go deeper: Parsing what we do and don’t know about Omicron
Editor’s observe: This text has been up to date with extra remark of Takeshi Kasai’s feedback from the briefing.
