The new Covid-19 variation ‘Omicron’ has sparked worldwide concern, with governments scrambling to implement new travel restrictions. The new strain, which was first discovered in South Africa, has spread to over ten nations, including Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Australia.
Fears that the new strain will be more resistant to vaccine protection are developing over the world, raising fears that the pandemic and associated lockdown restrictions will last far longer than expected. Here’s what the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN’s top health agency, has to say about the Omicron variety and what governments and people should do to protect themselves.
According to the WHO, preliminary research suggests that Omicron may have a higher risk of reinfection than other variations of concern (i.e., those who have previously had COVID-19 may be more easily reinfected with Omicron), however, the evidence is limited.
Omicron research has begun all over the world, although it is unclear whether this new Covid variety is more transmissible than prior versions such as Alpha, Kappa, Delta, and so on.
According to preliminary studies, hospitalisation rates in South Africa are increasing. However, this could be due to an increase in the general number of persons that are affected, rather than a specific Omicron infection.
There is currently no evidence that the symptoms associated with Omicron are distinct from those associated with other variations.
Patients with severe COVID-19 will still benefit from corticosteroids and IL6 receptor blockers. Other treatments, on the other hand, will be evaluated, according to WHO.
Because Omicron has been identified as a Variant of Concern, the WHO has recommended that countries adopt several steps, including increasing surveillance and sequencing of cases, as well as exchanging genome sequences on publically accessible databases.
“Countries should continue to use a risk analysis and a science-based approach to undertake effective public health actions to limit COVID-19 circulation generally. To deal with an increase in instances, they need to expand some public health and medical capacities. WHO offers support and guidance to countries in terms of both preparedness and reaction “In a circular, the WHO stated.
Individuals can reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus by maintaining a physical distance of at least 1 metre from others, wearing a well-fitting mask, opening windows to improve ventilation, avoiding poorly ventilated or crowded spaces, keeping hands clean, coughing or sneezing into a bent elbow or tissue, and getting vaccinated when their turn comes.
