WHO warns that Omicron is spreading at a rate unprecedented in the world’s history

New Delhi: The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Tuesday (December 14, 2021) that Omicron is spreading at a rate unprecedented in the history of COVID-19 variants.

During a press conference on COVID-19, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that 77 countries have now reported Omicron cases.

The truth is that Omicron is most likely present in most countries, even if it has not yet been detected. Even if Omicron causes less severe disease, the sheer number of cases could overwhelm unprepared health-care systems,” he added.

Vaccine effectiveness has decreased slightly.
Tedros also stated that evolving evidence suggests a’small decline’ in the effectiveness of vaccines against severe disease and death, as well as a decline in the effectiveness of vaccines in preventing mild disease or infection.

“The emergence of Omicron has prompted some countries to implement booster programmes for their entire adult populations, despite the fact that there is no evidence that boosters are effective against this variant.” WHO is concerned that such programmes will “repeat this year’s vaccine hoarding and exacerbate inequity,” he said.

 

The WHO chief expressed concern about vaccine inequity once more, stating that there is still a “vast gap” in vaccination rates between countries.

He stated that 41 countries have yet to vaccinate 10% of their populations, and 98 countries have not vaccinated 40% of their populations.

“There are also significant disparities between population groups within the same country. When we eliminate inequity, we eliminate the pandemic. If we allow inequity to persist, we will allow the pandemic to persist “Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was also present.

 

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