Rapid spread of Omicron may generate newer and more dangerous variants, WHO warns

Rapid spread of Omicron may generate newer and more dangerous variants, WHO warns
DR
Wednesday 5 January 2022 - 15:17

The growing number of cases of the fast-spreading Omicron around the world may increase the risk of generating newer and more dangerous COVID-19 variants, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Tuesday.

The WHO has already declared that the Omicron variant is a fast-spreading virus of concern.

WHO Senior Emergency Officer, Catherine Smallwood, said in an interview with AFP, “The more Omicron spreads, the more it is transmitted and the more it replicates, the more likely it is to generate a new variant,” she explained.

“At an individual level the risk of hospitalization is probably lower” with the Omicron variant than with Delta, overall Omicron could pose a more significant threat due to the number of cases, she added.

Additionally, two shots of the anti-COVID-19 vaccine are not sufficient, because antibodies against the Omicron variant decrease over time, according to a study by British researchers, published on December 13.

The study’s results revealed that booster shots significantly restored protection by more than 70%.

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