The World Health Organization (WHO) official stated on January 6 that the severity of the disease caused by the more contagious variant virus Omicron does not seem to be as severe as Delta, which currently dominates the world, but should not be classified as "mild." (Mild).
Reuters reported on January 7 that Janet Diaz, head of clinical management at WHO, said that early studies have shown that compared with Delta, Omicron causes a lower risk of hospitalization.
She said at a media briefing that the risk of serious diseases appears to be reduced in both young and old.
The remarks about reducing the risk of severe illness are consistent with other data obtained from studies in South Africa and the United Kingdom, but she did not disclose more details about the research or analysis of the age of the cases.
The impact on the elderly is a big unanswered question about Omicron, as most of the cases studied so far are young people.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on the same occasion, “Although the disease caused by Omicron does not seem to be that serious compared to Delta, especially those who have been vaccinated, this does not mean that it should be Was classified as mild."
"Like the previous variant, Omicron is causing people to be hospitalized and dying of illness." He warned that as Omicron and Delta cause new infections to record new infections, new cases will hit like a "tsunami."
Tan Desai once again called on the world to achieve greater equity in vaccine distribution and access.
He added that at the current rate of vaccination, 109 countries will not be able to achieve WHO's goal of achieving 70% of the global population fully vaccinated by July.
This goal is seen as helping to end the acute phase of the epidemic.
He said, "While billions of people are still completely unprotected, the rounds of booster vaccination in a few countries will not end the pandemic."
Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical director for the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic, said that another variant strain B.1.640, which was first discovered in multiple countries in September 2021, was also under the monitoring of WHO. It is not widely spread.
Another more important classification of virus variants by WHO is divided into two categories. One is "Variants that require attention" (VOC). Both Delta and Omicron belong to this category, and the other is "Variants that deserve attention." "(VOI).
WHO: COVAX has distributed more than 180 million doses of China's new crown pneumonia vaccine | WHO: The number of confirmed diagnoses in the world has reached a new high in the past week. Omicron | WHO: China Kexinghe Sinopharm vaccine can combat serious illness caused by new variants IHU︱ New variants found in France Virus strain B.1.640.2 WHO: does not pose too much threat
