The Director of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned, on Wednesday, that the “Omicron” mutant, which is spreading at a rapid pace, “remains a dangerous virus”, despite causing less severe symptoms.
“Although Omicron causes less serious symptoms than Delta (the mutant that has been dominant until now), it remains a dangerous virus, especially for unvaccinated people,” Ghebreyesus said during a press conference.
This mutant, which was first detected in South Africa at the end of November 2021, has since spread widely in the world at levels unprecedented since the start of the epidemic.
Health data indicate that the symptoms of “Omicron” are less severe, especially for fully vaccinated people who received the booster dose, compared to the “Delta” mutant, which led some to consider it a “mild” disease.
On the other hand, the official for emergency situations at the World Health Organization, Michael Ryan, said that “Omicron” is not a mild disease, but rather “a disease that can be prevented with vaccines.”
He added: “Now is not the time to drop everything and lower your guard, not the time to say it’s a welcome virus. No virus is welcome.”
Some hope that, due to its rapid rate of spread, “Omicron” will replace the more dangerous mutant, allowing the epidemic to be turned into an easier to control disease.
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