The more infectious Omicron variety appears to cause less severe disease than the globally dominant Delta, but it should not be classified as “mild,” according to the WHO’s director-general as reported by The Guardian.
Vaccine distribution
At a press conference, the director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, reiterated his appeal for more global fairness in vaccine distribution and access.
According to Tedros, 109 nations will fail the WHO’s aim of 70% of the world’s population is completely vaccinated by July, based on current vaccine rollout rates. This goal is considered as aiding in the conclusion of the pandemic’s acute phase.
Variant of concern
Another version, known as IHU and first recorded in September 2021, is being tracked by the WHO but is not extensively distributed, according to Dr Maria van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead on Covid-19.
The WHO tracks variations in two more categories of greater importance: “variant of concern,” which includes Delta and Omicron, and “variant of interest.”
WHO expert Bruce Aylward, speaking at the same briefing from Geneva, claimed 36 countries had not even attained 10% vaccination coverage. He went on to say that 80% of severe patients over the world were unvaccinated.
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Source: The Guardian
