Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Omicron Could Displace Delta: WHO's Soumya Swaminathan

Omicron Could Displace Delta: WHO's Soumya Swaminathan

Soumya Swaminathan said it was far from certain that Omicron emerged in southern Africa.

The World Health Organization's chief scientist told the Reuters Next conference on Friday the Omicron variant could become dominant because it is highly transmissible, but that a different vaccine may not be needed.

Soumya Swaminathan also said it was too early to say whether Omicron is milder than other variants of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and cast doubt over its origin, saying it was far from certain it emerged in southern Africa.

"It is possible that it could become (the) dominant variant," Swaminathan said, adding that it was however impossible to predict. The Delta variant now accounts for 99% of infections globally, she said.

Scientists in the European Union and Australia are forecasting that Omicron may account for more infections than Delta within a few months.

She said Omicron "was highly transmissible" and cited data from South Africa showing the number of cases doubling daily.

"How worried should we be? We need to be prepared and cautious, not panic, because we're in a different situation to a year ago," Swaminathan said in an interview.

She said the WHO could not at this stage say that Omicron was a mild variant, even if many infections so far have been associated with less severe symptoms or no symptoms at all.

There is not yet conclusive evidence about Omicron's impact on the effectiveness of antibodies.

"It does seem to be able to overcome some of the natural immunity from previous infection," the world health body's top scientist said, but added that vaccines did seem to be having an effect.

"The fact that they're not getting sick ... that means the vaccines are still providing protection and we would hope that they would continue to provide protection," Swaminathan said.

VACCINE AGAINST ALL CORONAVIRUSES?


Swaminathan was cautious about the need to upgrade existing vaccines, noting that a booster of existing shots might be enough against Omicron.

"It's possible that the vaccines will work. It's possible that you may need initially an extra dose to boost immune response," she said.

A WHO technical advisory group is trying to work out if a new type of vaccine be needed against Omicron, she added.

Speaking to Reuters Next earlier in the day, BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin said his company would be able to adapt its vaccine relatively quickly in response to Omicron and the next few weeks would show how urgently an upgrade was needed.

"I believe in principle at a certain timepoint we will need a new vaccine against this new variant," Sahin said.

Asked about the need for annual vaccine boosters, Swaminathan said "the WHO is preparing for all scenarios", which could include an additional dose, particularly among some age groups or vulnerable sections of the population.

But she added: "Natural infection acts as a booster."

Unknown Origin


Swaminathan, a qualified paediatrician from India, raised doubts about the origin of the new variant, which was first detected in southern Africa, where the highest number of cases is also being recorded.

"Where did it originate? We don't know," she said noting it could have originated in countries which do not have enough genomic sequencing.

"We may never know."

Flight bans by some countries targeting southern Africa were unfair, Swaminathan said, adding that the variant had been identified in South Africa "because of the excellent genomic sequencing and surveillance" there.

"We feel terrible that they have been punished for it."

The WHO has said travel curbs can buy time but are not the way to fight the Omicron variant, urging countries to boost healthcare capacity and vaccinate their populations.

Swaminathan also urged more equity in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and tests.

Asked whether the Omicron variant may not have emerged if Africa had received and administered more vaccines, she said: "Absolutely."

"There is a clear relationship between inequity in access to vaccines and the development of variants," Swaminathan said.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
EU Majority Demands Hungary Reverse Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
Top Hotel Picks for 2025 Stays in Budapest Revealed
Iron Maiden Unveils 2025 Tour Setlist in Budapest
Chinese Film Week Opens in Budapest to Promote Cultural Exchange
Budapest Airport Launches Direct Flights to Shymkent
Von der Leyen Denies Urging EU Officials to Skip Budapest Pride
Alcaraz and Sinner Advance with Convincing Wins at Roland Garros
EU Ministers Lack Consensus on Sanctioning Hungary Over Rule of Law
EU Nations Urge Action Against Hungary's Pride Parade Ban
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
U.S. Considers Withdrawing Troops from Europe
Russia Deploys Motorbike Squads in Ukraine Conflict
Critics Accuse European Court of Human Rights of Overreach
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Non-EU Holiday Home Purchases
German Intelligence Labels AfD as Far-Right Extremist
Geert Wilders Threatens Dutch Coalition Over Migration Policy
Hungary Faces Multiple Challenges Amid EU Tensions and Political Shifts
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Any trade deal with US must be based on respect not threats', says EU commissioner
UK Leads in Remote Work Adoption, Averaging 1.8 Days a Week
Thirteen Killed in Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
High-Profile Incidents and Political Developments Dominate Global News
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
Ukraine and Russia Conduct Largest Prisoner Exchange of the War
×