Omicron variant is the virus that causes COVID-19. The variant was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) from South Africa on 24 November 2021 and the doctor in charge reported it as a mild issue. On 26 November 2021, the WHO (world health organization) designated it as a variant of concern and named it after omicron, the fifteenth letter in the Greek alphabet.
International travel was limited in order to reduce the spread of this dangerous virus. Different vaccines have been used to try to suppress this virus not all to no avail.
The omicron variant of Covid-19 was first discovered in South Africa and later it was detected in locations in U.K(united kingdom), Spain and Canada.
This virus is still under observation, scientists are still trying to understand the level of severity and how far and fast this virus can spread. The only thing that is clear is that it is highly contagious.
Omicron as been dubbed to be more contagious than the previous variant (delta variant).
African Medical Association, said that unlike with the delta variant, patients that has omicron variant COVID has not reported any loss of smell or taste and there has been no major drop in oxygen level.
In its statement, the WHO said it was working with technical experts to understand the potential impact of the variant on existing countermeasures against COVID-19, including vaccines.
A South African doctor who was one of the first to suspect a different coronavirus strain said on Sunday that symptoms of Omicron were so far mild and could be treated at home.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said the ban, pending government approval, would last 14 days. Officials hope that within that period there will be more information on how effective vaccines are against Omicron.
The top U.S. infectious disease official, Dr. Anthony Fauci, told President Joe Biden on Sunday it will take about two weeks to have more definitive information about the transmissibility and other characteristics of Omicron, the White House said in a statement, adding that Fauci believes existing vaccines "are likely to provide a degree of protection against severe cases of COVID".
Britain, the government has announced measures including stricter testing rules for people arriving in the country and requiring mask wearing in some settings.
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday that his government was considering imposing compulsory COVID-19 shots for people in certain places and activities, and he slammed rich Western countries for what he called their knee-jerk imposition of travel bans.
It is not yet clear whether Omicron is more transmissible (e.g., more easily spread from person to person) compared to other variants, including Delta. The number of people testing positive has risen in areas of South Africa affected by this variant, but epidemiologic studies are underway to understand if it is because of Omicron or other factors.
Preliminary data suggests that there are increasing rates of hospitalization in South Africa, but this may be due to increasing overall numbers of people becoming infected, rather than a result of specific infection with Omicron. There is currently no information to suggest that symptoms associated with Omicron are different from those from other variants. Initial reported infections were among university students—younger individuals who tend to have more mild disease—but understanding the level of severity of the Omicron variant will take several weeks. All variants of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, in particular for the most vulnerable people, and thus prevention is always key.
Recommended actions for countries
As Omicron has been unique a Variant of Concern, there are several actions WHO recommends nations to adopt, such as enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases, publicly reporting preliminary instances or clusters to WHO and to the general public; acting discipline investigations and laboratory checks to see if Omicron has one of a kind transmission or disease characteristics, or affects the effectiveness of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics or public fitness and social measures.
Countries need to maintain to implement the effective public health measures to lessen COVID-19 stream usual, the use of a threat evaluation and technological know-how-based technique. They ought to increase a few public fitness and medical capacities to reduce the rate at which it spreads. WHO is presenting international locations with aid and steering for both readiness and response.
In addition, it's far vitally essential that the use of COVID-19 vaccines are urgently addressed to make it certain that susceptible organizations everywhere, together with medical examiners and older folks, obtain their first and second doses, along equitable treatments and diagnostics.
Recommended actions for people
The most effective steps individuals can take to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus is to keep a physical distance of at least 1 metre from others; wear a well-fitting mask; open windows to improve ventilation; avoid poorly ventilated or crowded spaces; keep hands clean; cough or sneeze into a bent elbow or tissue; and get vaccinated when it’s their turn.
Don't forget to sanitize regularly too.
WHO said they will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available regarding this variant.
This could be a possible wave of another lockdown so everyone should start getting ready emotionally, physically and financially. Especially Nigerians, the inflation of prices is about to skyrocket. Hopefully it doesn't get to that level because if it does, many will die of hunger and not even the virus.
