New Delhi: The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday designated the new variant found in South Africa as a “worrying variant” after a meeting of an expert group. The new variant was first reported by South Africa on Thursday, and soon countries began to impose travel bans and take precautionary measures. However, on Friday other countries reported the tension, including Hong Kong, Botswana, Belgium, and Israel.
The new variant which is scientifically referred to as B.1.1.529 also receives the Greek letter omicron by the panel. Omicron has become a major concern for countries because it is highly mutated, which could make it highly transmissible. There is no data yet to prove whether this affects the effectiveness of the vaccine or not.
The WHO said Friday that in South Africa “this variant has been detected at faster rates than previous outbreaks of infection, suggesting that this variant may have a growth advantage.”
Soon after the discovery of the new strain, countries began to reinstate travel restrictions and mandatory quarantine rules. These countries included the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy and Israel, among others.
The information on the new strain comes against the backdrop of India’s decision to restart international travel from December 15. It is also noteworthy that the previously found Delta variant, which was declared to be a “variant of concern” had caused the second wave of covid -19 cases in India which rocked the already struggling country.
Omicron is the fifth “variant of concern” labeled by the WHO. A “variant of concern” is considered to pose a high risk to public health and is therefore of concern. In contrast, the “variant of interest” requires careful monitoring.
WHO is awaiting more data on omicron to determine if this affects the effectiveness of the vaccine.
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