WHO "Omicron Likely Spread to Most Countries"

Reported in 77 Countries
Spreads Faster Than Any Variant
Actual Infected Countries Likely Much More

UK Deems Border Controls Ineffective
Lifts Entry Restrictions on African Countries

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] It is estimated that the new COVID-19 variant Omicron, first reported in South Africa at the end of last month, has spread worldwide. Designated as a ‘variant of concern’ like the Delta variant, Omicron has been found on six continents in less than a week and is spreading faster than any previous variant.

On the 14th (local time), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), stated, "The Omicron variant is probably present in most countries." Although 77 countries have reported confirmed Omicron cases, it is believed that the variant has actually spread to many more countries.

Director-General Ghebreyesus emphasized that Omicron’s transmissibility is unprecedented and warned against underestimating it even if symptoms are mild. He stressed, "Even if the Omicron variant causes less severe illness, the sheer number of infections could once again overwhelm healthcare systems that are not fully prepared."

The United Kingdom also reported that Omicron has already spread globally and decided to lift entry restrictions on African countries starting from the 15th. This decision was based on the assessment that border controls are meaningless as community transmission of Omicron is already occurring within the UK.

In South Africa, where daily COVID-19 cases have reached 20,000 due to the spread of Omicron, a study released on the same day showed that the Pfizer vaccine’s effectiveness in preventing severe illness is about 70%. This is lower than the 93% effectiveness observed during the Delta variant wave. The vaccine’s effectiveness in preventing infection was only 33% among those fully vaccinated with Pfizer, which is also significantly lower than the 80% effectiveness against Delta.

Pfizer’s oral COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid has been found to be effective against all types of coronavirus, including Omicron.

Michael Dolsten, Pfizer’s Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, "Paxlovid blocked the protease of Omicron at nearly the same level as other variants of concern in initial laboratory studies." He added, "Since this prevents the virus from causing disease, I am confident that Paxlovid’s efficacy against Omicron will be very significant." Pfizer plans to conduct additional trials to measure the specific preventive effects of Paxlovid against the Omicron variant.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.