World Health Organization (WHO) epidemiologist and technical lead on Covid-19, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, in a recent press briefing, warned that the Covid-19 pandemic is far from over.
Kerkhove warned that the next Covid-19 variant will be more transmissible and deadlier than its predecessors. Kerkhove added that the future variants will be in some way more virulent than Omicron is now.
She said that the new variant will be more transmissible because it will have to overtake what is currently circulating in the world. She added, “The big question is whether or not future variants will be more or less severe.”
She further warned that the next variant could more easily affect immunity and the effectiveness of the vaccines. However, she said to get vaccinated as it protects against severe illness and death. She added, “This was evident during the Omicron wave across the world.” Reportedly, the new variant can affect those people who are not protected by the vaccine or those who have waning immunity.
She further added, “We expect that with the right interventions, the circulation of Covid-19 will be low.” However, Kerkhove has cautioned that there is “no guarantee” the coronavirus will get weaker with time. Reportedly, the Omicron variant of Covid-19 appears to have peaked in some countries.
Other variants of Covid-19
The Delta variant was first detected in India in October 2020. Subsequently, it was labeled a variant of concern by the WHO. In 2021, the Delta variant was responsible for a fresh surge in Covid-19 cases in the UK (United Kingdom), Israel, Russia, Australia, and several other countries of the world. Omicron was quickly labeled as a variant of concern after being detected in South Africa in November 2021. Consequently, the Omicron variant replaced the Delta variant as the dominant strain in a short span of time.
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