by Kevon Browne
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN): According to international media reports, the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus is set to be the dominant strain of the virus. Early research suggests that people who contract the strain have milder symptoms than the Delta strain, but it is more transmissible.
While officials understand the factors that make it more transmissible, the infection rate suggests it has adapted to move through organisms and attach itself to cells more efficiently.
The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Executive Director for Health Emergencies, Dr. Mike Ryan, explains one of the reasons why that could be so.
Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, an American infectious disease epidemiologist with the WHO, said while comparative data of the Delta and Omicron variant is ongoing, the data from those studies aren’t available as yet, but Omicron has a growth advantage over delta in countries where it’s detected.
We are in the height of the holiday season when travel to and from countries is high as people are trying to get home to see loved ones and some experts have suggested that because of this travel and the spread of the Omicron Variant, surges in countries are expected in the new year.
Dr Van Kerkhove said that while there is no zero-risk situation with COVID-19 and its spread, there are ways to lower the risk of transmission as she reflected on the importance of the holiday season on a socially humane level and suggested ways to celebrate and gather with reduced risk.
Much of the research on the Omicron variant is in the early stages, and much is still left to learn about it relative to the length of time COVID-19 has been with us.
