WHO WARNS OF ‘VERY HIGH’ RISK FROM OMICRON STRAIN
▶ Abu Dhabi uses new therapy to help Covid-19 patients as Dubai opens booster bookings
The Omicron coronavirus variant is likely to spread internationally and will pose a “very high” risk in places where there are no mitigation plans, the World Health Organisation has said.
WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “hard-won gains could vanish in an instant”.
“Omicron has an unprecedented number of spike mutations, some of which are concerning for their potential impact on the trajectory of the pandemic,” the WHO said.
“The overall global risk related to the new variant of concern Omicron is assessed as very high.”
Abu Dhabi has introduced a new therapy to help patients fight Covid-19.
The monoclonal antibody cocktail of casirivimab and imdevimab, known as Regen-Cov in some markets, has been given to people with the disease who are likely to develop severe symptoms.
“We have taken a significant step towards improving healthcare services in Abu Dhabi,” said Dr Jamal Al Kaabi, undersecretary of the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi.
In Dubai, people who were vaccinated against coronavirus more than six months ago can now book a booster shot.
People who received two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Oxford-AstraZeneca or Sputnik V vaccines can book a third shot.
Meanwhile, the UK has announced it will offer a Covid-19 booster to all adults and give second doses to children aged between 12 and 15.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation said all adults between the ages of 18 and 39 could receive boosters, extending a programme that was already open to over-40s.
The committee also said the gap between second doses and boosters could be shortened from six months to three months, owing to the risk posed by the Omicron variant.
“Having a booster dose of the vaccine will help to increase our level of protection against the Omicron variant,” said Wei Shen Lim, chairman of Covid-19 immunisation at the commission.
Jonathan Van-Tam, deputy chief medical officer for England, said it would be wrong to view the current situation as all “doom and gloom”.
There have been many variants during the pandemic and these cause concern because it is not known how they will behave and how vaccines hold up against them, he said.
“We are at that moment with Omicron. It is the new kid on the block for now and I think it’s true to say that scientists around the world, not just in the UK, agree that this one is of increased concern,” he said.
“If vaccine effectiveness is reduced – as seems pretty likely, to some extent – the biggest effects are likely to be in preventing infections and, hopefully, there will be smaller effects in preventing severe disease.”
Since researchers in South Africa discovered the Omicron variant last week, governments around the world have introduced travel restrictions.
Japan said yesterday that foreigners were barred from landing in the country.
Morocco has banned all incoming passenger flights, while other countries, including the US, GCC countries and European states have barred entry to travellers arriving from southern Africa.
UAE residents concerned about the variant and disruption to travel have cancelled winter holiday plans.
G7 health ministers have said the variant is highly transmissible and requires “urgent action”, as they praised South Africa for detecting the strain and alerting others to it.
“The global community is faced with the threat of a new, at a first evaluation, highly
transmissible variant of Covid-19, which requires urgent action,” they said.
“Ministers also recognised the strategic relevance of ensuring access to vaccines, including surge for vaccines absorption and country readiness for receiving and deploying Covid vaccines, providing operational assistance, taking forward our donation commitments, and tackling vaccine misinformation, as well as supporting research and development.”
Dr Anthony Fauci, the leading US infectious disease official, yesterday said he did not expect the US to go further than the travel measures already announced. He urged more Americans to be vaccinated and receive booster shots if they are eligible.
“Obviously, we’re on high alert,” Dr Fauci, who also serves as chief medical adviser, told ABC News. “It’s inevitable that, sooner or later, it’s going to spread widely.”
The UK travel industry yesterday reacted with frustration and anger at the reintroduction of travel bans in response to the variant.
Former British Airways boss Willie Walsh was among the industry figures who described the measures as a “knee-jerk” reaction.
“It’s clear that these measures have been completely ineffective in the past but impose huge hardship on people who are trying to connect with family and friends – and massive financial damage to the tourism and airline industry,” he said.
Mr Walsh, director general of airline industry body the International Air Transport Association, said travel bans had “no long-term benefit” and proposed a “sensible testing regime” as an alternative.