WHO says measures against delta work for omicron variant too

World Well being Group officers within the Western Pacific say border closures adopted by some international locations could purchase time to cope with the omicron coronavirus variant, however measures put in place and expertise gained in coping with the variant ought to stay the inspiration for combating the pandemic.

Whereas a couple of regional international locations are dealing with surges, COVID-19 instances and deaths in lots of others have decreased and plateaued, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Dr. Takeshi Kasai advised reporters Friday in a digital information convention broadcast from Manila, Philippines.

“Border management can delay the virus coming in and purchase time. However each nation and each group should put together for brand spanking new surges in instances,” Kasai stated. “The optimistic information in all of that is that not one of the data we’ve got presently about omicron suggests we have to change the instructions of our response.”

A lot stays unknown concerning the new variant, together with whether or not it’s extra contagious, as some well being authorities suspect, or if it makes folks extra severely sick, and whether or not it may thwart the vaccine.

Kasai stated omicron has been designated a variant of concern due to the variety of mutations and since early data suggests it could be extra transmissible than different variants of the virus. Extra testing and statement is critical, he stated.

To this point, 4 international locations and areas within the Western Pacific – Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea – have reported instances of the omicron variant, stated WHO Regional Emergency Director Dr. Babatunde Olowokure. That quantity is more likely to go up as extra instances are found globally, Olowokure stated.

India, Singapore and Malaysia have additionally reported their first instances within the final 24 hours.

“When it comes to what international locations ought to be doing now, our experiences over the previous couple of years, particularly in responding to delta, gives a information of what we have to do, in addition to how to deal with future surges in a extra sustainable method,” he stated.

These embody full vaccination protection, social distancing, masks carrying and different measures. These can then be calibrated in response to the native context, Olowokure stated.

The aim is to “guarantee we’re treating the precise sufferers in the precise place on the proper time, and so due to this fact making certain that ICU beds can be found, notably for individuals who want them,” he stated.

Regardless of the optimistic traits in dealing with the pandemic within the Western Pacific area, largely by excessive vaccination charges, “we can’t be complacent,” Kasai stated.

Globally, instances have been rising for seven consecutive weeks and the variety of deaths has began to rise once more too, pushed largely by the delta variant and decreased use of protecting measures in different components of the world, he stated.

“We shouldn’t be stunned to see extra surges sooner or later. So long as transmission continues, the virus can proceed to mutate because the emergence of omicron demonstrates, reminding us of the necessity to keep vigilant,” Kasai stated.

He warned particularly concerning the probability of surges resulting from extra gatherings and motion of individuals through the vacation season. The northern winter season will possible carry different infectious respiratory ailments akin to influenza alongside COVID-19, Kasai stated.

“It’s clear that this pandemic is way from over and I do know that persons are anxious about omicron,” he stated. “However my message at present is that we will adapt the way in which we handle this virus to raised address the long run surges and scale back their well being, social and financial impacts.”

The WHO Western Pacific Area contains 37 international locations and areas from Palau to Mongolia.