Another year opens under the sign of the coronavirus with, in the main role, its last variant to date, Omicron! Detected in South Africa, it is spreading at a lightning speed all over the world. Although this variant seems less deadly than its predecessor Delta, it is particularly contagious. Some scientific experts and policy makers hope to achieve some form of herd immunity, but disagreements persist and the WHO warns: “The more Omicron spreads, the more it is transmitted and the more it replicates, the more likely it is to generate a new variant” (Catherine Smallwood, WHO Emergency Manager).
Vaccination remains essential to counter Omicron, but the WHO warns that inequality in vaccination is increasing between countries: while Israel is already injecting a 4th dose, many African countries are still waiting for their first dose…
Happy New Year anyway!
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