Much remains unknown about Omicron,but increasingly officials are warning that at the very least it appears more transmissible than the Delta variant,which was already putting pressure on hospitals from the United States to the Netherlands. With so many questions outstanding,uncertainty reigned over how quickly and how severely to crack down on end-of-year travel and Christmas parties.
France announced on Thursday that it wouldtighten entry rules for those coming from Britain.
Globally,more than 75 countries have reported confirmedcases of the new variant. In Britain,the variant is expected to soon replace Delta as the dominant strain in the country. Authorities in the 27-nation European Union say Omicron will be the dominant variant in the bloc by mid-January.
In addition to hints that it’s more contagious,early data suggests Omicron may be milder but better at evading vaccines – making booster shots more crucial. Experts have urged caution in particular on drawing conclusions about how mild it is because hospitalisations lag behind infections and so many variables contribute to how sick people get.
Also,even if Omicron proves milder on the whole than Delta,it may disarm some of the lifesaving tools available and put immune-compromised and elderly people at particular risk. And if it’s more transmissible,more infections overall raise the risk of more serious ones.
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While experts gather more data,some governments rushed to act,while others sought to calm fears that the new variant would land countries back on square one.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted on Thursday that the situation in the UK was different from last year because of the widespread use of vaccines and the ability to test.
While Professor Chris Whitty,England’s chief medical officer,advised people to limit their social contacts,putting a priority on those that are the most important,Johnson struck a less severe note.
Johnson said that if people wanted to attend an event “the sensible thing to do is to get a test and to make sure that you’re being cautious”.
“But we’re not saying that we want to cancel stuff,we’re not locking stuff down,and the fastest route back to normality is to get boosted,” he said.
Nonetheless,Queen Elizabeth II opted to cancel her traditional pre-Christmas family lunch.
Reuters,AP
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