The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) have cautioned that the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading faster than the Delta variant and is causing infections in people already vaccinated or who have recovered from the COVID-19 infection. WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who told journalists at the agency’s Headquarters in Geneva that, there is now “consistent evidence” that the Omicron variant was outpacing Delta said it was also more likely that people who had been vaccinated or recovered from the virus, could be infected, or re-infected. The WHO has urged people to cancel some of their holiday plans to protect public health, as the Omicron variant spreads globally. “There can be no doubt that increased social mixing over the holiday period in many countries will lead to increased cases, overwhelm health systems and more deaths. “All of us are sick of this pandemic. All of us want to spend time with friends and family. All of us want to get back to normal. “The fastest way to do that is for all of us – leaders and individuals – to make the difficult decisions that must be made to protect ourselves and others,” Ghebreyesus said.
"An event cancelled is better than a life cancelled," adding that "difficult decisions" must be made.
WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan have also opined that it would be "unwise" to conclude from early evidence that Omicron was a milder variant that previous ones.
A number of countries have made frantic effort to halt the spread of the variant, including imposing travel restrictions.
In the US, Omicron is now dominant, accounting for 73% of new infections.
President Joe Biden is expected to address the nation on Tuesday but the White House said he was not planning on "locking the country down".
