According to the WHO, there is more evidence that Omicron causes milder effects than other antipsychotic medications. Officials from the WHO said Tuesday that new research suggests that the Omicron coronavirus type is hitting the upper respiratory tract but is generating milder symptoms than previous strains of the virus that have infected people in the past.
This is a concerning development, as more and more research is indicating that Omicron is invading the upper half of the body. “Unlike the previous ones, this one has the potential to cause serious pneumonia,” The WHO Incident Manager Abdi Mahamud told reporters in Geneva, adding that it may be “excellent news.”
Due to the high transmission capacity of Omicron, however, it is expected to become dominant in many places within a matter of weeks in many circumstances. According to the expert, this presents a concern in countries where a big part of the population has not yet been immunised against the disease.
He has cited several studies, including one from South Africa, which was one of the first countries to find Omicron, to support his claim that there is a decreased risk of major sickness.
On the other hand, Mahamud expressed concern, referring to South Africa as a “outlier” because of its youthful population and advising people to exercise cautious.
It was too soon to know whether or not an Omicron-specific vaccination would be necessary, Mahamud said, but he stressed that the decision required international coordination and should not be left to the commercial sector to make on its own.
