Posted on Dec. 2021 at 7:11
The Omicron variant of the coronavirus, clearly more contagious than the Delta variant currently in circulation, has been found in many countries around the world and is expected to become dominant within a few weeks.
“Clearly, in South Africa, Omicron is transmitted more”, confirmed Sunday the Doctor Anthony Fauci, adviser of the White House on the health crisis, on CNN. He referred to the “vertical” curve in the number of new cases in this country to justify himself. The incidence rate has dropped from 10 to 160 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in just one week.
“But so far, even though it is too early to draw firm conclusions, it doesn’t look like it has a high degree of severity,” said Dr Fauci. “So far, the signs regarding gravity are a little encouraging,” he repeated.
Persistent fears
However, medical experts have stressed in recent days that the demographics of South Africa’s population are particularly young. The increase in the number of serious cases and hospitalizations may not appear until the next few weeks.
Laboratory studies are underway to determine if and to what extent this new variant, which has many mutations of concern to scientists, is more transmissible, capable of resisting the immunity induced by a first infection or a vaccine, or of cause more severe cases of the disease.
An influence on vaccines
“I think there is a real risk that we will see a decline in the effectiveness of vaccines,” for his part said on ABC Sunday Stephen Hoge, the president of Moderna, echoing previous statements of the boss of the company , Stéphane Bancel. “What I don’t know is how big,” he said.
“Will it be like what we saw with Delta, against which the vaccines have remained effective, or will we see a drop in effectiveness of around 50%, which would mean that we have to update them? He asked himself. Moderna, like other pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer, has already started work to adapt its vaccine if necessary.
Omicron is now confirmed in at least 15 US states, and some 40 countries around the world, after being first detected in South Africa. The United States has for a week closed its border to travelers from that country and seven other countries in southern Africa. Anthony Fauci said he hoped this ban would be lifted “within a reasonable time”.
Avec AFP
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