As World Limps to Normalcy, WHO Says Next Variant Could be More Infectious, Deadlier than Omicron

As the world crawls back to normalcy with offices and schools reopening, experts have warned that the next Covid-19 variant will be more transmissible, and perhaps, deadlier than its predecessors.

World Health Organization (WHO) epidemiologist and technical lead on Covid-19 Dr Maria Van Kerkhove in a recent press briefing stressed that the pandemic is far from over and future variants will be in some way more virulent than Omicron is now.

“The next variant of concern will be more fit, and what we mean by that is it will be more transmissible because it will have to overtake what is currently circulating. The big question is whether or not future variants will be more or less severe,” Dr Van Kerkhove said.

She also warned that the next variant could more easily evade immunity, rendering all vaccines ineffective. However, she stressed on the imperativeness of getting the jab as it protects against severe illness and death. This was evident during the Omicron wave across the world.

“We expect that with the right interventions, the circulation of Covid-19 will be low. But even within those circulations, there will be flare-ups among people who are not protected by the vaccine or those who have waning immunity,” added Dr Van Kerkhove.

Delta and Omicron Variants of Covid-19.

The Delta variant that was first detected in India in October 2020 was labelled a variant of concern by the WHO. Delta was spreading 50 per cent faster than the Alpha variant, which was 50 per cent more contagious than the original strain of SARS-CoV-2, more commonly known as the coronavirus. Six months later, Delta variant wreaked havoc across the country, causing a record-breaking number of daily cases and claiming lives.

Omicron was quickly tagged as a variant of concern after being detected in South Africa in late November 2021. It replaced Delta as the dominant strain in a much shorter interval. However, it was not as deadly as Delta but is at least two to four times more transmissible.

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