‘Covid-19 variants after Omicron could be cause of concern’: WHO issues warning

The World Health Organisation (WHO), which has been keeping track of the spread and severity of the Covid-19 pandemic, has said that the next variant of the virus can be a cause of concern as there is uncertainty about the future of the pandemic.

Further, the health agency said that the world needs to plan its response to different scenarios when it comes to the pandemic. While Omicron remains the dominant Covid-19 strain worldwide, WHO is tracking its sublineages and sister lineages - BA.4, BA.5, BA.2.12.1.

WHO's Maria Van Kerkhove said in a tweet, “The world faces massive challenges right now, yet Covid-19 has practical, reliable, and available solutions. Far too many people risk severe illness, death, LongCovid, loss of futures, and luckily due to Omicron. Access, equity, rational use of these tools is possible.”

The world faces massive challenges right now, yet #COVID19 has practical, reliable and available solutions. Far too many people risk severe illness, death, LongCovid, loss of futures and luckily due to #Omicron. Access, equity, rational use of these tools is possible. @WHO pic.twitter.com/LSbdc05J2D

— Maria Van Kerkhove (@mvankerkhove) April 26, 2022

Kerkhove pointed out that there is uncertainty regarding the trends in Covid-19 cases across the world due to the pattern of testing of the virus being followed by countries. She further said, “We are still very much in the middle of the pandemic and this is a global problem.”

“We are currently tracking the sublineages and sister lineages of Omicron, which remain dominant in the world. The uncertainty about what the next Covid-19 variant could be is a major cause of concern for us,” the health expert said.

She talked about the importance of vaccination and how they are not able to reach everyone. Kerkhove said, “Vaccines are saving lives but only for those who have taken it. Data shows that most people who have died due to the virus are those who didn’t have access to vaccines.”

This comes as many countries have let their guard down when it comes to Covid-19 restrictions, while the virus remains spreading in several major countries such as UK and China, with the latter facing one of the worst outbreaks of Covid-19 recorded in the country yet.

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