The WHO considers it an error to qualify the Omicron variant as “mild”

The variant Omicron of COVID-19 It is killing people in the world and therefore should not be classified as “mild,” said the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday.

The head of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, recalled that the high number of cases caused by Ómicron, more contagious than the previous Delta variant, has caused pressure on hospitals.

“Although Ómicron appears to be less severe compared to Delta, especially for vaccinated people, ”, the WHO director said at a press conference.

“Like the previous variants, Ómicron causes hospitalizations and is killing people”, he insisted, adding that the exponential increase in infections “It is overwhelming healthcare systems around the world.”

Last week, some 9.5 million new COVID-19 infections were notified to the WHO, a record. The figure increased 71% from the previous week.

However, the head of the WHO recalls that

He also used his first speech in 2022 to criticize the way in which rich countries hoarded the doses of available vaccines last year, claiming that the perfect breeding ground for the emergence of variants of the virus had been created.

Is “Very unlikely that Ómicron is the last variant heard of, it will not be the last worrying variant”, For her part, the technical director in charge of COVID-19 of the WHO, Maria Van Kerkhove, warned.

In that sense, Tedros urged the world to distribute vaccine doses more fairly in 2022.

The WHO goal was for all countries to have 10% of their population vaccinated by the end of September 2021 and 40% by the end of December.

Of the 194 WHO Member States, 92 did not meet the target, in fact largely due to inability to access doses.

“Inequality in access to vaccines kills people and jobs and undermines the global economic recovery ”, the WHO chief insisted.

“One booster dose after another in a small number of countries will not end a pandemic while billions remain completely unprotected”, he denounced.

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