Amicron's danger is to these people

Amicron's danger is to these people

Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, epidemiologist and technical officer for COVID-19 at the World Health Organization, stated that the omicron mutant is the latest on the list, and despite data that it is less dangerous than the delta variant, it remains dangerous.

In the 64th episode of the “Science in Five” program presented by Vismita Gupta Smith, and broadcast by the World Health Organization through its official website and accounts on communication platforms, Kerkhove added by saying that those infected with Omicron have their disease states ranging from no symptoms to severe cases, and that Fatalities occur in severe cases.

weaker classes

Kerkhove explained that the data received by the World Health Organization indicates that people with chronic diseases, the elderly, and those who are not immunized with the vaccine, can develop a severe form of Covid-19 after infection with the Omicron mutant. She added that severe cases are being received that need treatment in hospitals because of the worrying Omicron, and that some cases are dying.

Therefore, it is important to have accurate information, and the data available so far indicates that the omicron mutant is less dangerous than delta, but this does not mean that it is a mild infection.

Kerkhove noted that the omicron mutant is very fast spread compared to other worrisome mutant, and is widely transmitted, but this does not mean that everyone will be infected with the omicron mutant, although there are already high mutations in the number of people infected around the world.

big burden

Kerkhove explained that the increase in the number of infected people is putting a huge burden on health care systems, which are already greatly overburdened as the pandemic enters its third year, explaining that if patients cannot get the proper care they need, they will end up with more severe cases and deaths. This is the situation that the World Health Organization seeks to prevent.

And she added that the World Health Organization, in cooperation with partners around the world, has developed a comprehensive strategy to reduce people's exposure and reduce their chances of infection, first and foremost, it must be known that vaccination incredibly protects against severe illness and death, and also prevents some types of infections and prevents some of them from being transmitted later, but not ideally.

Prevention and protection methods

Kerkhove added that this is the reason why it is recommended to ensure that people protect themselves from exposure, by maintaining physical distance, wearing protective masks that cover the nose and mouth well, and making sure that hands are constantly clean, and avoiding being in crowded places and working from home, whenever possible. Available.

The UN expert advised conducting tests and immediately seeking appropriate care when needed, noting that the vaccine, in addition to adhering to precautionary measures, is a multi-layered approach through which people can maintain the safety of people and protect themselves from exposure to infection and transmission to another person.

3 reasons why infection prevention is important

In response to Smith's question about why it is important to reduce transmission of the omicron variant, Dr. Maria said: “It is important to reduce omicron transmission for a number of reasons. First, we want to prevent people from becoming infected because there is a risk that the condition can develop into an acute illness. There are ways in which we can prevent this but a person is still at risk of contracting the disease, so if they have underlying conditions or are elderly, and if they are not vaccinated, the risk of developing a severe case of Covid-19 is higher.”

She added, "The second reason is that it is still not fully understood how long-term post-recovery from Covid or Covid condition, so people infected with the SARS-Cove-2 virus variant are at risk of developing long-term consequences, which is called post-Covid condition, And the risk of contracting it results from the risk of infection in the first place, which the World Health Organization wants to prevent and protect everyone from.

The third reason, says Dr. Kerkhove, is that infection, and a large caseload of omicron cases, is overburdening health systems as well as other essential services that are operating. The large number of cases makes it really difficult for hospitals to operate.

future risks

Kerkhove added that the greater the spread of this virus, the greater the chances of changing it, and therefore the Omicron mutant will not be the last variant of the SARS-Cove-2 virus, explaining that the possibility of worrying variables emerging in the future is very real.

And she warned that more mutants that appear, it is not understood what their characteristics and mutations are, which can be more or less transmissible, but they will need to bypass the currently circulating variables, and then it is possible that their infection will be more or less severe, according to the characteristics of immune escape. Therefore, the World Health Organization seeks to reduce the risks of future emergence of variables of concern.

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