World Well being Group officers within the Western Pacific say border closures adopted by some nations might purchase time to cope with the omicron COVID-19 variant, however measures put in place and expertise gained in coping with the delta variant ought to stay the muse for combating the pandemic.
Whereas a couple of regional nations are dealing with surges, COVID-19 instances and deaths in lots of others have decreased and plateaued, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Dr. Takeshi Kasai advised reporters Friday in a digital information convention broadcast from Manila, Philippines.
“Border management can delay the virus coming in and purchase time. However each nation and each neighborhood should put together for brand new surges in instances,” Kasai stated. “The constructive information in all of that is that not one of the data now we have presently about omicron suggests we have to change the instructions of our response.”
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A lot stays unknown in regards to the new variant, together with whether or not it’s extra contagious, as some well being authorities suspect, or if it makes individuals extra significantly ailing, and whether or not it could actually thwart the vaccine.
Kasai stated omicron has been designated a variant of concern due to the variety of mutations and since early data suggests it might be extra transmissible than different variants of the virus. Extra testing and commentary is important, he stated.
So far, 4 nations and areas within the Western Pacific — Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea — have reported instances of the omicron variant, stated WHO Regional Emergency Director Dr. Babatunde Olowokure. That quantity is more likely to go up as extra instances are found globally, Olowokure stated.
Singapore and Malaysia have additionally reported their first instances within the final 24 hours, together with India, which falls simply outdoors the WHO Western Pacific Area.
Within the Philippines, authorities epidemiology bureau director Althea de Guzman stated Friday that one among 71 individuals positioned by authorities after arriving within the nation from South Africa within the final two weeks had examined constructive for the coronavirus and nonetheless extra assessments are underway to find out if it’s the omicron variant.
“We’re making ready and bracing our well being system in case, first, omicron enters right here and, second, we out of the blue see a spike in instances,” de Guzman stated.
The emergence of omicron is of notably concern for organizers of the Beijing Winter Olympic Video games, now simply weeks away.
Beijing is adopting a “sequence of complete prevention and management measures to reduce the danger of the unfold of imported outbreaks, successfully defend the well being of all individuals and other people of the internet hosting cities, and be sure that the competitors runs safely and easily as scheduled,” Overseas Ministry spokesperson Zhao Weidong.
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China has adopted a zero-tolerance coverage for COVID-19 transmission and has a few of the world’s strictest border controls. Video games individuals must stay and compete inside a bubble and solely spectators who’re residents of China and have been vaccinated and examined might be permitted at venues.
Beijing’s measures would appear to be satisfactory for now.
When it comes to what nations ought to be doing now, our experiences over the previous few years, particularly in responding to delta, offers a information of what we have to do, in addition to how to deal with future surges in a extra sustainable approach, Olowokure stated in Manila.
These embrace full vaccination protection, social distancing, masks carrying and different measures. The aim is to “guarantee we’re treating the fitting sufferers in the fitting place on the proper time, and so subsequently guaranteeing that ICU beds can be found, notably for individuals who want them,” he stated.
Regardless of the constructive developments in dealing with the pandemic within the Western Pacific area, largely via excessive vaccination charges, “we can’t be complacent,” Kasai stated.
Globally, instances have been growing for seven consecutive weeks and the variety of deaths has began to rise once more too, pushed largely by the delta variant and decreased use of protecting measures in different components of the world, he stated.
“We shouldn’t be stunned to see extra surges sooner or later. So long as transmission continues, the virus can proceed to mutate because the emergence of omicron demonstrates, reminding us of the necessity to keep vigilant,” Kasai stated.
He warned particularly in regards to the probability of surges resulting from extra gatherings and motion of individuals through the vacation season. The northern winter season will doubtless carry different infectious respiratory ailments corresponding to influenza alongside COVID-19, Kasai stated.
“It’s clear that this pandemic is much from over and I do know that individuals are anxious about omicron,” he stated. “However my message immediately is that we are able to adapt the way in which we handle this virus to raised deal with the long run surges and scale back their well being, social and financial impacts.”
The WHO Western Pacific Area consists of 37 nations and areas from Palau to Mongolia.
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