Omicron scare: Health experts highlight need to follow COVID norms; booster dose may help

The world continues to witness a rise in COVID-19 cases driven by Omicron variant. Scientists across the globe have raised concern over the new strain that has been detected in some of the countries. Epidemiologist Prof. Mary-Louise McLaws highlighted the importance of COVID-19 measures that are needed to be taken up in the cities where COVID-19 cases are rising, reported The Guardian. 

Speaking to The Guardian, Prof. Mary-Louise McLaws informed that she has spent last week in the meeting with the World Health Organization infection prevention and control group. She asserted that even though vaccines reduce the risk of death, however,  people need to follow other COVID-19 measures to curb the spread of the virus. In addition to receiving vaccines against COVID-19, McLaws highlighted the importance to follow other COVID-19 measures like social distancing and wearing masks. Dominic Perrottet, the New South Wales Premier, raised similar concerns and mentioned that the people need to “learn” to live with the virus and added that booster doses are important in dealing with COVID-19, reported The Guardian.

COVID-19 measures amid Omicron

John Kaldor, a professor of epidemiology with the Kirby Institute in New South Wales, Prof Sharon Lewin, the director of the Doherty Institute and Prof Greg Dore, an infectious diseases physician and epidemiologist, acknowledged the need for a booster dose of vaccine against COVID-19. The experts from Australia's infectious diseases research institutions highlighted that restrictions must be imposed in the countries to mitigate the spread of Coronavirus, as per the Guardian report. They underlined that wearing masks indoors must be made mandatory in NSW. The experts stated that these measures need to be reinstated for at least a few weeks until more information on Omicron is gathered. 

About the Omicron variant of COVID

On November 26, the World Health Organization designated the variant, B.1.1.529, as a variant of concern named Omicron, on the advice of the Technical Advisory Group On Virus Evolution. As on December 16, the Omicron variant of Coronavirus has been detected in 89 countries, according to the WHO. The WHO noted that there is evidence that shows that Omicron has a substantial growth advantage over Delta and is spreading faster than the Delta variant in countries, where community transmissions have been recorded, COVID-19 cases are doubling within one-and-a-half to three days. 

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