STOCKHOLM. The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) anticipates that the new omicron mutation will soon become the predominant variant in Europe.
“Based on mathematical models, there are indications that Omikron could cause more than half of all SARS-CoV-2 infections in the EU within the next few months,” said the EU epidemic authority on Friday night.
The Swiss virologist Emma Hodcroft emphasized in a newspaper interview that Omikron had already traveled around the world before it was discovered. With travel restrictions, as they are now being imposed, “buy some time”, said the researcher from Bern. If the mutation is more contagious, it will come anyway.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has not yet reported any deaths as a result of an infection with the Omikron variant, WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier announced in Geneva on Friday. Nevertheless, the vaccine manufacturers are being asked to adjust their vaccines. “It is highly recommended that the vaccine manufacturers start planning in advance,” said Lindmeier.
BioNTech boss Ugur Sahin is already assuming that the Omikron variant will require a new vaccine. The only question is when the new vaccine will be needed, he said on Friday.
“Lose no time”
Lothar Wieler, head of the German Robert Koch Institute (RKI), painted a bleak picture yesterday: The current situation in Germany is “dramatic”. The tightening measures decided on Thursday by the federal and state governments should therefore be implemented quickly. “We have no time to lose, not a single day,” said Wieler. The CDU health minister, Jens Spahn, who was still in office until Wednesday, said he expected “a sad climax around Christmas” in the overburdened intensive care units.
Source From: Nachrichten
