On Friday the World Health Organization B.1.1.529 identified a worrying variant and marked it as omicron, with cases identified in Israel and Belgium. Scientists fear that the variant’s high number of mutations could mean it could bypass vaccines.
However, other experts tried to reassure the public, with an Oxford scientist saying the new variant was “not the end of the world”.
Whitty said he was more concerned about the risks of existing variants, describing the Delta epidemic as “undoubtedly the most important thing to worry about by Christmas”.
Speaking at a panel discussion for the Association of Local Governments, he said, “We always knew that new variants would pop up from time to time … but there are many that we don’t know and I think it’s probably not very useful not to speculate. “
Amid some scholars requesting Britain to begin the government’s “Plan B” winter restrictionssaid Prof. Whitty, “My biggest concern right now is that if at some point we have to do something a little more muscular, be it for the current new variant or at a later date, can we still take people with us?”
Sir John Bell, a senior government advisor on vaccines, said the new variant could ultimately cause nothing more than “runny noses and headaches” in vaccinated people.
Sir John, Regius Professor of Medicine at Oxford University, said that while the new variant could bypass antibodies, it would be less likely to escape T cells and other parts of the immune system that offer broader protection.
“You can still have a highly contagious virus that shoots around and causes a lot of trouble, but a lot of it causes runny noses and headaches but doesn’t get people into the hospital. To be honest, you can live with that, I think, ”he said.
Dr. Angelique Coetzee, chairwoman of the South African Medical Association, described the travel restrictions imposed on the country as “urgent” and the reaction of other countries as a “storm in a water glass”. Dr. Coetzee asked why everyone was “in the arms” and said, “So far these are very easy cases that we have seen.”
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