The Omicron variant is already dominating in France: “We think it is found up to 87.5% of positive cases in France”, the CovidTracker website reads. A swift spread for a variant that broke out in the country this past December 2nd. This Covid-19 mutation is far more contagious than the previous ones and spreads worldwide despite safety measures instated at borders.
On Tuesday January 11, 2022, at a press brief, WHO Europe director Hans Kluge shared his worries: “At this rate, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation forecasts that more than 50% of the population in the region will be infected with omicron in the next six to eight weeks”, he warned.
Omicron shows such “mutations it has enable it to adhere to human cells more easily, and it can infect even those who have been previously infected or vaccinated”, he explained. A special feature that raised many debates within the scientific committee: some fear the effects of this highly-contagious virus, while others see the sign of a close end of the coronavirus epidemic.
One thing is sure, the Omicron wave throw health authorities and politicians in Europe into disarray. Travel restrictions have been instated. Although the variant leads to less severe disease, it could make many more victims if it contaminates half of Europeans before spring.
Over 5.5 million people have died of Covid-19 since the pandemic started.
