“Sars-CoV-2″ Omicron variant wave is expected to peak in Europe and Central Asia by the end of January 2022, with over 8 million cases reported every day, double the number we observe. Now”. This is what Hans Kluge, director of the WHO (World Health Organization) Europe regional office promises, who entrusts his end-of-year reflection to Twitter and traces the scenario that awaits the European region with the rise of Omicron.
“OMICRON BREAKS SPECIES AMONG YOUNG ADULTS” – “The number of Covid cases has increased sharply in the European region in the last week, mainly in Western European countries. This is mainly due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant” which is rampant “at the moment mainly in young adults” reports Kluge.
“DIFFUSION NEVER SEEN, HEALTH UNDER PRESSURE” – The boom in infections caused by the Omicron variant “has no equal” in the history of “this pandemic and is crushing the test and tracing systems” is the warning that comes from the director of the WHO Europe regional office, who intervenes on one of the biggest problems that are occurring almost everywhere with the rise of the new mutant and that is affecting the Covid diagnostic system.
Furthermore, the “vastness” of the spread of the Omicron variant “has never been seen in this pandemic” and is exerting “intense pressure on healthcare workers. This is due to the high transmissibility” of this Sars-CoV-2 mutant. , highlights Kluge.
The spotlight is on the Omicron effect. And Kluge invites everyone to behave responsibly to “protect both people and health systems, which urgently need to provide non-Covid services (trauma, cardiovascular disease, cancer, …)”. The commitment must be maximum for the director of WHO Europe, to “reduce the severity of the disease” Covid, “mortality and the burden on health services”.
“VACCINATE” – “The Omicron variant requires all of us to take individual responsibility” to “complete the entire course of vaccinations including boosters; and if symptomatic, self-test and isolate yourself” is the appeal. Kluge invites the countries of the area to use what he calls the “5 stabilizers of the pandemic: vaccine spread, boosters, masks, ventilation, antiviral drugs and other effective drugs”, he lists via Twitter. Five points that in this period, with the boom of infections from Omicron, “will be more important than ever”. All of this will help “protect people and health services,” he stresses. “The communities – adds Kluge – are now also burdened by the flu”. So, he concludes, the appeal is to “get vaccinated for both: Covid and flu”.