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The WHO warned that governments must now reassess national responses to Covid-19 and accelerate vaccination programs to deal with Omicron, although it is too early to say to what extent existing vaccines will protect against the new variant.
This Wednesday, the World Health Organization asked the international community to accelerate vaccination programs to deal with Ómicron, in addition to requesting the reevaluation of national responses against Covid-19, taking into account its capabilities.
“Governments should accelerate vaccine coverage in the highest-risk populations in all countries, intensify efforts to reduce and keep transmission low with an adapted mix of public health measures, expand surveillance, testing and sequencing, and share samples with the international community and avoid ineffective and discriminatory travel bans. “WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The WHO also highlighted the success of the first BioNTech and Pfizer tests on the efficacy of their vaccine against Omicron.
“We can save Delta’s lives right now; we can prevent Ómicron from becoming a global crisis right now and we can prevent other variants from emerging right now. This virus is changing, but our collective resolve must not,” he said.
The pharmaceutical companies indicated that a cycle of three doses of their Covid-19 vaccine was able to neutralize the new variant of Ómicron in a laboratory test, while two doses of their vaccine resulted in a reduction of neutralizing antibodies by a factor of 25.
However, he cautioned against jumping to conclusions from the trial, explaining that it is too early to say whether lowering neutralizing antibodies meant the vaccine was less effective.
“There is still a lot of work to be done. And of course only one element is being tested, only the neutralizing antibodies, and we don’t really have information on efficacy, so I think it is premature to conclude that this reduction in neutralizing activity would give lead to a significant reduction in the efficacy of the vaccine, “said Adhanom, who also added that” any complacency now will cost lives. Many of those who do not die could be left fighting a long-term Covid or post-Covid illness. A disease with persistent debilitating symptoms that we are only beginning to understand. “
The WHO is expected to publish a full review of its position on the booster dose in the coming days; however, the international organization’s call still continues to be to reinforce local vaccination campaigns, especially in countries where the primary dose phase is still being provided.
With Reuters and AP
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