The new variant Omicron of the coronavirus is “highly transmissible” and requires a “urgent action”, the Health Ministers of the Group of Seven warned yesterday (G7), after an emergency meeting called by London, in accordance with the World Health Organization (who), which warned of “a very high risk”.
At the meeting called by United Kingdom, who holds the temporary presidency of the G7, the Ministers of Health of United States, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and United Kingdom they recognized the importance of guaranteeing access to vaccines.
To do this, they stressed the need to “prepare” countries to receive doses, providing “operational assistance, meeting our donation commitments, addressing vaccine misinformation, and supporting research and development.”
The ministers praised the fact that South Africa detect the new variant and alert others. Shortly before the meeting, the WHO warned that the new variant posed a “very high risk” for the world.
The president of the United States, Joe biden, considered that the new strain “is cause for concern, but not for panic”, for which he assured that experts do not consider that “additional measures” are necessary.
For now, a hospital in Madrid registered yesterday the first case in Spain of Ómicron, in a traveler from South Africa.
“The microbiology service of the Gregorio Marañón Hospital in Madrid communicates the first variant confirmation Omicron on Spain“the center reported on Twitter.
The announcement of the detection of Omicron sowed panic and very quickly many countries, including USA, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom, imposed restrictions on visitors from southern Africa.
These measures were considered a “punishment” by the South African officials. The UN Secretary General, António GuterresHe said he was “very concerned” about the isolation of that area.
Some countries backtracked on travel flexibility in recent months: it was the case of Japan, which announced the closure of borders to the entry of visitors, or Israel, with a confirmed case, which prohibited the entry of foreigners. And in Australia, the government suspended its plans to reopen its borders to certain workers and students.
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Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson (J&J) laboratories reported that they have begun work on a new version of their COVID vaccines specifically targeting the new variant, in case the current ones are not effective.
“There are still many things that are unknown” about the Omicron variant, detected for the first time in South Africa, said the chief executive of the American pharmaceutical company Pfizer, Albert bourla.
Meanwhile, the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, promised 1 billion doses of COVID vaccine for Africa, in the form of donations or support in local production.
Russia, for its part, said it is already developing a version of its Sputnik V vaccine against the variant, in the “unlikely event” that the current serum is insufficient. And he promises to have it ready in 45 days.
On United Kingdom, the government announced that it will extend to everyone over 18 the administration of a third dose of its antidote against COVID-19.
The coronavirus has already claimed the lives of almost 5.2 million people in the world since the disease broke into China, in December 2019.
Chile, Cuba, Peru, Argentina and Brazil have imposed restrictions on travelers from the southern african region.
By AFP, EFE and AP
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