MANILA: World Health Organization has recently asked the Asia-Pacific countries to fully vaccinate their people and expand their healthcare capacity to prepare for a surge in COVID-19 cases fuelled by the Omicron variant.
The Omicron variant was first identified in South Africa last month and declared a "Variant Of Concern" by the WHO. Scientists have been still gathering data to learn how contagious Omicron would have been and the severity of the illness it would cause.
The COVID-9 cases of Omicron variant have been reported from Saudia Arabia, Australia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, India and Malaysia. Many countries have responded by tightening travel rules.
WHO's Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Takeshi Kasai, said people should not only rely on border measures but also prepare for these variants of high potential transmissibility. He urged the governments to fully vaccinate vulnerable groups and implement preventive measures such as mask-wearing and social distancing rules.
