Omicron a new wake-up call
The world is approaching post-covid challenges and uncertainties still are looming large striving to strike a balance between lives and livelihoods. Recently, the discovery of a new and potentially more transmissible coronavirus variant by South African health authorities has sparked a forceful reaction across the world, with several countries banning travellers from several southern African countries. The World Health Organization announced Friday has designated the newly identified coronavirus variant, B.1.1.529, as a variant of concern, named Omicron. Besides South Africa, the newly identified variant has been detected in Botswana, Hong Kong and Belgium. It appears to be spreading rapidly in parts of South Africa and scientists are concerned its unusually high number of mutations could make it more transmissible and result in immune evasion. Characteristics of Omicron , a New Coronavirus-19 Variant Variants of concern, which include alpha, be...