Omicron may act as 'wake-up call' for Indians: WHO Chief Scientist

As the new Covid-19 variant - Omicron - has emerged as a new threat globally, WHO's Chief Scientist opined that the new variant can act as a "wake-up call" for Indians to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour.

Stressing on the need to wear masks, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist at the WHO, said that masks have been called "vaccines in your pocket" and have been found to be highly effective, especially in indoor settings, according to a report by NDTV.

Among other suggestions put forth by Swaminathan to fight the Omicron variant were complete vaccination of adults, avoiding mass gatherings, wider genome sequencing and closely monitoring unusual spikes in cases. "We need a science-based strategy to battle Omicron," she said.

Admitting that the Omicron variant could be more transmissible than the Delta variant, she preached caution until further research can authoritatively establish the threat posed by the new variant.

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She said vaccination should continue to be a priority and called for strict enforcement of safe practices in public places, as the Omicron has a large number of mutations, Reuters reported.

On the global situation, Swaminathan told the publication that vaccine equity is yet to be achieved and called for more equitable vaccination across all countries. Swaminathan was also against travel bans, citing that such bans did not stop the spread of Covid-19 in the past. "Travel bans should be temporary and reviewed often," she told the publication.

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