'Pandemic Not Over': WHO Calls Out 'Huge Amount of Misinformation', Rings Warning Bells

The World Health Organisation on Saturday warned against “huge amounts of misinformation” over the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, causing a lot of confusion. The WHO specifically pointed out that misinformation such as “Omicron is mild” and that “the pandemic is over” are detrimental to the world.

“We have huge amounts of misinformation that’s out there. The misinformation that Omicron is mild. Misinformation that the pandemic is over. Misinformation that this is the last variant that we will have to deal with. This is really causing a lot of confusion,” Infectious Disease Epidemiologist and COVID-19 Technical Lead Maria Van Kerkhove said.

The WHO shared that the world saw an 8% increase in Covid-19 cases detected with more than 11 million reported, despite a significant reduction of testing occurring worldwide.

Besides, 99.9% of sequences provided in the last 30 days are Omicron. Among those 75% are BA.2 and 25% BA.1, Kerkhove said, adding that one cannot sequence those who have not tested. She said, “All of these are variants of concern. However, our ability to track Omicron is compromised because testing is reduced. You can’t sequence those who you do not test!”

Emphasising the need for vaccination, Kerkhove said that COVID-19 vaccines remain incredibly effective at preventing severe disease and death, including against Omicron.

Further, she said, “We do not see changes in severity of BA.2 compared to BA.1 at population levels. However, w/huge numbers of cases, you will see an increase in hospitalisations and that in turn has translated into increased deaths… primarily in people not vaxxed or partially vaxxed.”

Meanwhile, Dr Mike Ryan, the Executive Director of the WHO, said that the Omicron variant will pick up pockets of susceptibility and survive in those pockets for months and months until another pocket of susceptibility opens up. “This is how viruses work. They establish themselves within a community & move quickly to the next unprotected community,” Ryan said.

Elaborating on how viruses are created and mutate, Ryan said, “Antigenic drift is a natural process whereby mutations occur during replication. Antigenic shift is the process by which two or more different strains of a virus combine to form a new subtype.”

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