WHO Chief Scientist Urges Public not to Panic over Omicron

Chief Scientist of World Health Organization (WHO) Somaya Swaminathan said it is impossible to predict whether the Omicron will become the dominant strain.

Swaminathan said Omicron was "highly transmissible" and cited data from South Africa showing the number of cases doubling daily.

"How worried should we be? We need to be prepared and alert, not panic, because we are in a different situation than we were a year ago," she said.

"Delta is responsible for 99% of injuries worldwide. This variable should be more transmissible to outside competition and become dominant worldwide. It is possible, but it is not predictable."

Omicron gained footholds in Asia, Africa, the Americas, the Middle East and Europe and reached seven of the nine provinces of South Africa, where it was first identified.

Many governments have tightened travel rules to keep the variant away.

Much is still unknown about Omicron, which has been detected in more than two dozen countries as parts of Europe struggle with a wave of the most common delta-type infection.

"We need to wait, let's hope it's milder... but it's too early to conclude on the variable as a whole," said Swaminathan.

On his part, WHO emergency director Mike Ryan said there was no evidence to support changing vaccines to adapt them to Omicron.