NEWS BRIEF: Omicron variant risk could be “substantial,” health group says

Omicron is a big, ‘oh, no’

The new omicron variant of the coronavirus poses a “very high” risk globally because it can spread more easily and could be resistant to vaccines, the World Health Organization warned Sunday in a technical brief. The variant’s numerous mutations “may confer immune escape potential and possibly transmissibility advantage,” and as a result “the likelihood of potential further spread of omicron at the global level is high.” The risk to vulnerable populations in places with low vaccination rates could be “substantial,” the WHO brief said, adding that uncertainty still exists about its overall effects and trajectory. “The vaccines were designed, basically, to keep people out of hospital, and they’ve stood up and they’ve done that very well,” Dr. Margaret Harris, a WHO spokesperson, said on Monday. “So we really need to know whether this particular version is going to change that picture.” wabe.org