Senior Research Fellow at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Dr. Kofi Bonney, says Ghana has recorded community spread cases of the Omicron variant.
With Omicron spreading faster than the Delta variant, he warns Ghanaians to regard safety protocols to prevent widespread of the virus during and after the Christmas festivities. “The Omicron variant is more contagious than the Delta variant and that is why we need to still wear nose masks and respect all other COVID-19 protocols. With Christmas fast approaching and the many parties and social gatherings associated to it, we must make social distancing a priority and protect ourselves against the possibility of a new wave.”
In an interview with Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show, Dr. Bonney noted that although Omicron spreads faster than the Delta variant, the number of people suffering severe illness and hospitalization after contracting the former is low. “The rate of hospitalization and deaths recorded from the Omicron variant is low but that doesn’t mean we should let our guards down.”
The researcher admitted information on the Omicron variant was low and assured the public adequate information about this new variant will soon be gathered so it can be dealt with effectively.
The Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been called a variant of concern by WHO based on the evidence that it has several mutations that may have an impact on how it behaves. There is still substantial uncertainty regarding Omicron and a lot of research underway to evaluate its transmissibility, severity and reinfection risk.
The Omicron variant has been detected in several regions of the world. WHO reports that the likelihood of the Omicron variant spreading further globally is high.
