The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Wednesday that the world must be ready for new variants of the coronavirus as Covid-19 infections rise.
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the statement at a press conference amid the onset of new variants that are more transmissible, immune evasive and growing concerns about greater hospitalisations of Covid patients.
Earlier, WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan had warned about fresh Covid-19 waves. There is mounting evidence that suggests that Omicron subvariants –BA.4 and BA.5 – are infecting people who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus infection. "We need to be prepared for these #COVID19 waves -- each new #variant will be more transmissible & immune evasive -- higher numbers infected will translate into greater hospitalisations & sickness.
All countries must have a data driven plan to quickly respond to changing situations," Swaminathan tweeted on Thursday. Soumya Swaminathan was responding to a Twitter thread by senior advisor at World Bank Group Philip Schellekens.