Mexico must prepare for Ómicron
This Monday, the WHO classified the global risk of Ómicron as “very high”, because its high number of mutations, some of them worrying, may be associated with “a potential immune leak” and “greater transmissibility”.
The PAHO / WHO representative in Mexico commented that it is necessary to prepare because the new variant can be more virulent, so it is necessary to start with the hospital reconversion or have the capacities ready in case this happens, in addition to maintaining the measures not pharmacological. However, the closure of the borders is ruled out.
“From the WHO we do not recommend the closure of borders, no country that has closed borders prevented the arrival of Delta or any other variant, there are many side effects. You have to weigh it, work with scientific data, currently the closing of borders is not recommended, “he said in an interview for Televisa.
Cristian Roberto Morales recommended “vaccinating everyone as soon as possible” and starting an explanation campaign: communicating the risks associated with the new variant.
“The virus adapts, you expose us to the appearance today of Ómicron and tomorrow of other variants (…) The vaccine continues to be the best way to avoid serious forms of COVID-19 and death,” he said.
COVID-19 is not over in 2022, we will continue to have waves.
Bautista Arteaga insisted for his part that it is not yet known at what level the variant can evade the protection that vaccines provide, although Pharmaceuticals like Moderna have already announced that they will start tests to estimate if the current formula protects and to what extent.
“However, let’s not forget that vaccines not only protect us from not getting sick, they also protect us so that if we get sick, it is not seriously or fatally,” he said.
