Omicron variant of the coronavirus does not seem to lead to more severe disease compared to the previous variants, and is highly unlikely to fully evade vaccine protection, stated a top World Health Organization (WHO) official.

WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan said that although a lot still needs to be learned about the new variant, preliminary data suggest it did not make people sicker compared to the Delta and other strains. He said that it was possible that the existing vaccines might be less effective against the new variant, but highly unlikely that Omicron would completely evade the protection provided by the vaccines. He added that the best weapon in the fight against COVID-19 is to get vaccinated.

Ryan also stated that there is some evidence that reinfection with Omicron is more common compared to the previous waves or previous variants… (NDTV – AFP, December 8, 2021)