The opening of the WHO Academy in Lyon, France, was attended by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The new omicron Covid-19 variant is spreading faster than any previous strain, and it is probably present in every country of the world, according to the World Health Organization.
The WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a Covid update in Geneva that Omicron is spreading at a rate they have not seen before. Seven more countries have reported cases of omicron. Even if it hasn't been detected yet, omicron is probably in most countries.
Tedros said that the WHO is worried about countries dismissing omicron as a mild variant. It is not yet clear if the variant causes more mild or severe disease than past strains of the virus.
Tedros said that they have learned that the virus is at our peril. Even if omicron causes less severe disease, the sheer number of cases could overwhelm unprepared health systems.
Tedros emphasized the importance of masks and social distance in order to protect the nations of the world from omicron.
It is not a vaccine or a mask. It is not a vaccine. It's not a vaccine, it's hand hygiene. Do it all. Do it consistently. Tedros said to do it well.
Preliminary lab data released by the companies last week shows that the variant significantly reduces the protection against infections. The University of Oxford published a study on Monday that found the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines were less effective against omicron.
The two-dose vaccine is likely to protect against severe disease. Pfizer and BioNTech found that a booster shot protects against omicron infections.
This is breaking news. Check for updates.
