London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Omicron Could Displace Delta: WHO's Soumya Swaminathan

Omicron Could Displace Delta: WHO's Soumya Swaminathan

Soumya Swaminathan said it was far from certain that Omicron emerged in southern Africa.

The World Health Organization's chief scientist told the Reuters Next conference on Friday the Omicron variant could become dominant because it is highly transmissible, but that a different vaccine may not be needed.

Soumya Swaminathan also said it was too early to say whether Omicron is milder than other variants of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and cast doubt over its origin, saying it was far from certain it emerged in southern Africa.

"It is possible that it could become (the) dominant variant," Swaminathan said, adding that it was however impossible to predict. The Delta variant now accounts for 99% of infections globally, she said.

Scientists in the European Union and Australia are forecasting that Omicron may account for more infections than Delta within a few months.

She said Omicron "was highly transmissible" and cited data from South Africa showing the number of cases doubling daily.

"How worried should we be? We need to be prepared and cautious, not panic, because we're in a different situation to a year ago," Swaminathan said in an interview.

She said the WHO could not at this stage say that Omicron was a mild variant, even if many infections so far have been associated with less severe symptoms or no symptoms at all.

There is not yet conclusive evidence about Omicron's impact on the effectiveness of antibodies.

"It does seem to be able to overcome some of the natural immunity from previous infection," the world health body's top scientist said, but added that vaccines did seem to be having an effect.

"The fact that they're not getting sick ... that means the vaccines are still providing protection and we would hope that they would continue to provide protection," Swaminathan said.

VACCINE AGAINST ALL CORONAVIRUSES?


Swaminathan was cautious about the need to upgrade existing vaccines, noting that a booster of existing shots might be enough against Omicron.

"It's possible that the vaccines will work. It's possible that you may need initially an extra dose to boost immune response," she said.

A WHO technical advisory group is trying to work out if a new type of vaccine be needed against Omicron, she added.

Speaking to Reuters Next earlier in the day, BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin said his company would be able to adapt its vaccine relatively quickly in response to Omicron and the next few weeks would show how urgently an upgrade was needed.

"I believe in principle at a certain timepoint we will need a new vaccine against this new variant," Sahin said.

Asked about the need for annual vaccine boosters, Swaminathan said "the WHO is preparing for all scenarios", which could include an additional dose, particularly among some age groups or vulnerable sections of the population.

But she added: "Natural infection acts as a booster."

Unknown Origin


Swaminathan, a qualified paediatrician from India, raised doubts about the origin of the new variant, which was first detected in southern Africa, where the highest number of cases is also being recorded.

"Where did it originate? We don't know," she said noting it could have originated in countries which do not have enough genomic sequencing.

"We may never know."

Flight bans by some countries targeting southern Africa were unfair, Swaminathan said, adding that the variant had been identified in South Africa "because of the excellent genomic sequencing and surveillance" there.

"We feel terrible that they have been punished for it."

The WHO has said travel curbs can buy time but are not the way to fight the Omicron variant, urging countries to boost healthcare capacity and vaccinate their populations.

Swaminathan also urged more equity in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and tests.

Asked whether the Omicron variant may not have emerged if Africa had received and administered more vaccines, she said: "Absolutely."

"There is a clear relationship between inequity in access to vaccines and the development of variants," Swaminathan said.

Comments

Oh ya 4 year ago
Thats great a weak virus with no reports of death. This should be allowed to run wild so everyone gets it and builds natural ammunity. End of covid. But we know the fear porn people will not let that happen, more masks, more lockdowns, more jabs $$$$$$$

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×