Top WHO Expert On Omicron, Vaccination In Children And Booster Doses
NDTV
With Omicron cases being reported among those vaccinated too, Dr Poonam Khetrapal said, "It is important to know that while vaccines prevent your chance of being infected... they don't completely block it. This is true for all variants."
Preliminary evidence on Omicron suggests "higher transmissibility", WHO Regional Director for South East Asia Dr Poonam Khetrapal told NDTV today, adding that "regardless of the change in severity, increase in cases alone may pose overwhelming demand on healthcare systems and may lead to an increase in mortality."
On a question being asked repeatedly - "do the current vaccines work on Omicron?" - Dr Khetrapal said, "While studies are going on, in view of multiple mutations in Omicron, it is reasonable to assume that the current vaccines offer protection against severe diseases and death."
Priority should be given to populations at higher risk, including adults, healthcare workers, and those with underlying conditions, she noted.
With Omicron cases being reported among those vaccinated too, Dr Khetrapal said, "It is important to know that while vaccines prevent your chance of being infected... they don't completely block it. This is true for all variants."