Tengiz Tsertsvadze: The WHO has not given the status of "object of concern" so quickly to any other variant, there is some concern that vaccine may be less effective in relating to this variant

The WHO has not given the status of "object of concern" so quickly to any other variant, there is some expectation and concern that vaccines and monoclonal antibodies will be less effective in relating to this variant, Tengiz Tsertsvadze, Director of the Infectious Diseases Hospital, told reporters when commenting on the detection of a new variant of coronavirus.

As Tsertsvadze noted, only a few cases of new variants have been reported in the world and 99% are still Delta variants.

"The report was submitted to WHO three days ago, on November 24, and on November 26, WHO gave the variant the status of "object of concern”. The WHO has not given the status of "object of concern" so quickly to any other variant. The reason for this is that it has too many mutations, much more than it was in the British, South African or Brazilian variants. So far this variant has been found in South Africa, Hong Kong, as well as in Israel and Britain, suspicious cases are in Belgium and Germany. The name of this new variant is Omicron.

It is not yet known whether it spreads faster and easier than the Delta variant; whether it causes serious illness or more deaths than the Delta variant. There is some expectation and concern that vaccines and monoclonal antibodies will be less effective in relating to this variant," Tsertsvadze said.