WHO declares new COVID-19 variant of concern named ‘Omicron’

The World Health Organization (WHO) met Friday to discuss a COVID-19 variant in South Africa that has been rapidly spreading among young people and has spawned numerous mutations. 

They are calling the variant “omicron” and classified it as a “variant of concern.” It first emerged in South Africa when there was a steep rise in COVID-19 cases in that region, according to WHO. 

The Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution met today to review what is known about the #COVID19 variant B.1.1.529.
They advised WHO that it should be designated a Variant of Concern.
WHO has named it Omicron, in line with naming protocols https://t.co/bSbVas9yds pic.twitter.com/Gev1zIt1Ek

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) November 26, 2021

A “variant of concern” is one that shows genetic changes that could give it the potential to affect transmissibility, severity, or how well vaccines or treatments would work, according to WHO. 

WHO says it will take weeks to determine how effective vaccines are against the variant. 

Canadian health experts said it would take time to review the potential impact of the variant. It said there is no evidence that existing COVID-19 vaccines wouldn’t continue to be effective.