Page 32 - Abdool Karim News Today

JOHANNESBURG (REUTERS) - Existing Covid-19 vaccines should be highly effective at preventing severe disease and hospitalisation from the newly identified Omicron variant, a top South African infectious disease expert said on Monday (Nov 29).. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Professor Salim Abdool Karim, who served as the government's chief adviser during the initial response to the pandemic, also said it was too early to say whether Omicron led to more severe clinical symptoms than previous variants. However, it did appear more transmissable and more likely to infect people with immunity from vaccination or prior infection.

It could take between two and four weeks to nail down the facts about Omicron itself, but according to Prof Salim Abdool Karim, “current vaccines’ effectiveness against hospitalisation and disease is likely to remain strong”.

Making headlines: Health Minister says scientists working around the clock to understand Omicron variant; Ramaphosa to visit West Africa to build trade and investment relationships; And, political parties welcome unchanged lockdown level

Existing COVID-19 vaccines should be highly effective at preventing severe disease and hospitalisation from the newly identified Omicron variant, a top South African infectious disease expert said on...

Data so far suggest transmissibility of Omicron is increased and is being driven by younger people, say experts

Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla said citizens can be confident that in a matter of days and weeks health department’s scientists will have gotten to the bottom of the Covid-19 Omicron variant. Phaahla reiterated President Cyril Rampahosa’s message on Sunday evening, when he said the best weapon to fight the virus and the pandemic is vaccination.

It could take between two and four weeks to nail down the facts about Omicron itself, but according to Prof Salim Abdool Karim, “current vaccines’ effectiveness against hospitalisation and disease is likely to remain strong”.

Existing COVID-19 vaccines are probably effective at preventing severe disease and hospitalisation from the newly identified Omicron variant, a top South African infectious disease expert said on Monday.

Existing COVID-19 vaccines are probably effective at preventing severe disease and hospitalisation from the newly identified Omicron variant, a top South African infectious disease expert said on Monday.