Dr. Laith Jamal Abu-Raddad, Principal Investigator of the Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group at Weill Cornell Medicine—Qatar (WCM-Q).
Surge in COVID-19 cases caused by Omicron variant might end soon, says expert.
“The surge of COVID-19 cases in Qatar and other countries caused by the Omicron might end soon. Also those with previous COVID-19 infection and vaccinated are better protected from Omicron variant,” said Dr. Laith Jamal Abu-Raddad, Principal Investigator of the Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group at Weill Cornell Medicine—Qatar (WCM-Q).
“The Omicron spreads fast but the good thing is that we don’t expect it to long last. We should get back to the situation prior to the variant in a few weeks,” he told The Peninsula.
He said that due to the Omicron’s highly transmissible and fast spreading nature it will not long last.
However, Dr. Abu-Raddad insisted that the most important step to be taken by people now is to get the COVID-19 booster dose to strengthen their immune system.
“By now the COVID-19 virus has extensively changed from the original one initially found in China. Almost every two to three months we have seen a new major variant evolving. The Omicron is very different from other variants, it spreads fast but does not cause as much severe illness,” he said.
According to Dr. Abu-Raddad a recent study done by WMC-Q and other Qatari collaborating institutions has found that individuals who were previously infected with COVID-19 virus have 56% less chance of catching the Omicron variant.
“Those with prior infection with COVID-19 are better protected from Omicron variant. Though they have chances of getting the infection, it will be milder with 90% less chance of them ending in a hospital,” said Dr. Abu-Raddad, who is also the Director of WHO Collaborating Centre for combating infectious diseases in the region.
The Centre works closely with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) in Qatar and Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) as they confront the infection’s spread, working with healthcare and policy experts to provide scientific technical analyses that have supported the COVID-19 national response.
Speaking about the strategy and policy implemented by Qatar to combat OCVID-19, Dr. Abu-Raddad said that decision making in Qatar is informed by scientific analyses which helped to reduce the burden of this infection on the population of Qatar.
“We have been very fortunate to have such high vaccination coverage leading to less number of people being hospitalised or dying from COVID-19 compared to other countries,” he said.
“New variants are evolving but the vaccines we have today were developed to protect against the original virus.,” he said.
