But Fatoum reassured - in an interview with an episode (11/27/2021) of the “Beyond the News” program - everyone about the new Corona mutator, calling not to worry, and at the same time stressing that the symptoms shown to those infected with it so far are not dangerous, and do not need to hospital admission.
The talk of the new Corona mutant has returned to the fore, including the procedures for imposing travel restrictions and threatening the general closure, amid divergence in positions in how to deal with the new wave, despite all that was said about the danger of the “Omicron” mutant and what it requires of global alert.
The "worrying mutation", according to the description of the World Health Organization, and "dangerous to spread", according to the European Health Commission, which ranked it between high and very high, forced the World Trade Organization to postpone its first ministerial conference in 4 years because of the new mutation.
Meanwhile, the South African government said it was punished for discovering the new strain, and added that the strict measures taken by several countries will affect the economy and tourism.
Infection of those who have received vaccinations
Regarding the infection of those who received Corona vaccines with the new mutation, the vaccine expert and professor of biology said that the immunity acquired from the vaccines does not prevent infection with the Corona virus or the new mutation from it, but it greatly reduces severe symptoms in the event of infection.
Fatoum stressed that the previous mutant of the Corona virus did not deviate from the immunity granted by the anti-virus vaccines, which gives optimism about the immunity of the vaccines against the new mutant “Omicron”, in addition to the new technologies that we possess to confront any developments that may occur, and then we may provide a new vaccine when the need for it.
For his part, Robert Scott, Director of Research on Trade and Manufacturing Policies at the Economic Policy Institute, said that it is wise to take precautions because the world still does not know much about the new Corona mutator, except to know the ease of its spread among people.
Scott expressed his hope that travel restrictions taken by many countries around the world will give more time to assess the severity of the new "Omicron" mutant, as well as assess the efficiency of available vaccines against it.
Scott indicated that the refusal of rich countries to give up the intellectual property of anti-Corona vaccines caused the spread of the virus, especially in Africa, and then the emergence of new mutants from it.
Several European countries have announced taking measures to confront the new mutant. In Germany, the government's advisor to the Corona crisis said that a comprehensive closure may be necessary if the new mutant does not respond to vaccines.
He confirmed the suspected infection of the mutant of a traveler returning from South Africa.
The same thing was announced by the Ministry of Health in the Czech Republic.
In the Netherlands, the authorities announced that 61 travelers from South Africa had tested positive for the virus, and the health authorities had suggested that dozens of travelers out of about 600 travelers who arrived at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport on Friday on two flights from South Africa had tested positive for the virus.
As for the Arab world, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said that it would order tightening procedures at crossings and borders in the context of confronting the “Omicron” mutator, and Qatar, the Emirates, Bahrain, the Sultanate of Oman, Jordan, Morocco and Saudi Arabia rushed to take similar measures to restrict entry to travelers or suspend flights from several African countries.
US President Joe Biden has said that he will impose additional restrictions on travel from South Africa and 7 other countries starting next Monday, and Biden also called on countries to waive intellectual property rights for Corona vaccines in order to manufacture them globally.