Guard against Delta variant

Perhaps this is the time that everyone needs to be extremely cautious against the Covid-19 pandemic as the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of the impending threat to humanity in the form of the Delta variant.

After the recent warnings of the spread of Delta in a large number of countries, especially the Middle East, where it has affected 16 countries so far, the global health watchdog said that the Delta mutant is hunting young people and the situation is rapidly deteriorating.

In a statement published on the organisation's website, Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, added that the world has made great progress in developing vaccines in record time, but it is now in real danger, as many previous successes have been destroyed.

"Humanity is now in real danger due to the spread of coronavirus infections despite the success of vaccinations and many previous successes with the pandemic have been destroyed," he said.

It also revealed that the increase in the number of Covid cases is an indication that people are no longer complying with the preventive restrictions imposed, that health systems are operating inconsistently, and the vaccination rate is uneven.

Oman's Ministry of Health as well as various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have reiterated the need to be extremely cautious and follow the preventive measures announced from time to time.

"One shouldn't fail to adhere to the precautionary measures including wearing of face mask, social distancing from each other, and washing hands very often. All precautions and night lockdown terms have to be strictly followed," the ministry's website has said.

The WHO supremo stressed that the disparity in obtaining vaccines against the virus still exists in the world, as in poor countries far fewer are vaccinated than in rich countries that produce vaccines and began planning for revaccination.

The WHO chief further said that there are evidences to indicate that vaccinated people can be infected and transmit the most contagious Delta variant to others.

The new Delta variant has already changed all accounts, and imposed on people to determine the activities in which they must participate, and the vaccinated people must take into account two factors; the first is the medical risks of the same family, and the second is the value of the activities for the person, and if there is an opportunity to abandon them, there is no objection.

The WHO report reveals that vaccinated people are about eight times less likely to be infected than unvaccinated people, and even when infected, the vaccinated person suffers from symptoms similar to the common cold, no more.