WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Says It’s Dangerous to Suspect That COVID Variant Is the Pandemic’s Endgame
Graphic content / World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attends a daily press briefing on COVID-19 virus at the WHO headquarters in Geneva on March 11, 2020. - WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on March 11, 2020 that the new coronavirus outbreak can now be characterised as a pandemic. FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images

The World Health Organization warned the public to not be complacent with hopes that the COVID variant Omicron could be the final phase of the pandemic, with WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus saying that the virus can mutate again.

Ghebreyesus said that the ongoing spread of Omicron variant could open the door for another more infection variant, according to a Daily Mail report.

The WHO chief warns that every time the virus jumps from one host to another, it starts to replicate in the person's body, which gives most opportunities for the virus to mutate.

Ghebreyesus said that it is dangerous to suspect that Omicron will be the last COVID variant to spread or that the public is nearing the final phase of the pandemic.

He also said that it has been near impossible to predict the course of the pandemic so far despite many thinking that Delta would possibly be its final virus strand.

Ghebreyesus said that on the contrary, the conditions are ideal for more variants to emerge globally, according to a CBS 42 News report.

The WHO head said that learning to live with COVID does not mean that people give the virus a "free ride," adding that it does not also mean that the public accepts almost 50,000 deaths a week from a preventable and treatable disease.

COVID Variant Omicron Signifying End of Pandemic?

Meanwhile, White House's top medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci said that he is "confident" about the possibility of most states reaching a peak of Omicron cases by mid-February.

He noted that things are looking upward. However, people should not get overconfident. He noted that the situation looks like they are going in the right direction as of now, according to an ABC News Go report.

The top medical adviser said that there are states in the northeast and in the upper Midwest where cases have already peaked and declined "rather sharply."

However, they noted that cases are still rising in southern and western states.

Fauci said that the hope is that future COVID variants will not disrupt society or create fear of severe results that are wide.

However, he said that the country should still be prepared for the worst-case scenario.

The head of WHO's European region, Dr. Hans Kluge, said that the Omicron variant shows a possible hope for stabilization and normalization.

However, Kluge said that their work is not yet done, noting huge disparities in access to vaccines.

He also repeated concerns from other WHO officials that areas, where people are less vaccinated, would allow the virus to adapt and possibly result in new COVID variants, according to an NBC Right Now News report.

Kluge said that it is almost a "given that new COVID variants" will show up and return.

Fauci, on the other hand, said that they hoped that reports that booster shots will give much greater protection longevity true.

Fauci said that the public may need to boost again, but they want to determine the durability before they make that decision.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: WHO: Omicron variant is dangerous for those who have not been vaccinated yet | World English News - from WION