Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has warned the global community to take Omicron seriously as the world may be on the threshold of the worst part of the pandemic.
“Omicron is spreading faster than any virus in history. It will soon be in every country in the world,” tweeted Mr Gates while dropping a word of caution against complacency. ” Just when it seemed like life could return to normal, we could be entering the worst part or the pandemic. Omicron will hit home for all of us. Close friends of mine now have it and I have cancelled most of my holiday plans.” he said in his articulate message before Christmas and New Year. In a series of tweets aimed at alerting the public to the worrisome nature of the present surge in Omicron worldwide, the 66-year-old billionaire stressed upon the need for taking precautions including a firm return to wearing masks, avoiding big indoor gatherings, and getting vaccinated. ” In the meantime, we all have to look out for each other, especially the most vulnerable whether they live down the street or in another country. Getting a booster gives the best protection,” he said.
Mr Gates drew attention to the danger of the Omicron variant, particularly in relation to its reinfection rate, as well as the frighteningly little knowledge we collectively possess about the strain.
“The big unknown is how sick omicron makes you…Even if it’s only half as severe as delta, it will be the worst surge we have seen so far because it’s so infectious,” the American business magnate said in a subsequent tweet.
His warnings come at a time when the United States is witnessing an astronomical surge in the Omicron variant, with Omicron infections jumping from three per cent to 73 per cent of all US Covid cases in all of seven days.
Mr Gates concluded his awareness message on a positive note. “If there’s good news here, it’s that omicron moves so quickly that once it becomes dominant in a country, the wave there should last less than three months. It won’t be like this forever. Someday the pandemic will end, and the better we look after each other, the sooner that time will come.”
