The new strain of Covid-19's been designated a 'variant of concern' by the World Health Organisation.
It's also been given its Greek alphabet name and is now known as Omicron.
🦠 New variant (B1.1.529) has been called 'Omicron' by the World Health Organisation.
It's also been designated a variant of concern.
— Ben Finnegan (@_BenFinnegan) November 26, 2021
The European Centre for Disease Control has warned the new Covid variant is likely to have significant immune escape from vaccines.
The European Commission is moving to ground all flights to countries in southern Africa with confirmed cases of the mutant strain.
🆕The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control's view on the new variant: pic.twitter.com/sB6yHSqwUo
— Eoghan Murphy (@eoghanymurphy) November 26, 2021
However, a case of the new and likely more transmissible variant was confirmed in Belgium today.
