CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE
Dear Members and Friends,
Just when we thought it was safe to resume our routines, start returning to work and perhaps take that much-needed break abroad, a new Variant of Concern (VoC) has reared its head. This time, the Omicron variant has stalled everyone’s plans. There have been VoCs before but Omicron, seemingly, is different. In late November 2021, the World Health Organisation declared Omicron a Variant of Concern (VoC), after it appeared in some southern African countries.
But the sense of panic that accompanied the announcement of earlier variants is not apparent, this time around. It has become evident that some measures which have been put in place are working. We are learning from our first bitter experiences with Covid-19. Scientists identified the Omicron variant faster; subsequently information was disseminated more quickly, and governments have been quicker to respond, enacting curbs and enforcing regulations as a result.
Countries have seen the advantages of lockdowns and movement control orders. Many people who may have been in two minds about getting vaccinations to begin with, have decided that booster shots are now an imperative. And everyone is wondering if there will be a vaccine developed specifically for this variant. Although it’s early days yet, multinational pharmaceutical companies have already estimated that a new vaccine specifically for Omicron can be engineered in 100 days. In the meantime, research is ongoing.
Experts know considerably more about the virus now than they did at the onset of the pandemic in 2020. For instance, Omicron, with a higher infectivity rate than the Delta variant, can reinfect those who have already experienced Covid-19. Big pharma is already gearing up to determine if current vaccines work against Omicron, or if more R&D on other types of vaccines will be necessary. In the meantime, travel restrictions are now in force for some African countries; the UK, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Germany, Japan, Canada, Australia and US have all reported Omicron cases.
The respective health authorities, however, seem calmer and more measured in their responses to the new variant. The global situation is still one of uncertainty but it does look like people are beginning to live with it. We are learning to manage risk better, put mitigative measures in place, cooperate and share information, and pivot quickly when the need arises. There will be more variants in the future; of that we can be sure. But we do have the tools at hand, and we do have to share resources. If we remain siloed, we are putting ourselves at greater risk.
RAMESH PILLAI
Chairman of the Board
of Governors, IERP®
1 The IERP® Monthly Newsletter December 2021