IDNEWSNOW.COM, Jakarta – An epidemiologist from Griffith University, Dicky Budiman, on Thursday responded to information about the latest Covid-19 variant, Omicron, where people perceive it to be a milder variant compared to others. Therefore, many deem it less fatal than the Delta variant. He insists that this variant is a mutation from SARS-CoV-2 and has not evolved into a weaker specimen.
“Nevermind SARS-CoV-2, the HIV virus has long remained strong and even many drugs have become resistant and cause death,” said Budiman to Tempo on February 3.
He said the Omicron variant emerged during a time that is not comparable to the Delta variant’s emergence, which at the time, mass vaccinations had just begun with global vaccination coverage of 10 percent.
Now the vaccination coverage has neared 50 percent globally when Omicron arrived, which is twice as many vaccinations compared to when the Delta spread. When Delta emerged in Indonesia, many people were unvaccinated and infected without knowing it, especially the younger adult group, he said.
“They obtained immunity, although not as strong as being vaccinated, but some of those who experienced it (infected with the Delta variant), have a stronger immune response,” said Dicky.
As the Omicron arrived, the epidemiologist went on, large groups of people had built immunity and even made up to 90 percent of patients showing mild symptoms and asymptomatic. Budiman said this shows the importance of vaccinations.
“Countries that lack in communal immunity status, the effects of Omicron are not mild,” Budiman said.
He mentioned the Omicron spread in the United States and Australia, which has caused a high number of hospitalizations among patients who contracted the new Covid-19 variant.
“This asserts that Omicron is not a milder variant and if compared [to other variants], research shows this variant is wilder than the initial virus that was found in Wuhan. Omicron has caused many deaths, twice the number of that in Wuhan,” he said.
Read: People Exposed to Omicron Can Recover at Home, Jokowi Says
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