Omicron might become the predominant variant in the future, as Delta did in the past year: GMOA

Just like the Delta variant became the predominant variant the previous year, there was a high risk of the Omicron variant becoming the predominant variant in the future, the Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) has stated.

“The Omicron variant was first identified in South Africa in November 2021. Currently, the new variant is reported in 110 countries,” a member of the GMOA said.
 
“Several patients with the Omicron variant have been identified in Sri Lanka as of now,” he said.

“Therefore, the GMOA set up a 12-member expert committee to study and prepare a report on how Sri Lanka should deal with the Omicron variant or new varieties that may emerge in the future.

The expert committee consisted of clinical specialists, community health specialists, epidemiologists, virologists, tissue and chemo therapists, and medical professionals. 

The "Facing Omicron and Future New Variants of SARS-CoV-2 Virus" report, prepared by that GMOA expert committee, is to be presented to the President, the Health Minister, and the health authorities.

The report was made while taking into account the latest scientific data, WHO recommendations, data from the CDC and FDA in the United States, and the actions taken by various countries, including European countries, Singapore, Israel, and Australia, to combat the omicron variant. This report and its recommendations are designed to be put into practice in Sri Lanka, the GMOA said. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)