‘Pandemic Not Over’: WHO Warns Against ‘Huge Amount of Misinformation’ Around COVID-19

The World Health Organization on Saturday expressed concern about the spread of misinformation about the pandemic. They said that the misinformation about the pandemic is creating confusion among people. The concern comes as in the last week there was an 8% increase in cases.

WHO’s COVID-19 Technical Lead Maria Van Kerkhove said that there are misinformations that the pandemic is over or that Omicron is the last variant of Covid-19 that we will have to deal with.

“We have huge amounts of misinformation that’s out there. The misinformation that Omicron is mild. Misinformation that the pandemic is over. Misinformation that this is the last variant that we will have to deal with. This is really causing a lot of confusion,” said Ms. Kerkhove.

Talking about Omicron she said that COVID-19 vaccines remain incredibly effective at preventing severe disease and death, including against Omicron.

She further said that with a huge number of Covid cases there will be an increase in hospitalizations and that will result in increased deaths, primarily in people not vaccinated.

“We do not see changes in severity of BA.2 compared to BA.1 at population levels. However, with huge numbers of cases, you will see an increase in hospitalizations & that in turn has translated into increased deaths… primarily in people not vaxxed or partially vaxxed,” she said.