Experts are giving a “battle with time” to analyze the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, said today the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Layen, from Riga, Latvia.
“We know that at the moment we are battling time,” said von der Leyen, urging citizens to take precautions to give scientists the space they need to analyze this variant.
“Scientists and (vaccine) manufacturers need two to three weeks to have a complete picture of the characteristics of the mutations,” Omicron said. “We have to save time,” he continued, urging everyone to get vaccinated, wear a mask and keep their distance.
Von der Leyen clarified that the contract signed by the Commission this summer with the BioNTech / Pfizer consortium for the delivery of 1.8 billion doses of vaccine contains a clause referring to the occurrence of a variant that will not be covered by the existing vaccines. Under the clause, companies are committed to being able to tailor their vaccine within 100 days, he explained.
The new variant has already spread to many countries, causing great concern, especially in Europe.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News
and be the first to know all the news
.
