Right now in the "Covid supervariant" hotspot Omicron: Dark, gloomy, and scary

The Omicron variant - a super mutant form of Covid-19 - has made the whole world bewildered. And in the city that is currently the hotbed of the new variant, the situation is looking bleak.

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The overcast sky, drizzling rain as if sympathizing with the gloomy atmosphere covering Tshwane University of Technology (TUT, in Pretoria, South Africa), which is currently a hot spot in South Africa's latest Covid-19 outbreak. An outbreak that Omicron - the "super mutant" variant is causing the world to issue a travel ban for South Africa - caused.
After many students tested positive for the virus, the university postponed the exam period, while the authorities rushed to urge everyone to get vaccinated - especially the group of young people who are delaying vaccination.
At TUT, not many people want to talk about the new variant. Many students here have not been vaccinated yet. Some people are considering it, but the school's immunization center is closed for the weekend.

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Manqoba Zitha, a student who received the injection, said he would urge his classmates to do the same.
"I try to encourage them to get vaccinated to get rid of the virus that is killing people, the number is increasing day by day," - Zitha shared. "Looking at the media right now, people are getting the virus more and more. They have to get vaccinated."

Suddenly facing the "worst" variant

After nearly 2 years of living in the epidemic, the world is rushing to find a way to control the new variant that originated in southern Africa and is tending to spread worldwide. Countries quickly issued bans or restrictions on entry from Africa - a move strongly opposed by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. In addition, epidemic prevention measures such as mandatory mask wearing have also returned.

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On November 26, the World Health Organization named the new variant "Omicron", adding it to its list of "variants of concern" - on par with Delta, the dominant strain on the planet. micro global. WHO also warned that the new variant may possess even stronger transmission ability than Delta, although it is still not confirmed. Early evidence suggests that people who have had Covid are at risk of being re-infected with Omicron. And it will take several weeks to see how well existing vaccines work against it.
However, experts still hope that the vaccine will be somewhat effective in preventing severe cases and deaths.
Gauteng province - home to Pretoria and the largest city Johannesburg - is now in the center of a new wave of infections. Up to now, new infections have only shown mild symptoms, and the number of hospitalizations has not increased too sharply.
However, experts warn that the cases recorded are mainly in healthy young people. Things can be more serious if it affects the elderly and unvaccinated communities in South Africa. In total, only 41% of people over 18 have been vaccinated in this country, and the rate of new vaccinations is also very slow. At least three South African universities - including Cape Town, the Witwatersrand and the Free State - have announced mandatory immunizations for students starting next year. Experts say that more preventive measures are needed for this new variant.

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Vaccination demand in South Africa is dwindling, to the point that the government is requiring manufacturers to "delay deliveries" to use up the 19 million doses of Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson that are in excess. President Ramaphosa even had to officially speak up, urging people to get injections quickly.
"I would like to urge all those who have not been vaccinated, go to the nearest center, do not delay any longer," - quoted Mr. Ramaphosa. "If a family member or friend hasn't been vaccinated, encourage them to get vaccinated now."

Unexpectedly contagious

The fact that there is a new outbreak is not surprising, but the speed of Omicron's spread has made South African health officials feel a complete shock.
Although the number of infections is still low at the moment, they are increasing very quickly. The new outbreak began after a few student parties in Pretoria. The number increased from hundreds to thousands within just 1 day. On November 27, South Africa announced 3220 new infections - 82% located in Gauteng. However, it is still much lower than the previous peak - 25,000 cases / day.Tulio de Oliveira - South African expert said that 90% of infections in Gauteng are from the Omicron variant.

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"We predicted a new variant in the 4th epidemic wave, but we did not expect a variant with so many mutations. Along with that is the ability to spread strongly and evade herd immunity, " - Moshabela, an expert from KwaZulu-Natal said. "This is too much of a shock."
Although cases are mainly concentrated in Pretoria and Johannesburg, evidence suggests that Omicron has appeared in at least nine provinces of South Africa.
Returning to TUT, Nhrinhla Africa Maphosa, a 25-year-old student is still trying to accept information about a new strain, and what it means to students at the school.
"Just last week, they discovered that there were a lot of students who tested positive for Covid on the campus," - Maphosa shared. "We are not sure about this number, but we can see that the rate of students getting Covid is very high."