Omicron, found in Europe before South Africa, jolts markets on vax fears
https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/omicron-found-in-europe-before-s-africa-jolts-markets-on-vax-fears-121113001823_1.html
The financial markets and oil prices fell sharply on Tuesday after the head of drugmaker Moderna said existing Covid-19 vaccines would be less effective against the new Omicron variant. They were in the red despite reassuring comments from European officials and top executives of other vaccine makers who said all of the people infected are asymptomatic or showing only mild symptoms.
Oxford University, too, said there’s no evidence that the new omicron variant defeats the vaccine it developed with AstraZeneca, contrasting with more pessimistic views put forward by some other shot makers like Moderna and Regeneron.
BioNTech SE Chief Executive Officer Ugur Sahin said the current generation of Covid-19 vaccines probably will still protect against severe disease in people infected by the omicron variant. He suggested though the rate of infections may increase, symptoms will be mild.
{"Probably" - now that's scientific!}
Merck also said its Covid antiviral would likely to be active against Omicron.
{Can you say pharma-drug profits - shares rising?}
European Medicines Agency (EMA) Executive Director Emer Cooke told the European Parliament that existing vaccines will continue to provide protection. Andrea Ammon, chair of the European Centre for Disease prevention and Control (ECDC), said the cases of Omicron so far confirmed in 10 European Union countries were mild or without symptoms, although in younger age groups.
{Is this fact? Or are the poisonous jabs causing the variants . Are they going for the younger age groups now?}
Major European stock markets, spooked by fears that vaccine resistance might trigger restrictions that would choke off a nascent recovery, were down nearly 0.5 per cent, having fallen as much as 1.5 per cent in early trade. In New York, Dow Jones and the S&P 500 opened in the red.
“There is no world, I think, where (the effectiveness) is the same level we had with Delta,” Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel told the Financial Times. “I think it's going to be a material drop. I just don't know how much because we need to wait for the data.
But all the scientists I've talked to are like 'this is not going to be good'.”
{What do they have up their sleeves?}
Bank of England policymaker Catherine Mann added to downbeat comments from US Fed Chairman Jerome Powell by saying Omicron could hit consumer confidence, which would not only weaken the British economy’s recovery but could also could push up inflation at the same time.
These are snake-oil salesmen - more jabs, more vaccines, more drugs.
Is it time to let SPAIN'S HIPRA get the spotlight and profits? – Vaccine under development by Spain's Hipra could be booster against variants, minister says | National Post
ON A MORE POSITIVE NOTE:
World Council for Health (WCH) stands in opposition to the widespread scaremongering as a result of the discovery of the B.1.1.529 (Omicron) SARS-CoV-2 variant. According to available evidence, the variant is not of more concern than any others.
WCH recognizes that all viruses mutate and that natural immunity offers better protection against viral mutations than the Covid-19 inoculations.
We caution against the reinstatement of lockdowns and other unnecessary measures that have not been proven to slow the spread of the virus. These measures have been shown to cause undue harm.
WCH urges global leaders to listen to healthcare officials in Africa including Virologist Barry Schoub, the head of South African’s Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid-19 vaccines, and Joe Phaahla, South African Health Minister.
Dr. Schoub has saidit is “unlikely that it’s going to cause more severe disease.” Phaahla has called travel bans on those coming from eight African countries a “knee-jerk reaction” that “doesn’t make sense.”
Earlier this month, the African continent was being celebrated for being “one of the least affected regions in the world,” according to the World Health Organization, despite fewer than 6% of the population being vaccinated.
It should also be noted that the initial four cases of Omicron to be discussed in the media were in vaccinated people in Botswana, where only 20% of the population is fully vaccinated.
WCH stands with African nations and recognizes their ability to determine what is best for their people. WCH does not believe that these nations are in need of “rescue” by Western nations eager to vaccinate and firmly stands against any and all travel bans.
As vaccine manufacturers scramble to create a new vaccine for this variant, Would Council for Health reminds the WHO, the FDA, the MHRA, and other regulatory agencies that safe vaccine development takes around 10 years. Further novel vaccine products developed in haste by Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, or any other drug manufacturer will not be acceptable to the people of Africa or the people of the world.