The coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than five million people worldwide so far is far from over, as the appearance of the new Omicron variant shows, and the next pandemic could be even more deadly, the university professor warned. of Oxford Sarah Gilbert, creator of the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine.
Gilbert said that after two years of pandemic Covid-19 Because of a virus that has infected more than 265 million people worldwide, it must be realized that the next pandemic virus "could be even more contagious or even more deadly, or both."
"This will not be the first time a virus has threatened our lives and our livelihood. "The truth is that the next one can be worse," he stressed, according to the British "Guardian". He also stressed that the scientific progress made and the know-how acquired in the midst of a pandemic should not be lost, which is why, he said, adequate "funding for a pandemic preparation" is needed.
"As we invest in the armed forces, espionage and diplomacy in order to defend ourselves against war, we must also invest in people, research, production and institutions to defend ourselves against pandemics," he said.
Regarding Omicron, he said that the new variant contains mutations that are known to increase coronavirus transmission and that antibodies generated after vaccination or forethought may be less effective in preventing an Omicron infection.
He added, however, that reduced protection against the possibility of infection "does not necessarily mean reduced protection against serious illness and death. Until we learn more, let we are cautious and take steps to slow down the spread of the new variant".