KINGSTON, Jamaica— Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director, Dr Carissa Etienne, says vaccination is “especially important” in countering the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as the strain “takes hold” in the region.

Speaking during PAHO’s weekly digital COVID-19 media briefing on Wednesday, Dr Etienne said while the Delta variant still sparks new infections in the Americas, based on current trend, Omicron is “on track” to become the dominant strain.

Data from PAHO shows that over the past week, new COVID-19 infections almost doubled across the region, rising from 3.4 million on January 1 to 6.1 million on January 8.

Dr Etienne said the spike represents a 250 per cent year-on-year increase, when compared to the 2.4 million cases reported during the week ending January 8, 2021.

The Director informed that 42 countries and territories in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean, have already detected the Omicron variant.

“Some countries are already experiencing widespread community transmission, as Omicron spreads more quickly than other detected variants, and more likely via airborne transmission in closed spaces,” she further advised.

Dr Etienne cautioned that this new wave of infections won’t be “mild” for regional health systems, noting that the Omicron variant “is already challenging our health workforce and limiting care for other diseases”.

“In smaller island states, some hospitals were already strained by cases of the Delta variant, and now more hospitals face the prospect of being overwhelmed with cases,” she further stated.

The Director pointed out that one of the characteristics setting Omicron apart is its seemingly less severe symptoms.

“Even so, Omicron infections can be lethal, especially for the immunocompromised and the unvaccinated. So, the time to act is now, using the many tools we now have at hand,” Dr Etienne emphasised, citing vaccines among these.

She said that countries across the Americas have been working diligently to secure the vaccines they need to protect their populations.

“Thanks to their efforts, nearly 60 per cent of people in Latin America and the Caribbean have been fully vaccinated with two doses,” the Director added, while pointing out that countries such as Chile, Cuba and Argentina, “have some of the highest vaccination coverage rates in the world”.

Noting that vaccines are “helping to save lives”, Dr Etienne said expanding equitable coverage “remains [PAHO’s] priority”.

“The World Health Organization, Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) has also called for vaccination strategies [to be] ‘optimised for prevention of severe disease, including the targeted use of booster vaccination’,” she added.