Chile positions itself as the country with the best protection against the Omicron variant
The Economist highlighted Chile as one of the countries that is most prepared for and least vulnerable to this new coronavirus variant, mainly because of its robust vaccination program. “This is a source of pride for the country,” Minister Paris remarked.
A report from The Economist analyzes how prepared countries are for the new Omicron variant. To date, it has presented the largest number of mutations, and this has facilitated its spread. According to this important news outlet, Chile is the best prepared country out of a sample of 102 nations, and has the best protection against the variant.
“South American countries with high levels of prior infection and good vaccination rates seem to be best prepared for the new variant. Chile and Uruguay also have one of the most advanced booster programs, partly because they started earlier than most,” the publication noted.
In this regard, the authors underscore the fact that in most countries it is likely that less than half the population has adequate protection against Omicron. For example, in Great Britain and the United States, “we estimate that by late November, approximately 49% and 43% of citizens, respectively, had received a booster shot. Countries like Australia, China, New Zealand and Norway, which have solid vaccination programs but few prior infections and slow booster shot deployment, are particularly vulnerable to the new variant.”
Health Minister Enrique Paris also commented on the study’s conclusions and highlighted how important they are for Chile: “This is a source of pride for us as a country and it reinforces the fact that we are prepared for this variant and can provide safe conditions for everyone who is going to vote this weekend.”
How dangerous is Omicron?
The Economist noted that this new variant is very dangerous given its high level of mutation, “which changes both how it spreads and its symptoms.” It is much more transmissible because, unlike other variants, it evades the antibodies produced by previous COVID infection or vaccination against the virus.
“The studies in Great Britain and South Africa have shown that this translates into a risk of reinfection that is three to eight times higher than the Delta variant,” the article’s authors state.
They noted that studies from South Africa have shown that prior infection reduces the risk of contracting Omicron by about two thirds. Furthermore, the efficacy of the vaccines against symptomatic infection are as high as 75% with a booster shot.
“There is also evidence of good protection for those who have received two doses and had a prior infection, though immunity decreases over time,” they conclude.