Dutch health authorities announced on Tuesday that they found the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus in cases dating back as long as 11 days, indicating that it was already spreading in western Europe before the first cases were identified in southern Africa. The RIVM health institute said it found Omicron in samples dating from November 19 and 23.

Those findings predate the positive cases found among passengers who came from South Africa last Friday and were tested at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport.

"It is not yet clear whether the people concerned [in the earlier cases] have also been to southern Africa," the RIVM said, adding that the individuals had been informed of their Omicron infections and that local health services had started contact tracing.

"In the coming period, various studies will be conducted into the distribution of the Omicron variant in the Netherlands," the institute said, noting that it would also re-examine more samples from previous COVID test results.

Belgium and Germany have also said that sample tests confirm the variant was in those countries before South African health officials alerted the world on November 24 to its existence.

South African scientists have been praised for first detecting the new variant and alerting global health authorities to it last week. But Omicron has now spread to about 20 other countries, and amid mounting concern that it could be significantly easier to pass from person to person, and that it could have at least some resistance to current treatments and vaccines, many nations have imposed travel restrictions on passengers from southern African nations.

South African politicians and scientists have said they feel as though they're being punished for their advanced COVID-19 screening program, which caught the variant and enabled other nations to respond quickly to it, but has resulted in the travel bans which largely target southern African nations.

Japan and France confirmed their first cases of the new variant on Tuesday as countries around the world scrambled to close their doors, and scientists raced to test existing drugs against it.

It remained unclear on Tuesday whether the Omicron strain makes people more severely ill than the already-well-known variants, but the World Health Organization has warned that the global risk it poses is "very high" based on early evidence.

WHO chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it could lead to surges around the world with "severe consequences."

On Monday, President Biden and his top medical policy advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said the variant was not a cause for panic, but that it was a cause for concern. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already taken action, expanding its vaccine guidance on Monday night to recommend that all U.S. adults get a booster shot.

American epidemiologist Dr. Michael Osterholm, Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told CBS News on Tuesday that the U.S. could be in for a rough winter if people don't take that advice.

"People don't realize we're more susceptible today in this country as a whole because of the number of people who are now six, seven or eight months out who have not gotten their boosters and who are now starting to revert back to a much higher risk," he said.

Overnight, the CEO of vaccine maker Moderna was quoted as saying the existing vaccines may be significantly less effective against Omicron, telling the Financial Times: "All the scientists I've talked to... are like, 'this is not going to be good.'"

But most scientists, including the ones who developed the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine, have reserved judgement, pointing to the lack of clear information and urging people to wait until current research yields real data from experiments on the variant. That's expected to take up to two more weeks.

"Despite the appearance of new variants over the past year, vaccines have continued to provide very high levels of protection against severe disease and there is no evidence so far that Omicron is any different," AstraZeneca said in a statement. "However, we have the necessary tools and processes in place for rapid development of an updated COVID-19 vaccine if it should be necessary."

All the major Western vaccine makers, in addition to the producers of Russia's domestic Sputnik vaccine, have said they are already working on, or ready to work on, tailoring their formulas specifically for the new variant, if it should prove necessary.

Local and state officials in the U.S. and elsewhere, however, aren't waiting to find out. In addition to the chorus of officials calling on people to get their vaccines and booster shots, some measures have been reinstituted around the world already.

New York City has issued new advisories recommending a return to masking indoors, and across England, masks were again compulsory in crowded or indoor public settings from Tuesday.

"We're telling you to get those masks back on now," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Monday. "It's smart to do."

Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/omicron-variant-covid-in-europe-netherlands-before-alert-raised/

Raises questions about the travel bans.

Let's see if Rwanda, Mauritius and Sudan will also ban Western Europe like they hastily did with Southern Africa.

Racism will never be eradicated

No be only omicron. Nah macaroni

15

Just see how the masses are being fooled by PLANdemic agents aka vaccine terrorists

All these things you are now hearing were designed long time ago... As time goes by they will be unveiling more one after the other...

Even this so called "omicron" was created and named long time ago. There are still others they will unveil in due course...

Omicron sounds like a variation of the name of the president of france. Maybe they will remix biden's name for the next variant they will announce... FOOLS!!!



Their game plan is mind control. They will instill fear, issue directives & enforce compliance...
They will also recruit public figures, celebrities, influencers to promote their agenda...

Their final goal is getting everyone in the world "chipped" aka vaccinated. Meanwhile vaccinated people still contract covid 19, fall ill (and die too).
NO BE JUJU BE THAT?

These vaccine terrorists are hell-bent on launching the beast system that will be used in these last days...

The people in the western world who created awareness & started warning the world many years ago about these developments we are seeing today, were called conspiracy theorists.

Mandatory vaccine passports that western governments are now planning to enforce, was exposed many years ago by "conspiracy theorists"

I'm reminded of Noah in the bible. When he gave warnings, they laughed at him, they mocked him. They didn't believe him until it began to rain...

Doubt or believe whatever you like, it changes nothing.

COVID variants have been named after all the greek alphabets. I guess the name omicron was chosen to make this one seem sophisticated. Big pharma and big media should be bored with their own lies by now.

sharp guys

I Hav a Theory about the new covid Omicron...

I really think the world leaders hav met on close door and they are really not happy with Africans decisions on neglecting Vaccine dosage s.

According to statistics just 6% population in all African countries combined have taking the jab....

The world Health Organization ain't happy about this and they believe Africans travelers will put other continents at risk as long as border is open ...So they Develop a fake non-existent new variant called Omicron whick will appear serious and deadly to help African hav second thought about taking the neccassry vaccine.....

I believe there is Covid 19 generally... But I don't wanna believe in the new variant...


It's just a random theory

South Africa stronger and Sense able country in Africa letting the west no the new virus is not from south Africa for record sake

Omi gà ju

Oyibo will always defend themselves. They won't take the fall.

I don’t go vaccines, I do money
Maybe the guy below does vaccines

The lock up is more political basis than scientific

Maybe SA should have just kept quiet. I presume this is what will happen going forward. Countries would keep findings to themselves.

This is an indication that south Africa is more proactive than many European countries.

How does Omnicorn or whatever differ from other variant in terms of mortality? I’m tired of reading Covid papers

.... It is well....

Delta, Omnicron, or whatever the variant we dey kampe. No shaking.
Na so bad belle people talk say dead body from Corona go de litter everywhere but Baba God shame all of dem.

But they banned flights from southern Africa first

This virus is over hyped

Exactly, but they have now started locking out African countries

costandi:
COVID variants have been named after all thegreek alphabets. I guess the name omicron was made to make this one look sophisticated. Big pharma should be bored with their own lies by now.

yeah omicron is 15