The unprecedented arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought a standstill to countless companies, with authorities scrambling for ways to keep their people safe from the virus-like the Omicron variant. Multiple lockdowns were imposed, and contactless transactions became the norm worldwide, massively changing the business landscape.
But because of the availability of vaccines, governments started to reassess their protocols to allow people to move more freely. The guidelines help ensure that organisations and individuals can conduct their daily tasks safely without compromising the health of anyone.
For example, those coming back to their home countries must have a day 2 covid test to ensure that they are free from the disease. In addition, the UK authorities launched a program called “test to release,” which will allow people to end their quarantine on day five if they test negative.
Nonetheless, another COVID-19 variant introduced by the World Health Organization (WHO) in November 2021 forced government agencies to impose beef up their regulations. The B.1.1.529, commonly known as Omicron Variant, presents a higher transmission rate than other earlier coronavirus mutations.
First identified in the South African region, health experts reported that Omicron includes 50 mutations of the virus, including the widespread Alpha and Beta variants. They also showed that the new variant is less severe but is more contagious in the long run. The doubling time of Omicron ranges from 2-3 days, which is significantly faster compared to other variants.
Whether vaccinated or not, Omicron can infect almost anyone. This variant can evade the antibodies of unvaccinated and those who only received two vaccine shots. This is why world leaders encourage people to get booster shots to improve the vaccine’s ability to combat Omicron.
To learn more about what we know about the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, check this infographic from Harley Medic International, a trusted and reliable provider of COVID-19 testing kits in the UK.
Read More: How To Prepare For A Covid-19 PCR Test
