The COVID – 19 variant referred to as omicron was first reported in South Africa on 24th November 2021. The numbers seem to be rapidly increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa.
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) prognosis is that the variant’s risk of reinfecting individuals is very high. The Chief Executive of the United State’s drug maker Moderna Stephane Bancel has predicted that the existing vaccines will be less effective on the Omicron COVID-19 variant.
With this latest development Kenya is on high alert and the Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe had a meeting on Monday 29th November 2021 with the National Emergency Response Committee (NERC) to discuss and assess the steps to contain the virus.
According to the CS, Kenyans could face new COVID -19 restrictions ahead of the Christmas festive season as a responsive measure to curb the spread of the new Omicron corona virus variant.
Besides other containment measures, Kenya will decide whether to join host of Countries like Rwanda in imposing new COVID -19 travel restrictions to and from South Africa as a deadly second wave sweeps the region.