As Omicron surges, Bill Gates says 'we could be entering worst part of the pandemic'

Omicron: Bill Gates said the pandemic can be over in 2022 if we take the right steps.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said has cancelled most of his holiday plans because of the threat of the fast-spreading Omicron variant of COVID-19. The billionaire cautioned that the variant will "soon be in every country in the world'.

“Just when it seemed like life would return to normal, we could be entering the worst part of the pandemic. Omicron will hit home for all of us. Close friends of mine now have it, and I’ve canceled most of my holiday plans,” Gates tweeted on Tuesday.

Omicron is spreading faster than any virus in history. It will soon be in every country in the world.

— Bill Gates (@BillGates) December 21, 2021

Omicron cases are rising rapidly across countries, with the variant becoming the dominant strain of coronavirus in the United States, the country with the highest number of Covid cases in the world.

In the meantime, we all have to look out for each other, especially the most vulnerable, whether they live down the street or in another country. That means wearing masks, avoiding big indoor gatherings, and getting vaccinated. Getting a booster gives the best protection. — Bill Gates (@BillGates) December 21, 2021

“If there’s good news here, it’s that omicron moves so quickly that once it becomes dominant in a country, the wave there should last less than 3 months. Those few months could be bad, but I still believe if we take the right steps, the pandemic can be over in 2022,” Bill Gates said in another tweet in the thread.

“The big unknown is how sick omicron makes you. We need to take it seriously until we know more about it. Even if it’s only half as severe as delta, it will be the worst surge we have seen so far because it’s so infectious.”

If there’s good news here, it’s that omicron moves so quickly that once it becomes dominant in a country, the wave there should last less than 3 months. Those few months could be bad, but I still believe if we take the right steps, the pandemic can be over in 2022.

— Bill Gates (@BillGates) December 21, 2021

President Joe Biden on Tuesday said the country was "prepared" to fight it.

In India, the government has asked the state and district authorities to consider imposing containment measures in areas where a surge in COVID-19 positivity rate is reported.

The assessment of Omicron being more contagious than Delta raises concern as the latter is considered to have triggered the devastating second wave of the pandemic in India, between April and June this year.

On December 11, World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also noted that there is considerable evidence which suggests Omicron is "spreading significantly faster" than the Delta variant.