Covid 2 Omicron outbreak editorial: The end of the pandemic

A novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 particle isolated from a patient. Photo / National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases via AP

EDITORIAL

It is a tantalising prospect.

According to the World Health Organisation, new Covid-19 cases around the world fell 21 per cent in the last week, down for the third week in a row.

The number of deaths also dropped by about 8 per cent to 67,000 worldwide, the first time the death rate has fallen since early January.

The WHO's Europe chief, Hans Kluge, said Europe was entering a "plausible endgame" for the pandemic.

Public health officials remain cautious about declaring an end because BA.2, a subvariant of the Omicron variant, appears to be rising in some parts of the world and could be even more infectious than Omicron BA.1.

But more heartening news is a study from Denmark that suggests becoming infected twice with the two variants is possible but rare. BA.2 currently makes up more than 88 per cent of cases in Denmark. Cases have also started to increase in the UK, South Africa, and Norway.

Reinfections are primarily in young, unvaccinated people and have only resulted in mild disease with no hospital admissions or deaths.

Scientists in the United Kingdom have also found that vaccines provide the same level of protection from both types of Omicron.

It's far from done. There were more than 12 million new infections worldwide last week, and cases in New Zealand are still rising sharply. But we have achieved much, saved so many.

Every New Zealander who has joined the effort to stave off this pandemic has earned the right to look forward with pride to it being over.