The identification of a “new coronavirus variant of concern,” dubbed omicron, has prompted authorities to swiftly put in place new travel restrictions as scientists attempt to figure out the significance of the finding.
On Friday, the World Health Organization claimed that preliminary research suggested “an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other [variants of concern], according to the organization.” According to WHO, the number of occurrences of the variant has been on a rise in almost every province in South Africa where it was first discovered.