WHO Chief: Better a cancelled event than a cancelled life

(Patria) - The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for the cancellation of holiday plans to protect public health as the Omicron variant spreads globally.

"It is better to cancel an event than to cancel a life," said WHO chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, adding that some "difficult decisions" must be made, the BBC reports.

He explained that in some cases, this will mean cancelling or postponing events.

His comments came after health experts declared Omicron the dominant variant in the US.

Tedros added that there is now evidence that the Omicron variant is "spreading significantly faster than Delta".

Numerous countries, including France and Germany, have tightened Covid restrictions and imposed travel bans to try to stop the spread of the new variant. The Netherlands has imposed a strict lockdown over Christmas.

The White House announced on Monday that President Joe Biden does not plan to impose a lockdown. The country's chief infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, had previously warned that Christmas travel would increase the spread of Omicron even among the fully vaccinated.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the State Department have advised Americans not to travel to eight destinations, including Spain, Finland, Chad, and Lebanon.

In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday that the government needs to "reserve the possibility" of introducing new rules in England as Omicron cases rise, but did not announce further restrictions.

New Year's Eve celebrations in London's Trafalgar Square have been cancelled "in the interest of public safety," said Mayor Sadiq Khan.