Govt preparing for Omicron

NATIONAL Pandemic Response Controller David Manning has reassured the nation that a careful watch is being undertaken of the new emerging Coronavirus (Covid-19) Omicron variant.
Manning, who is also the Police Commissioner, said the Government had preparations in place to deploy a rapid response to the new threat, drawing from lessons learned during the recent spread of the Delta variant around the country. While scientists continue their investigation into the new variant, the Controller said people around the world needed to be patient and ready to respond.
“The greatest problem right now is a lack of clear information from global health agencies,” Manning said.
“The World Health Organisation and other leading bodies are unable to provide clear guidance, which is a concern for many developing countries, while there has been a range of different responses by developed economies.
“We know from experience that it is impossible to keep new strains out of any country, it is more a question of how long you can keep it out and use that time to prepare.
“When the Delta variant began to spread around the world earlier this year, our Government acted swiftly to delay its arrival and spread so that we could more effectively prepare our Government agencies and personnel.
“The Covid-19 Omicron variant is already on our doorsteps with five confirmed cases in Australia that are now in quarantine, so we will continue to monitor the situation and communicate with our global partners.”
Manning said a series of revised Covid-19 control measures had been prepared and would be applied when the appropriate course of action was agreed. “Any decisions made in response to the Omicron will be based on scientific information, the health of our people and the recovery of our national economy,” he said.
“The coming days will be crucial for PNG and countries around the world to better understand and manage the spread of the Omicron variant.”
The Omicron variant was first identified in southern Africa.