WHO: ‘Omicron is a variant of concern, not panic’

The Omicron coronavirus variant has been designated as a “variant of concern” but it was important not to panic, the spokesperson for the World Health Organization has said.

The aim is to get the world alert, step-up surveillance and public health measures, but not overreact, Dr Margaret Harris told BBC World News’s Yalda Hakim.

Read more: Is Omicron more harmful than other Covid variants? And other questions.