Omicron reduces vaccine efficacy: WHO

New Delhi, Dec 13: The World Health Organisation has said that Omicron, the new variant of COVID-19 spreads faster and reduces the efficacy of the vaccine.

However WHO said that the severity of Omicron is lesser when compared to the Delta variant.

WHO said that Omicron had been detected in 63 countries and a faster transmission was noted in South Africa where the Delta variant was less prevalent. However WHO said that a lack of data meant that it could not say if Omicron's rate of transmission was because it was less probe to immune responses, higher transmissibility or a combination of both.

Omicron cases a reduction in vaccine efficacy, WHO said in a technical brief. "Given the current available data, it is likely that Omicron will outpace the Delta variant where community transmission occurs," WHO also said.