Coronavirus: what has Bill Gates said about Omicron & vaccines?

Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft and man who became a target for antivaxers and conspiracy theorists around the globe, has taken to social media to share his thoughts on the shifting landscape of the coronavirus pandemic.

Bill Gates warns over Omicron spread

In his Twitter thread, Gates warned about the spread of the new variant, Omicron, calling it potentially ‘the worst surge’ and explained that the current uncertainty around the virus has caused him to cancel his Christmas plans. He also urged everyone to get vaccinated and get the booster.

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‘Just when it seemed like life would return to normal, we could be entering the worst part of the pandemic,’ Gates began. ‘Omicron will hit home for all of us. Close friends of mine now have it, and I’ve canceled most of my holiday plans.

‘Omicron is spreading faster than any virus in history. It will soon be in every country in the world.

‘The big unknown is how sick omicron makes you. We need to take it seriously until we know more about it. Even if it’s only half as severe as delta, it will be the worst surge we have seen so far because it’s so infectious.

‘In the meantime, we all have to look out for each other, especially the most vulnerable, whether they live down the street or in another country. That means wearing masks, avoiding big indoor gatherings, and getting vaccinated. Getting a booster gives the best protection.

‘There will be more breakthrough cases in people who are vx’d, which sounds concerning but is purely a factor of how many people are vx’d and how fast this variant is spreading. Vaccines are designed to prevent people from getting seriously ill or dying & are doing that well.

‘If there’s good news here, it’s that omicron moves so quickly that once it becomes dominant in a country, the wave there should last less than 3 months. Those few months could be bad, but I still believe if we take the right steps, the pandemic can be over in 2022.

‘I know it’s frustrating to go into another holiday season with covid looming over us. But it won’t be like this forever. Someday the pandemic will end, and the better we look after each other, the sooner that time will come.’

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