Omicron: The rising fear for another wave in Malaysia
Lydia Ngiik-Shiew Law, Ke-Yan Loo, Joanna Xuan Hui Goh, Priyia Pusparajah
Abstract
The past two years have been a turmoil for the world and people due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the first time in history that the whole world was on a standstill after many countries-imposed movement control orders and restrictions. Many innocent lives were lost, and the spread of infection is still ongoing. Pharmaceutical companies raced against the time to develop vaccines, believing that it would be sufficient to control COVID-19. Nevertheless, the recent emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 variant as Omicron has become a global concern. This new variant of concern (VOC) spreads faster than other VOC strains and poses a high risk, mounting fears of new waves of infections in many countries, including Malaysia. This review discussed characteristics of Omicron, the emergence of Omicron cases in Malaysia, and preventive measures to control the spread of COVID-19.