ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan on Monday said the government, keeping in view the recent wave of another Covid-19 virus spreading in various European countries, had beefed up all safety measures to prevent spread of the new variant ‘Omicron’.

Addressing a joint media briefing flanked by Chairman National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) and Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, he said the government, through the forum of NCOC, had taken numerous unanimous decisions that led to successful mitigation of Covid-19 disease spread since the pandemic outbreak.

Dr Faisal said due to the recent break out of new Covid-19 variant, many deaths had been reported in European countries where non-vaccinated people or those who had delayed their vaccination were mostly infected.

Omicron: New variant will come to Pakistan, warns Asad Umar

He added that the new variant was more transmissible than the previous one infecting people at a fast pace.

The SAPM informed that the variant’s genetic structure was analyzed and observed, adding that the studies revealed it went through mutation.

He urged people to adhere to standard operating procedures (SOPs) of mask-wearing, vaccination and social distancing.

Dr Faisal noted that with better vaccination and safety precautionary measures it could be prevented.