The South African doctor who discovered the Omicron strain claims she was ‘pressured’ to describe the variant as more deadly than it is.
In November of last year, Dr. Angelique Coetzee was one of the first to disclose the new variety, claiming that it caused’mild’ symptoms in persons in her country.
But she claims she was told by scientists and politicians from around the globe that her description was wrong.
‘Because of all of Covid’s mutations, all of these scientists and politicians who aren’t from South Africa were contacting me telling me I was wrong when I spoke out, that it was a serious disease … they were telling me I had no idea what I was talking about, they kept attacking me,’ Dr Coetzee told The Daily Telegraph.
‘In South Africa it is a lighter disease, but in Europe it has been a serious, serious illness, which is what the politicians want me to say. There has been a lot of pressure from European scientists and politicians who have said ”Please don’t say it is a mild illness”.’
The GP said those who had contracted the variant in South Africa experienced much milder symptoms compared to the Delta strain and often only experienced a sore throat and fatigue.
