European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expects the Omicron to be the dominant coronavirus strain in the bloc by mid-January,

But, with over 66 percent of the EU's population now completely vaccinated, von der Leyen believes the EU has the "power" and "means" to conquer the disease. "Like many of you, I'm disappointed that the pandemic will once again dominate our Christmas," she remarked.

South African researchers were the first to discover the new mutation, which was labeled a "variant of concern" in late November. It seems to be spreading more faster than prior COVID-19 variants. Vaccination alone will not prevent Omicron from spreading, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. "A further, rapid increase in Omicron cases is likely" in the European Union and the European Economic Area, according to Dr Andrea Ammon, director of the EU public health department.

Throughout a video message, Ammon stated, "We view the potential of future spread of the Omicron form in the EU/EEA as very high, and it is deemed highly likely to cause additional hospitalizations and fatalities." She urged governments to take "immediate and decisive measures" to reduce transmission and relieve the strain on health-care systems.

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