Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on Tuesday warned people of the Omicron variant, saying the world could be entering the worst phase of the pandemic.

In a series of tweets, Gates said that his close friends have it and that he has cancelled most of his plans for the holidays.

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

He also noted that Omicron “will soon be in every country in the world.” He also said that it is still not known how the Omicron variant impacts the human body. The US-based business magnate said that if the Omicron variant is “only half as severe as Delta, it will be the worst surge we have seen so far because it’s so infectious.”

Gates also urged netizens to look out for each other and observe precautions like wearing masks, avoiding big gatherings in indoor settings and getting vaccinated. Gates also talked about the need for getting a booster dose against COVID-19.

While Gates urged netizens to get vaccinated, he also sounded alarm bells on breakthrough COVID-19 cases. “There will be more breakthrough cases in people who are vaccinated, which sounds concerning but is purely a factor of how many people are vaccinated and how fast this variant is spreading. Vaccines are designed to prevent people from getting seriously ill or dying and are doing well,” he noted.

Gates also predicted that if there is a new wave due to Omicron then it could last nearly 3 months. He also noted that the pandemic could be over in 2022 if we take the “right steps.” Gates, however, signed off on a slightly optimistic note as he said that situations will not be as dire forever and the pandemic will end someday.

This, however, is not the first time that Gates has said that the end of the pandemic will end sometime in 2022. “Because of the Delta variant and challenges with vaccine uptake, we’re not as close to the end of the pandemic as I hoped by now. I didn’t foresee that such a highly transmissible variant would come along, and I underestimated how tough it would be to convince people to take the vaccine and continue to use masks. I am hopeful, though, that the end is finally in sight. It might be foolish to make another prediction, but I think the acute phase of the pandemic will come to a close sometime in 2022,” Gates said in his year-end blog