- The global community is bound to feel short-shrift and anxious with the emergence of a new Omicron variant causing huge concerns around. As it is, economies around the world are in a recovery mode after the battering sustained from the previous Covid-19 variants as well as the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. We know how the global supply chains stand severely disrupted by this uncalled-for conflict that offers no clue as to when a cease-fire will be announced. Disturbingly, the news about the emergence of new Omicron subvariants making their presence felt in China, the US, and parts of western Europe is indeed worrying. The news reports suggest that cases are rising in these countries.
PC: CBS News
- Moreover, reports about hospitalization increasing in the above-mentioned places have prompted the Indian government to put state governments on alert. While the China surge can be understood as an outcome of the withdrawal of its flawed zero-Covid strategy, the worry is that different subvariants appear to be driving the surge in different countries. For instance, in Beijing, the BF.7 subvariant is dominating infections while in the US, the BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 subvariants accounted for 70% of cases. At least fifteen countries are witnessing a surge in cases over the last few weeks. Thankfully, Covid infections continue to remain flat in India but partly this could also be due to reduced testing as well.
- Note that the daily testing now is in the range of 1 lakh tests against 2-3 lakh tests per day in November. With home testing kits also available, it will be difficult to get an early warning of an uptick in India unless states get back into testing mode and send as many positive samples as possible to INSACOG labs for genome sequencing. A rise in OPD consultation and hospitalisations could also offer enough clues to spruce up our healthcare infrastructure to counter. While NTAGI has assured that hybrid immunity from vaccination and natural infection will stand the Indian populace in good stead, it is definitely a worry that the India vaccination programme has lost steam since the receding of the third wave earlier this year.
PC: Sonali Acharjee
- Though Gemcovac, an Indian homegrown mRNA vaccine received emergency use authorization in June, nothing much has been heard since. Bharat Biotech’s intranasal vaccine, approved as a heterologous booster, is still awaiting the nod to go live on CoWin. From here on, Indian authorities must prod its vaccine companies to keep updating their vaccines and provide requisite funds for the purpose. Notably, the Centre has advised people to mask up in crowded areas, a sign that mask mandates could return if cases rise. Poor masking was the reason the Delta and Omicron waves ravaged us so fast. Further, the Centre must incentivize booster dose production and start another campaign promoting the third shot. We cant rest or remain complacent as yet.
