JUST when the world started to think that the Coronavirus pandemic is done and dusted, the resurgence of infections in China sounded alarm bells across the globe. Not just in China, Covid cases have been on the rise in Brazil, Korea, Japan and the US. China's fresh outbreak of Covid-19 is believed to be caused by a new sub-variant of the Omicron identified as BF.7.
Meanwhile, India has been able to keep the Covid situation in control and the authorities have ramped up the preparations to avoid another outbreak in the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also held a review meeting on Thursday and cautioned people against complacency and urged them to increase the use of face masks.
Talking to Jagran Prime, top health experts from across the country have asserted that given the impact of the new variant in other countries, there is little possibility of a China-like situation occurring in India. However, experts have said that right now there is no need to panic as Covid cases in India are way too less but noted that people should stay vigilant and adopt Covid-appropriate behaviour.
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Dr Rajni Kant, in charge of ICMR's communication and planning department, said that the Prime Minister and the Union Health Minister have held meetings regarding the increase in cases of coronavirus in China and other countries. Instructions have been given by the government to follow the Covid protocols.
According to Dr Rajni Kant, India is completely prepared to tackle the possible outbreak of Covid. Around 300 labs have been set up for testing in all states. As far as the new variant of Omicron is concerned, some cases were found in India last month, whose patients have recovered now. So far the BF.7 variant has not been effective in India. The biggest reason for this is the vaccination of most of the population and natural herd immunity.
Dr Rajni Kanth said that it seems that a situation like China will never come in India. However, he advised people to get tested if any symptoms are visible and get the booster dose. "Avoid traveling abroad and get tested on return," Dr Rajni Kant said.
Carelessness has to be avoided – Dr Ajai Singh
Dr Ajai Singh, director of Bhopal AIIMS, said that no new guideline has been issued by the central government but it is necessary to follow the Covid protocols to avert any dangerous situation. "People need to be aware, not afraid," Dr Ajai Singh said. In the first and second waves, neither people were vaccinated nor natural immunity developed in them.
Now the situation is different. It is necessary to wear a mask and get tested. But testing should not be done unnecessarily, get it done only if there are any symptoms. The variants of corona keep changing over time and their effect is also different. The BF.7 variant patients we met here recovered quickly. The infection did not spread to anyone else from them.
Follow Covid Protocols – Dr CDS Katoch
Jodhpur AIIMS Director Dr (Col) CDS Katoch said that first of all every person has to understand that they have to follow the Covid protocol regularly. It has been seen that as soon as the cases decrease in our country, people forgot the rules and regulations like wearing masks and social distancing.
Dr Katoch said that the main reason for Corona not spreading in India at present was the systematic vaccination program. Unlike India, the vaccination programme in China is not systematic. Due to this, the system collapsed there and its effect is visible now. To avoid the new variant, if anyone is witnessing fever and symptoms related to it, then get the test done. Get genome sequencing done if found positive.
Protection is necessary - Dr Nitin M. Nagarkar
Raipur AIIMS director Nitin M Nagarkar told that in view of increasing cases abroad, the central government is fully active. Today evening itself, an online meeting of more than 350 people has taken place with the directors-deans of all AIIMS, Government Medical Institutes and Medical Colleges across the country.
It came to light that the patients of the BF.7 variant who are coming into the country now are mild, but there cannot be any kind of negligence regarding this. Infected patients have to be protected. People have to follow the Covid protocol. There is complete preparation in all medical institutes regarding the Covid setup.
Herd immunity developed after vaccinations helping India – Dr Randeep Guleria
Dr Randeep Guleria, former director of Delhi AIIMS, said that India is alert about the increasing cases and deaths due to Covid in other countries including China, Brazil, South Korea and Japan. People have to be careful with the new variants. Covid protocol has to be followed. Dr Guleria said that our situation is completely different from China's. He said that China's zero-Covid policy led to the alarming situation there. Earlier people were kept locked in homes for months and now the government has suddenly lifted the restrictions completely leading to the havoc there.
Dr Guleria said that there is no need to panic while asserting that "do not pay attention to the messages and rumors going viral". The central government is keeping an eye on the situation in other countries and the effect of Corona. Our preparation is also in advance, he said and advised people to get tested if any symptoms are visible.
No possibility of another Covid wave - IIT Professor Mahindra Agrawal
Professor of Kanpur IIT Manindra Agrawal said that the condition in China will remain for 3-4 months. He made an assessment on December 21 regarding the rising corona cases and deaths in other countries including China. In his assessment, it was found that this situation has come due to the sudden removal of all kinds of exemptions and restrictions.
Now people who have neither gotten the vaccine nor have developed herd immunity are getting infected more. In China, the rate of natural immunity was less than 5 per cent by the end of October and less than 20 per cent by November. Until 90 per cent of the population gets infected, these figures will keep coming. At present, the biggest challenge for the Chinese government is to stop the increasing death there.
He told that cases have also increased in Korea, Japan and the US. Herd immunity has not yet developed in 25 per cent of people in South Korea, 40 per cent in Japan and 20 per cent in the US. Professor Aggarwal said that like the previous waves in India, the possibility of infection is negligible. But corona will continue to run in our lives like the flu.
Vaccines have less effect on new variants – Columbia University
According to scientists from Columbia University and the University of Michigan, Omicron's sub-variants BQ.1, BQ.1.1, XBB and XBB.1 are the most 'immune evasive variants' so far. These variants have been found in 72% of new infections in America. Even the new Omicron booster vaccine is not affecting them. Those who have been previously vaccinated or previously infected with Omicron showed less resistance to these sub-variants.
According to the scientists, "BQ and XBB sub-variants are a serious threat to the current vaccine of Covid-19. Many antibodies have no effect on them and probably that is why their infection is spreading rapidly. The scientists said that the Omicron booster vaccine was 24-fold less effective for BQ.1, 41-fold less for BQ.1.1, 66-fold less for XBB and 85-fold for XBB.1 than it is effective against early variants of Covid-19.
Omicron's sub-variants are causing the most havoc
Different variants of coronavirus are spreading in different countries, but the variants of the Omicron lineage are believed to be the most infectious. BA.5, BF.7, BQ.1.1, BA.4.6, XBB, BA.2.75, and CH.1.1 variants are creating a ruckus in parts of the world. These variants have also been found in India. However, according to genome sequencing data from September to December, BA.5 which was coming in 26% of the genome sequencing samples has now increased to 38%. BF.7 is a sublineage of BA.5 and four cases have been confirmed in India so far.
Alpha (B.1.1.7 and Q lineage viruses)
Beta (B.1.351 and its descendants)
Gamma (P.1 and its lineage viruses)
Delta (viruses of the B.1.617.2 and AY lineages)
Epsilon (B.1.427 and B.1.429)
Etah (B.1.525)
Iota (B.1.526)
Kappa (B.1.617.1)
Mu (B.1.621, B.1.621.1)
Zeta (P.2)
Omicron (B.1.1.529, BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4 and BA.5 descendants)