Omicron

For last few days we all are hearing about new Corona variant named Omicron. It has triggered a global alarm as govts around the world to scrambled to impose new travel curbs.. The research on Omicron has begun around the globe, but it is yet clear if this new Covid variant is more transmissible than other previous variants such as Alpha, Kappa, Delta etc. As per some experts it is about 6 times more deadlier than Delta variant, which is causing worry all over the world.

This variant was first detected in South Africa, and has now spread in more than 10 countries, including Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, Denmark and Australia. Because of fears that the new variant has potential to be more resistant to the protection offered by vaccines, there are growing concerns around the world that the pandemic and associated lockdown restrictions will persist for far longer than hoped.

The preliminary research suggests that there are increasing rates of hospitalization in South Africa. However, this might be because of increasing overall numbers of people being infected, rather than a result of a specific infections with Omicron.

Can the Omicron variant target an already infected person from Covid 19?

According to World Health Organisation (WHO), preliminary evidence suggested that there may be increased risk of reinfection with Omicron (ie people who have previously had Covid 19 could become reinfected more easily with Omicron. It has got large number of mutations and carries increased of getting infected. As per WHO it would take a few weeks to understand the impact of the this new variant, as scientists worked to determine how transmissible it was. But world is getting scare of this variant, as the UK has now decided to ban or restrict travel to and from South Africa. Travellers from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, and Eswatini will not be allow to enter the UK unless they or UK and Irish nationals, or UK residents.

USA officials said flights from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi would be blocked from Monday morning.

A top UK health official warned that vaccines would “almost certainly” be less effective against the new variant. It  means that the persons who are already been vaccinated for two dose of vaccine, are not entirely safe against this variant. Now as per US infectious disease chief that while reports on new variant threw red flag, it was possible that vaccines might still work to prevent serious illness.

As of now no cases of this variant has been found in India. India has still not banned the travelers from the affected countries. As of 26^th November the risk list includes countries in Europe including UK, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hongkong, and Israel. Flyers fro these risk countries when the land in India will have to under RT-PCR test, and will have to be quarantine for a week. The Centre has asked states and Union territories  to focus on containment, surveillance and vaccination.

As of now, cases of new variant has been detected in South Africa, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Italy, Denmark, Belgium, Israel, Australia and Hongkong.

Let us hope this new variant does not enter India.

In the end let us keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.

Waiting, for your views on this blog.

Anil Malik

Mumbai, India

29^th November 2021                                                                                           185/21