New Delhi: A new XBB sub-variant of Omicron believed to be the strong variant of the Coronavirus is rapidly spreading its wings across the country raising concerns about a spike in Covid-19 cases ahead of the Diwali festival. Maharashtra has witnessed 18 cases in the first fortnight of October, the state health department said on Wednesday. Talking about raising Covid cases, Delhi's health policy expert Dr. Anshuman Kumar asks people not to panic and talks about China's lockdown and other related issues.
Q: How deadly are the new variants of the Corona, will the infection rate increase?
Answer: First of all, we don't need to panic or get scared, the way we humans reproduce these viruses also mutates for their survival. These new variants spread and can dodge the immune system of the human body.
Q: Why did some parts of China have to impose a lockdown?
Answer: It's because of their Zero Covid policy, which is insane. Currently, Covid cases are on surge in some parts of China following which they are planning to impose fresh lockdowns. It's not possible that you won't be having a single case in the country. Corona pandemic is now in its endemic stage and we had witnessed that the last variants were not so fatal. Right now, we are witnessing more cases of Dengue and Malaria rather than Covid. Government should take measures to curb them at the earliest.
Q: What will happen if there is another Covid wave, is the country's health care system ready for it?
Answer: Whatever temporary health infrastructure was built during the Covid period was wound up. There should be a dynamic strategy for health services. When it's required it should be increased and when it is not needed, it should be curtailed. But the basic health infrastructure needs to be strengthened, things like Oxygen, Pulse-oximeter, Blood Pressure machine, and isolation wards should be made available in the remotest part of the country. Pandemics like Covid will keep coming till human existence, so we need to gear up for the same.
Also read: Omicron continues to be dominant Covid variant in India
Q: People who are vaccinated will have immunity against the new variants?
Answer: Vaccines were developed keeping new variants in mind and it has kept a check on severe illness post-second wave. However, the new variant is said to be capable of dodging the existing vaccine 6 times more. But the important thing is whether this new variant causes severe illness or not once it enters the human body. If not, we don't need to get concerned even if cases witness a spike in the upcoming weeks following the festive season.
