Covid-19 Omicron Variant Live Updates: Covid-19 infections increasing rapidly in Delhi, but no need to panic, says Arvind Kejriwal; Active cases in national capital stand at 6,360

The notion that Omicron is a natural vaccine is a “dangerous idea” spread by irresponsible people who don't take into account “long COVID” about which very little is understood, experts have said. The Omicron variant of COVID-19, which is said to be much more infectious than the other variants, is, however, causing milder infections, less hospitalisation and deaths which is leading to the notion that it can act as a natural vaccine. Recently, a Maharashtra health official also claimed that Omicron will act as a natural vaccine and may help in COVID-19's progression towards the endemic stage. Noted virologist Shahid Jameel said the notion that Omicron is a natural vaccine is a dangerous idea spread by irresponsible people. “It breeds complacency and is rooted more in pandemic fatigue and the inability to do more, than in evidence available at this time,” he told PTI. Jameel, the former head of the advisory group to the Indian SARS-COV-2 Genomics Consortia (INASACOG), said those who advocate this don't take into account “long COVID” about which very little is understood. “Especially in India, where malnutrition, air pollution and diabetes are rampant, to willingly let people be exposed to a virus about which you understand little is not good science and public health,” he said. Giridhara R Babu, professor and the Head of Lifecourse Epidemiology at the Public Health Foundation of India, said however mild Omicron is, it is not a vaccine. “There are deaths and hospitalisations due to this variant. Stay away from misinformation. Compared to vaccination, natural infection cannot protect the population (against death or hospitalisation) against any variant (Alpha, Beta, Gamma or Delta). Proponents of herd immunity are saying it again that Omicron would provide herd immunity. Evidence matters, not opinions,” he said. ICMR director general Balram Bhargava last week said that hybrid immunity, which is developed as a result of vaccination and natural infection, mounts a stronger response against COVID-19 and its variants. (PTI)

US President Joe Biden cannot require teachers in the Head Start early education program to be vaccinated against COVID-19, a Louisiana federal judge ruled Saturday, handing a victory to 24 states that had sued the federal government. US District Judge Terry Doughty wrote that the Biden administration unlawfully bypassed Congress when ordering that workers in Head Start programs be vaccinated by January 31 and that students 2 years or older be masked when indoors or when in close contact outdoors. Head Start is a federally funded program that promotes education for children under the age of 6 who are from low-income families. (AP)

Andaman and Nicobar Islands have reported five new COVID-19 cases, three less than the previous day, with the tally rising to 7,733, a health department official said on Sunday. Of the fresh patients, three have travel history and two were detected during contact tracing, he said. Two more persons were cured of the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries in the archipelago to 7,587, the official said. The death toll remained at 129 as no new fatality due to the infection was reported during the period, he said. The Union Territory now has 17 active cases. Altogether, 5,93,063 people have been inoculated with 2,93,475 of them having received both doses of the vaccines. The Andaman and Nicobar administration has conducted over 6.66 lakh sample tests for COVID-19 so far, and the positivity rate stands at 1.16 per cent, the official added. (PTI)

Seven Monaco players have tested positive for the coronavirus, the club said Saturday on the eve of its French Cup game. The match at second-tier Quevilly-Rouen is still set to go ahead on Sunday. Monaco said none of the seven players show any worrying signs and are isolating. There are 12 other French Cup games scheduled for Sunday, with title-holder Paris Saint-Germain in action on Monday night at third-tier Vannes. (AP)

Bollywood actor Mrunal Thakur on Saturday said she has tested positive for coronavirus and has isolated herself. The 29-year-old actor shared the news of her COVID-19 diagnosis on her Instagram Stories, saying that she currently has “mild symptoms”. “I have tested positive for Covid-19. As of today, I have mild symptoms but I'm feeling ok and have isolated myself. I am following the protocol given by my doctor and health professionals,” she wrote. Thakur also urged all those who came in contact with her to get themselves tested. “If you have been in contact with me, request you to please get tested immediately. Stay safe everyone,” she said. On the work front, Thakur is awaiting the release of Shahid Kapoor-starrer “Jersey”, which was set to release on December 31 but got postponed due to a surge in COVID-19 cases in the country. Starring Shahid Kapoor in the lead, the sports drama is a remake of Telugu movie by the same name. Besides “Jersey”, she has a slew of films in the pipeline including war-drama “Pippa” and the Hindi remake of the Tamil movie “Thadam”. She will also star in Umesh Shukla-directed family entertainer “Aankh Micholi” and a thriller movie, tentatively titled “Gumrah”. On Friday, Maharashtra reported 8,067 new coronavirus cases and eight deaths, according to the health department. (PTI)

The deadly second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc in Delhi early last year, snuffing out many lives, burdening hospitals and doctors beyond their capacities even as the vaccination exercise injected some degree of confidence in a bid to bring life back on track. However, just when the country and the capital city may have thought that they had put their worst behind them, fear of an imminent third wave now looms large with a surge in new infections of Covid, and cases of the new Omicron variant of the virus, which is highly transmissible, might derail the recovery made in the last few months. India has recorded over 1,400 cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus so far, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday. Maharashtra has recorded the maximum number of 454 Omicron cases followed by Delhi (351), Kerala (118) and Gujarat (115). About 38 per cent of the total samples analysed at various genome sequencing laboratories in Delhi from December 21-28, have been detected with Omicron variant, according to official documents. Of the 468 samples analysed during this period, the Delta variant of coronavirus has been detected in 31 per cent of these samples, and rest 30 per cent constituted other variants, according to the documents. The second wave had begun from April, 2021 and following a massive spike in cases, lockdown was imposed in the national capital to curb the spread of infection with Delta variant being dreaded more then. Daily cases jumped into the range of several thousands as the wave took a more brutal turn with each passing day. On April 1, the cumulative death toll due to coronavirus infection in Delhi had stood at 11,036, which more than doubled to 24,299 by June 1, according to official data. Since April 19, both daily cases and single-day deaths count had spiralled up, with over 28,000 cases and 277 deaths recorded on April 20; rising to 306 fatalities on April 22. On May 3, the city registered a record 448 deaths, according to official figures. And now with daily cases count registering a huge spike in the past few days, and positivity rate rising faster, the government has again brought in restrictions under the 'yellow alert' category of its graded response action plan. (PTI)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday sought people's cooperation to entirely eliminate the pandemic and informed that his government will soon roll-out a COVID-19 vaccination drive targetting the 15 – 18 years age group. Utilising the New Year's day to make a fervent appeal to the people of the State to resort to COVID appropriate behaviour and strictly adhere to the government instructions besides follow SOPs on preventing Coronavirus and its variants, the Chief Minister said his government's efforts were all oriented towards ensuring a safe and healthy life for the people. “It is the expectation of all of us that this year 2022 be very good and in order to be good we should not forget past lessons,” Stalin said in a video message to the people. “We have recovered from the first and second wave of Coronavirus infection and in fact I took up the reins as Chief Minister and also the responsibility for your well-being when the pandemic was at its peak during the second wave,” the Chief Minister said. His first task as the CM was to contain the second wave and his ministerial colleagues, officials and staff of various departments including health and family welfare and civic bodies and police stood by him in his efforts. “My government was able to contain the pandemic in a short span of time and cooperation from the public was a major factor,” Stalin said in the message. People's belief in science and their enthusiasm in getting vaccinated against COVID-19 led to massive awareness causing the number of those getting inoculated to swell. “This helped to contain Coronavirus and its fatalities to a great extent. I look forward to the same cooperation from you this New Year in combating the Coronavirus and its variants including the fast spreading Omicron,” he urged. Pointing out that the present situation required more precaution, Stalin said while his government is taking all necessary steps including ramping up testing to contain Omicron besides ensuring hassle-free availability of oxygen, beds and medicines, the people should follow COVID appropriate behaviour. “We need your cooperation. Avoid crowding, wear face masks, sanitise your hands frequently, maintain social distancing and strictly follow government instructions on preventing the spread of COVID-19,” he appealed. Also, he urged those who have not been vaccinated to avail the shots. “I earnestly request you not only as Chief Minister but also as your dear brother, as one of you, to strictly follow the guidelines laid down by the government. I wish you all a Happy New Year once again and wish you all a safe and prosperous New Year,” the Chief Minister said. (PTI)

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Saturday said whether further Covid-related restrictions need to be imposed in the national capital will be reviewed as hospital admissions are less, despite a rapid rise in coronavirus cases. According to data shared by the health department on Friday, Delhi reported 1,796 coronavirus cases with a positivity rate of 2.44 per cent and zero death. “The virus is spreading fast. But the good part is that there are no serious cases. Be it any variant, Omicron or Delta, the way it can be prevented and treated remains the same. People should step out whenever necessary and wear a mask,” Jain told reporters. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) had on Wednesday decided that Covid-related restrictions imposed in Delhi under the ‘yellow alert' would continue for the time being and authorities would monitor the situation for a while before deciding on fresh curbs. “We have put the restrictions in place. In other states, only night curfew has been imposed. But in Delhi, we have shut down schools, multiplexes, etc. In April and May when the second (Covid) wave had hit Delhi, a large chunk of people were getting admitted. But currently the hospitalisations are less. Further restrictions will be reviewed,” Jain said. On Tuesday, the DDMA had declared a ‘yellow alert' under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the city amid a spike in cases following the emergence of the Omicron variant. The alert entails restrictions like night curfew, closure of schools and colleges, opening of shops selling non-essential items on an odd-even basis and halved seating capacity in Metro trains and buses, among other things. The GRAP is based on positivity rate (on two consecutive days), cumulative number of new cases (over a week) and average oxygenated-bed occupancy (for a week) for designated four levels of alerts. After the ‘yellow alert', further restrictions are imposed at advanced stages of ‘amber', ‘orange' and ‘red' with a higher number of new cases and hospitalisations. Earlier this week, Jain had said that Omicron is gradually spreading in the community and the new, fast-spreading variant of concern has been found in 54 per cent of the latest samples analysed in Delhi. (PTI)

RUSSIA REPORTS 19,751 NEW CORONAVIRUS CASES IN PAST 24 HOURS (Reuters)

➡️ More than 151.70 Cr vaccine doses provided to States/UTs.

➡️ More than 19.52 Cr doses still available with States/UTs to be administered.https://t.co/8yV6ebCZrTpic.twitter.com/g3UUbBG9QO

— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) January 1, 2022

Over 90 residents of a village in Madhya Pradesh's Neemuch district got their heads tonsured and held a mass feast at a temple to thank the deity for ensuring “zero fatality” due to COVID-19 in their village in the year 2021. The ritual was held on Friday to fulfil the vow taken by villagers at the Devnarayan temple when the pandemic was at its peak, a resident said. Villagers, including women, took out a procession in Devri Khawasa village in the Neemuch district, around 400 km away from Bhopal. They danced to the tune of religious songs while holding religious flags in their hands. “About 25-30 villagers were infected when the coronavirus pandemic was at its peak. At that time, people had taken a 'Mannat' (vow) in the ancient temple of Devnarayan ji to tonsure their heads and hold a 'bhandara' (mass feast) if no fatality is reported due to the pandemic in 2021,” Ambalal Patidar, a villager, told reporters. Another resident Amit Gurjar said that in a bid to thank the deity, 90 villagers shaved their heads and organised a feast. “We thanked the deity as no death due to COVID-19 was reported in our village with a population of 2,500 even though some of the infected villagers were critically ill,” he claimed. (PTI)