Rising covid cases abroad warrant caution, next 1 month crucial: experts
Premium- Experts urged people to get fully vaccinated and follow covid-appropriate behaviour
NEW DELHI : Despite covid-19 active cases declining sharply to a two-year low of 36,168 on Thursday, India should intensify surveillance rather than become complacent in view of the recent surge in China, South Korea, Germany, Vietnam and Russia, experts said.
The next one month will be crucial and the situation must be watched closely, they said.
“It depends on how things pan out in China and other parts of the world because covid-19 is a virus that tends to mutate and replicate faster. There is a risk of the emergence of new variants. China managed to control the outbreak in Wuhan with strict implementation of non-pharmacological intervention. We must see whether they can replicate that success this time," said R Ganga Khedkar, former scientist at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and Dr C.G. Pandit National Chair, in Pune.
On Wednesday, health minister Mansukh Mandaviya chaired a high-level meeting to review the public health preparedness for covid-19. Mandaviya directed officials to maintain high levels of alertness, intensify surveillance of new infections and initiate aggressive genome sequencing. Experts also urged people to get fully vaccinated and follow covid-appropriate behaviour.
“In India, we have developed hybrid immunity. We are in a better situation as of now. It is too early to say how it will challenge us. We have to keep an eye on emerging situation in other countries," Khedkar said. “The virus has error-prone enzymes that lead to development of mutation. The virus accumulates one mutation at the population level every fortnight. If it gets the opportunity to infect a large number of people, the risk of accumulating newer mutations increases. The mutations that are beneficial to the virus for its survival may lead to infections from newer variants that can have higher transmission efficiency coupled with reduced or increased virulence," he explained. “Those who have not taken the vaccine must take it. Masks should be used rigorously. In India, we need to do a ‘smart genomic surveillance’. We need to understand and identify any new variant that could emerge," he added.
At an event on Thursday, Mandaviya said India’s public health strategy resulted in better management of the Omicron wave compared to other countries. The ‘test, track and treat’ approach with focused genome sequencing, containment, protocols for home isolation, effective clinical treatment and community surveillance contributed in bringing the situation under control.
“It is all about public health vigilance. Epidemic management, vaccination and surveillance are appropriate tools," said Samiran Panda, additional director, ICMR.
“We have to continue to watch the number of cases in India and other countries. In general, we have a very high vaccinated population and many have attained natural immunity. Most of the population in India has been naturally boosted, because of the Omicron wave," said Gagandeep Kang, virologist, and a member of the covid-19 working group.
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