A healthcare worker takes a swab sample for the COVID-19 test, in view of rising Omicron cases at Daryaganj in New Delhi on Monday, January 03, 2022.  |  Photo Credit: IANS
New Delhi: As India’s COVID-19 tally continues to rise, the Omicron variant is gradually taking over as the dominant strain. According to Dr NK Arora, the chairman of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), the recent spurt of infections in various metro cities is being led by the newly detected variant. He however insisted that the government was ready to handle the situation, urging people to stay calm.
In an interaction with CNBC-TV18, Arora also noted the high vaccine escape capability of the heavily mutated strain, adding that the value of booster doses was still being evaluated. The top official said that the primary goal was to ensure that all eligible Indians were inoculated with two doses of vaccine – which in turn would greatly cut down the risk of severe infection, hospitalisation or death.
As the country faces down a third COVID-19 wave, Arora contents that the proportion is Omicron cases is likely to increase. The remarks come even as cities such as Mumbai and Delhi report an avalanche of fresh cases – the highest seen since the deadly second wave rolled through the country in mid-2021. At the same time, most of the cases are asymptomatic or have reported only mild symptoms.
On Monday, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had said that the new variant of concern was the reason behind the surge seen in the national capital. According to him, the latest genome sequencing report showed Omicron has been found in 81% of the samples.
Experts however caution that people should not become complacent simply because the Omicron variant is being considered ‘milder’. On Monday, top epidemiology and communicable diseases expert Dr Raman Gangakhedkar said that the virus would soon hunt for the “unvaccinated, the old and immunodeficient”, urging people to get vaccinated at the earliest.
“Instead of waiting for natural immunity (by infection), if we go for induced immunity through the vaccine, it will be good and the damage will be minimal. Getting an infection is never good even if it is mild. Today, it (Omicron) may look milder but has anyone thought of long-term effects on the human body,” the health expert was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
As of Tuesday morning, India has administered a total of 146.73 crore vaccine doses. This includes more than 40 lakh children between the ages of 15 and 18 who received jabs on Monday after becoming eligible under the expanded vaccination drive.