Omicron can do good by replacing the Delta COVID version with the world: Experts
Highlight
- India announces roll out of booster dose amid Omicron scare
- India had already approved monoclonal antibody therapy for the treatment of severe covid
- Highly permeable Omicron variant detected in over 100 countries to date
Health experts said on Tuesday that the highly transmissible Omicron version of Covid, which has been detected in more than 100 countries so far, could help the world get rid of the delta strain that has claimed many lives across the globe. Omicron, first detected from southern Africa in late November, has become dominant in several countries, including the US and UK, superseding the previously dominant delta variant, which until recently was considered the dominant strain in many countries.
While Omicron is known to cause only mild illness, Delta has been more lethal, causing a drop in oxygen levels, increased hospitalization with pneumonia and death. “Omicron is a light wave and will replace the delta and could be good for the world,” Dr. Vasant Nagvekar, member of the Maharashtra government’s COVID task force, told IANS.
Nagvekar, consultant who is also infectious, said, “Omicron is highly transmitted, and it can also be immune-suppressing (causing a previously infected or successful infection in vaccination). But so far, there is no evidence of this. that it causes more serious infections.” Diseases at Global Hospital, Mumbai. Preliminary data from South Africa showed that the majority of patients are young and that this type of infection produces mild infections.
“For now the variant also appears to be stable, with high transmission potential but low virulence, which probably explains the reduction in hospitalizations and deaths,” Nagvekar said. In the meantime, what we need is vigilance, improved border surveillance, genomic sequencing, as well as vaccination cover, he said.
Brian Wahl, assistant scientist at the Department of International Health, said: “The best way out of this phase of the pandemic is to make sure that people everywhere are fully vaccinated. As the virus continues to spread, new forms can be found.” There will be opportunities to emerge.” America’s Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health told IANS.
“This is why it is so important to increase coverage of both doses in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, both in India and in countries where vaccine coverage is currently low,” he said. Meanwhile, with more than 30 mutations on its spike protein, Omicron has the potential to develop immunity induced by previous COVID infections along with vaccines. Several studies have shown that two doses of existing COVID vaccines may not be effective against Omicron, while a booster dose has shown promise.
India has also announced to start booster doses with healthcare workers from January next year. “The protection provided by many vaccines can be reduced over time. Booster doses may help bring back protection. However, the frequency with which boosters may be needed is not known,” Wahl said. .
However, Nagvekar said that “a booster dose, even if it works, is only a temporary improvement. We can’t keep getting a booster every six months and for every type of concern. Uniform vaccine distribution, especially A vaccine that covers the most recent edition of the concern is a potential and practical solution in the long term. India will also begin immunizing children aged 15-18 from January. While overall the prevalence of Covid for children remained mild. , Omicron has expressed concern over many children being affected and hospitalized in the US, South Africa and the UK.
Nagvekar said, “Vaccination for children is essential. If cases of omicron increase, it will be challenging because of its rapid spread.” Apart from vaccines and booster doses, monoclonal antibodies and anti-COVID tablets have been a great aid in the fight against Covid. While India had already approved monoclonal antibody therapy to treat severe COVID-19, the country on Tuesday also granted emergency approval for US-based pharma company Merck’s COVID pill Molunapiravir. The pill has shown effectiveness in reducing hospitalization and death by 30 percent. The antiviral drug will be manufactured by 13 companies in India for restricted use in emergency situations to treat adult patients with COVID-19 who are at high risk of developing the disease.
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