Omicron variant: WHO warns against possibility of third wave

Omicron, the new variant of Coronavirus, can be more infectious and reduces the efficacy of the vaccine, warned WHO in its latest report. Therefore, the Union Health Ministry in its advisory to 10 states such as Kerala, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Puducherry, Manipur, West Bengal, Sikkim and Nagaland and two others, where the Coronavirus has started infecting people, once again---not to lower the guard and be more vigilant, says Saamana in its Editorial.

Mumbai: Omicron, the new variant of Coronavirus, can be more infectious and reduces the efficacy of the vaccine, warned WHO in its latest report. Therefore, the Union Health Ministry in its advisory to 10 states such as Kerala, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Puducherry, Manipur, West Bengal, Sikkim, Nagaland and two others where the case positivity rate of Coronavirus is on the rise, once again advised them not to lower the guard against the virus and be more vigilant, says Saamana in its editorial.

The 19 districts in these 10 states where the caseload has been increasing should strictly implement the Covid protocols as well as Covid appropriate behaviour in people. The case positivity rate in eight districts of Sikkim, Kerala and Mizoram has gone up to more than 10%. The rising graph of Coronavirus cases in 27 districts of the country has become a cause for concern and the possibility of the third wave cannot be ruled out. Alaram bells are ringing in 19 districts of 10 states where the case positivity has increased.

The controlling of Coronavirus in these 19 districts will be sooner the better, or else it will pose a threat of infecting people living in neighbouring districts of other states.

The Union Health Ministry has shot off a letter to those states where the case positivity rate is more than 10%. The Ministry has asked such states to increase the RT-PCR tests, besides ensuring implementation of Covid appropriate behaviour among people, as well as clamping of night curfews

During the first and second wave of Covid restrictions were imposed for all types of gathering or limiting the participation of people, the same should be enforced in those states where the rate of infection or caseload is increasing.

Omicron has started spreading its tentacles and states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi and Chandigarh have reported 38 cases so far. Though, the WHO has ruled out that the virulent nature of Omicron, the new variant of Covid-19, but it is highly infectious, therefore, the possibility of a third wave is still persisting.