Amid fear of a new variant of concern, the Indian Medical Association, a national level medical body, has warned of a ‘massive’ third wave of COVID19.
“Omicron, a variant of concern, has spread in forty countries. It is of greatest concern. Transmissibility — spreading from one person to another — is very high with the Omicron virus. If we are not taking adequate measures, then the third wave and its disasters are going to be very high,” said JA Jayalal, the national president of the association, as he addressed a press conference yesterday on December 6.
In India, 23 cases of Omicron have been reported so far. The country reported its first two cases from Karnataka. As of now, the Omicron variant has also been reported from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Delhi.
The new variant has spread to more than 40 countries, including South Africa, Canada, Australia. The Union Health Ministry had warned that given its characteristics, Omicron is likely to spread to more countries including India.
“However, the scale and magnitude of rise in cases and most importantly the severity of disease that will be caused is still not clear. Further, given the fast pace of vaccination in India and high exposure to the delta variant as evidenced by high seropositivity, the severity of the disease is anticipated to be low. However, scientific evidence is still evolving,” stated the Union Health Ministry in a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) released on December 2.
In the wake of the Omicron threat, the national medical association has urged the central government to push for the vaccination of children under 18 years of age.
“With cases coming from South Africa, we are seeing more children under eighteen years of age getting admitted to ICU with Omicron virus. It is affecting children more. This is of concern to us,” said Jayalal.
“India should initiate vaccination for kids under eighteen years of age,” he suggested.
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Eighty five per cent of India’s eligible population has received the first dose of the COVID19 vaccine and half of the population has been fully vaccinated.
Yesterday, December 6, the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted, “Another Day, Another Milestone. 85% of the eligible population inoculated with the first dose of #COVID19 vaccine.”
The top medical body took note of this, but has demanded the central government officially announce additional doses of vaccine or booster doses be given to healthcare, frontline workers and immunocompromised individuals such as those on chemotherapy or severely diabetic.
There are increasing concerns about those who were fully vaccinated early in India’s immunisation campaign, such as health and frontline workers. India’s expert panel on vaccines, the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI), has so far not made any recommendations either on booster doses of COVID19 vaccines or on vaccinating those under 18 years of age.
Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry has advised the people to mask up properly, take both doses of vaccines (if not yet vaccinated), maintain social distancing and maintain good ventilation in order to prevent the infection.
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