Covid-19: ‘Cases may rise soon, but no need to panic’, say health experts

Passengers depart from Mumbai international airport on Sunday. Pic/Sameer Markande

Health experts have said the Omicron cases would rise, but people must not panic if they are fully vaccinated, wear a mask and avoid enclosed AC places. Dr Subhash Salunkhe, epidemiologist, said the data from South Africa on Omicron infection has many positives, but one negative - its high transmissibility.

Dr Subhash Salunkhe, epidemiologist, said the data from South Africa on Omicron infection has many positives, but one negative - its high transmissibility.

Dr Subhash Salunkhe

"Fortunately, at this juncture, the data that is available from South Africa clearly indicates that Omicron infection is mild. The course of illness is neither critical nor severe. Moreover, the line of treatment is the same as with the Delta variant. If diagnosed early, the full recovery will be much faster," said Dr Salunkhe, who is also the adviser to the state government on COVID-19 management.

One Omicron case in city

India, at present, has 21 confirmed cases of Omicron - one each in Delhi and Jamnagar city of Gujarat, two in Karnataka's capital Bengaluru, eight in Maharashtra, and nine in Rajasthan.

A woman gets a COVID vaccine shot at Nair hospital. File pic

The figure is going to increase further, said Dr Salunkhe. "One should not get surprised and worried as and when Omicron numbers rise in the country. The South Africa data shows that Omicron is mostly affecting people who are not vaccinated or are partially vaccinated. It is unlikely that a fully vaccinated person will get the severe form of infection from the new variant," he explained.

However, the negative side of Omicron is its ability to spread faster than the other variants of Coronavirus that causes COVID-19, Dr Salunkhe said. "Since it spreads faster, a conglomeration or a gathering of a large number of unvaccinated people might lead to focal outbreaks," he said.

Hybrid immunity

Hybrid immunity may protect us in a large way, said Dr Rajesh Karyakarte, the state coordinator for genome sequencing and head of Microbiology department at BJ Government Medical College and Sassoon Hospital.

"In the first COVID-19 wave, many got infected with the Wuhan strain of novel Coronavirus. Then, we started the vaccination drive that ran concurrently with the second wave dominated by the Delta variant. During the second wave, many partially vaccinated people were infected, while there were others who took the vaccine after recovering from COVID-19. There were different combinations that induced immunity in people. We can call it hybrid immunity," he explained.

Dr Karyakarte said that with the injected COVID-19 vaccine, we develop antibodies of the IgG and IgM classes. "We have seen that vaccinated people do not suffer from severe infection as the IgG and IgM antibodies don't let the virus enter deeper in the body. The COVID-19 death rate in vaccinated people is less. With many individuals having clinical and sub-clinical natural infection, there are chances that people have also developed IgA antibodies in the nasopharyngeal area, too," he said. Dr Karyakarte said our body's immune system is very intelligent. "It tries to protect the areas from where the pathogen arrives. The Coronavirus generally enters our body through the nose and nasopharynx. The IgA antibody protects the nasopharyngeal area."

‘Viruses are unpredictable'

He added that viruses tend to become less virulent but more transmissible as new variants keep coming. "Making any prediction with the Coronavirus is like walking on a mine field. It is unpredictable. But the basic things don't change, that is vaccination and masking up." On the growing demand to ban the entry of passengers from affected nations, he said a strict quarantine policy should be enough rather than prohibiting such people from entering the country.

While the government is doing its best to keep the Omicron cases under control, health experts said it is going to be our responsibility, too, to ensure there is no third wave in the country. Dr Salunkhe said that following COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and getting vaccinated is all one needs, instead of being afraid of new variants. "Places with poor air circulation, air-conditioned restaurants, malls, etc., should be avoided, especially by senior citizens and people with comorbidities or those who are immunocompromised."

The Indian Medical Association's (IMA) Maharashtra branch said it is keeping a strict watch on the evolving situation with Omicron. "We appeal to people to strictly abide by the COVID protocols. Use a mask, maintain hygiene and avoid crowding. At IMA, we request people to complete both their doses of vaccines," said Dr Suhas Pingle, its president. Dr Mangesh Pate, secretary, IMA-Maharashtra, said they are prepared if cases surge. "We will collaborate with the government in whichever way possible," he said.