Coronavirus omicron is again triggering the fear of massive infections and deaths, lockdowns, and quarantines. Medical experts may have constantly warned us that covid has not gone anywhere and that we should keep following health guidelines and safety measures, but people relaxed after the omicron variant couldn’t affect us much.
But, a new omicron variant called BF.7 has caused a massive outbreak in China and has already been detected in India too. Covid cases in India have still not reached a number that can be worrying, but the government has already issued alerts, including several restrictions on new variant symptoms and booster doses.
Coronavirus Omicron in India
Since the last few days, Omicron cases in India have seen a surge, with nearly two hundred daily cases.
The BF.7 case India has registered so far numbers four, including one in Odisha and three in Gujrat, and all of them got affected between July-October and have already recovered after isolation and treatment.
BF.7 symptoms
To protect yourself from this omicron variant, you must know the new covid variant symptoms.
BF.7 mainly causes infection in the upper respiratory zone resulting in congestion near the throat and upper chest. The most common omicron variant symptoms in adults are runny nose, fever, cough, and sore throat.
But there are other symptoms, which are also stomach-related, like diarrhea and vomiting.
Doctors advise that if you suffer from any of these symptoms, get tested immediately to ensure isolation and medication in case you are affected by the new variant.
What is BF.7 covid?
For those unversed and who want to know what is the omicron sub-variant, the new omicron variant is more contagious but less severe. So, the main reason for concern about this omicron variant is that it can infect many people quickly. So, early detection is vital, and so is isolation. The good thing is that the rate of recovery is also high.
What is the BF.7 variant?
- It is a sub-lineage of BA.5, another omicron variant.
- Its infection ability is strongest.
- It is highly transmissible.
- The variant’s incubation period is shorter.
- It has a very high capacity to reinfect.
The present scenario in China
With a massive BF.7 surge, China is probably facing its worst covid outbreak since the pandemic began in 2019. Although the Chinese government allegedly hides the actual numbers, several reports state that the total number of cases has mounted up to 10, and five thousand people are losing their lives daily.
WHO has expressed its concerns over the present condition of China.
Why is China suffering?
Chinese citizens have not gained enough immunity from the previous infections which have caused a lack of antibodies in them, and vaccinations may not have also been appropriately conducted.
Whenever there is a new variant, China goes for lockdowns. Due to its zero-covid policy, China has tried all the ways to prevent infections. So, people of the country have not gained antibodies from the community spreading.
A report claims that only 38% of Chinese people are so far vaccinated, among which only 10% are above 65. China has not provided any pertinent data on its vaccinations.
The USA and other countries
The USA, UK, and countries like France, Belgium, Germany, and Denmark are also quite worried about the situation and closely monitoring the scenario of China and India covid cases. But till now, no other country has reported facing such a dangerous situation than China.
The UK already knows what is BF.7 variant, as it assessed the new covid variant symptoms two months ago and also estimated how severe it could be.
Omicron India: scenario and measures
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet have already become cautious enough to review the situation and take appropriate safety measures. Significantly, public awareness during Christmas and New Year is a must, said the government.
Guidelines already issued
- Mask
- Social distancing
- Random testing of people coming from abroad and two percent of all passengers
No guidelines yet
- Lockdown
- Containment zone
- Night curfew
- Ban of flights
The state governments are also alert and advise people to avoid crowding and wear masks whenever they go out. Some of the states have already made it mandatory for tourists to wear masks, maintain social distancing, show vaccination certificates, and even get covid tests.
The government has also focused on vaccinations and asked everyone to get a booster dose if not taken yet. The doctors are emphasizing the need for this covid booster dose to fight against coronavirus omicron so that Omicron cases in India don’t reach an alarming level.
Hospitals and health facilities have also been advised to prepare themselves for any situation, including thorough surveillance of the new variants, covid graph, and infrastructures like oxygen plants and ventilators.
The Indian government has approved the Nasal vaccine, which will soon be available in private health facilities and added to the government vaccination portal.
Genome sequencing is also prioritized to monitor new variants’ existence.
Why is a booster necessary?
According to the experts, covid is not gone yet. To fight the new variants, precautions are necessary, and the booster dose, which is completely safe with no side effects, is one of the most vital precautions.
All of us should get the booster dose to get a stronger immune system capable of combating the virus, and older people or those with low immunity need it badly.
Is there a chance of getting infected again?
The most worrying fact about the whole omicron news, apart from its nature of high spreading capacity, is that people already cured of covid can still get affected by this variant.
There’s another variant
Adding to the concerns of the medical experts and administrations, another fresh variant, XBB, is suspected to be more dangerous than Corona-Omicron.
The new covid variant symptoms don’t include fever and cough. Instead, pain in the joint, neck, back pain, headache, lack of appetite, and pneumonia are some symptoms of XBB.
XBB, a recombinant of BA.2.75 and BA.2.10.1, can’t usually be detected by nasal swab tests, and you can avoid getting affected by it by following general guidelines such as washing hands, wearing masks, and distancing yourself physically from the crowd.
Conclusion
While China is feared to see three new coronavirus omicron waves in the next few months, India is now in a better position due to higher rates of vaccinations and natural immunity among Indians.
