PRITI SAHU
The corona epidemic, which has been raging for the last one-and-a-half to two years, is reportedly making a comeback. The new variant, Omicron, has caused a stir among the people.
In some countries, including South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel, the new variant has started to explode.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning asking the countries to be wary of it. Most of the countries have suspended their international flights to high-risk nations, including South Africa. Foreign tour travel has been restricted with new guidelines in force.
The scientific identification of the new variant is B.1.1.529 and it has been named Omicron by the WHO. Although the number of cases and areas affected by it is still small, its transmission is many times greater than that of the Delta variant. It can spread quickly among the people. It has more than 50 mutations. More than 30 forms have been found in spike proteins. The virus reaches human cells with the help of these spike proteins. This puts a question mark on the efficacy of the vaccines discovered so far.
All those affected by this in Botswana are reported to have been fully vaccinated.
Another cause of worry is its transmission through the air. People living in different rooms in a hotel in Hong Kong have been infected. Even those, who have neither come close to nor in contact with each other, are reported to have contracted this.
No one has any idea as to how much damage it can cause or which steps should be taken to prevent its spread. It is difficult to say in which direction it will take the world as people, fed up with sanctions and restrictions, are resorting to violent protests against these across many nations.
The Governments are taking all precautionary measures to check the spread of the virus and safeguard their countrymen. It makes sense to wear a mask, maintain social distance and follow the rules.
100 years ago, the world was gripped by an epidemic “Spanish Flu”. The flu, which had originated in Europe, had spread around the world, killing more than 50 million people.
Over the past 100 years, the world has witnessed other outbreaks also like Swine Flu and Ebola.
The present-day “Corona” or “Covid-19” virus reportedly started from the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China and soon engulfed the entire world in its web.
Corona has affected all the people across the world cutting across all religions, languages, territories and regions.
The virus affected all, including children. With schools and colleges shut, students were forced to study from their homes. Though the schools have started in our country and children have started attending classes, the threat of the Corona virus still lingers and everyone has to be careful.
India’s population is four times that of the United States. Significantly, however, the US has more Corona cases than India. India has made a remarkable stride in its vaccination programme.
With vaccination of the people in full swing in almost all the countries, there is no guarantee that the virus will not raise its head again where the vaccination rate is 100 percent.
With a spike in the Corona cases witnessed in Europe and the US again, experts feel that India needs to be fully alert.
The only reason is that the festive and wedding season in India is in full swing. Masks are disappearing and there is no social distancing in such events/gatherings.
Doctors say India’s elderly and people with diabetes need to be extra careful. There is no shame in wearing a mask or keeping a distance of six feet.
If the corona spreads in the country again, it will see a repeat of the situation witnessed during the second wave.
“India no longer needs to be afraid of the third wave,” the director of the All India Medical Institute had said.
But. the truth of the matter is that the virus is very much still there.
The total number of corona cases in the world has reached close to 250 million.
The number of active cases is 1.97 crore.
Most worryingly, more than 6 million children worldwide have been infected with the virus in the last one-and-a-half to two years. In the United States alone, one million cases are reported daily.
