New Delhi: Though the spread rate of Omicron is five times higher than the usual variants of the coronavirus that causes the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), there is an overall relief in medical circles worldwide because of the fact that the death toll from its infection is nil as of now, both in India and abroad.
The presence of Omicron has already been confirmed in almost 40 countries, including India. In some countries, the presence of the new variant has acquired the proportion of a social spread.
But at the global level, there were no deaths reported due to the new variant. The number of persons who were admitted to hospital due to this variant is also lesser compared to the Gamma, Beta and Alpha variants of the virus. But the World Health Organisation (WHO) has pointed out that it will take a few weeks' time to get an idea of the pattern in which Omicron spreads.
The WHO has also warned of a new scenario in which more than half of the COVID-19 cases to be reported in Europe and Africa in the next few months would be that of Omicron.
Though the presence of Omicron may lead to a third COVID-19 wave in India, it would not be problematic like the earlier two waves. Even if the third wave becomes intense, it can be effectively dealt with by the government by ensuring the availability of adequate numbers of oxygen cylinders and other facilities in hospitals.
(Coronavirus disease or COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-associated Coronavirus-2 or SARS-CoV-2. Omicron is a new variant of the virus detected in South Africa recently. SARS-CoV-2 is a member of a large family of viruses called coronaviruses.)
Likely symptoms
According to Union Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal, the main symptom found among those infected with Omicron in India is severe body pain. Slight muscle pain, sore throat and dry cough are other symptoms generally found among Omicron patients. Some people also have slight fever.
Meanwhile, the policy advisory panel of the WHO is likely to defer a decision on announcing a booster dose stage at this juncture since the administration of vaccines among the public in backward countries have not even touched 10 percent of total population.
Earlier, the WHO has proposed giving booster doses for those belonging to the risk category and those who are easily vulnerable to getting the disease.
MAIN COVID VARIANTS AND PECULIARITIES
DELTA
•Spread rate is one-and-a-half times higher than other variants
•Vaccines are effective in containing intensity of disease
•Rate of recurrence is lesser than other variants
•It will be seriously hit if proper treatment is not given
ALFA
•Spread rate is half compared to Beta
•Vaccines are effective
•Chances of danger are 60 percent
•Recurrence of disease is lesser compared to other variants
•Variant was first detected in UK
BETA
•Spread rate is lesser than Alfa
•Certain vaccines are not effective
•Variant was first detected in South Africa
•Chances of recurrence are high
GAMA
•Chances of spread are high
•Certain vaccines are less effective
•Chances of recurrence are high
•Variant was first detected in Brazil
OMICRON
•Chances of spread are five times higher than other variants
•Effectiveness of vaccines is doubtful
•Preliminary study points to chances of recurrence
•Variant was first detected in South Africa
•Studies say chances of variant getting fatal are less
