Hamirpur (HP), Jan 5(FN Agency) Omicron should not be considered as a virus that causes the seasonal flu. This was stated by Dr. Naresh Purohit, Advisor – National Communicable Disease Control Programme during a webinar organized by Ner Chowk-based research institute. He said, “The most common symptoms of Omicron resemble symptoms of the common cold like runny nose, congestion, cough, and fatigue. But the two are not the same. COVID-19 and the common cold are caused by a different virus. COVID-19 is caused by SARS-CoV-2, a coronavirus that first emerged in 2019. The rhinovirus is the predominant cause of the common cold”.
Dr. Purohit told UNl here over the phone after addressing a webinar on Omicron havoc organized by the Ner Chowk based Atal Medical and Research University (AMRU) School of Public Health on Wednesday that every day there is a spike in Covid cases in the state and there is no denying the fact that we are in the midst of the Omicron driven third wave of the Covid-19 infection. Himachal Pradesh as of Wednesday reported 374 new Covid-19 positive cases on a higher side as compared to previous days. Dr. Purohit stated that WHO in a recent update has warned of the spike in cases of Omicron around the globe and this could increase the risk of a newer, more dangerous variant emerging. He said that the onset of Omicron should be a warning to us to not be complacent. Omicron is a reminder that the world continues to struggle against the pandemic. Dr. Purohit averred that the Omicron variant spreads anywhere from four to six times faster than the previous variants of the Coronavirus, making Omicron a force to reckon with, despite assurances by the health officials that it causes only mild symptoms in a few, and does not exhibit any symptoms in 90 percent of the people it infects. He expressed concern pointing that 90 percent of asymptomatic Covid infected persons can spread it to the 10 percent of the very vulnerable among the population, especially the elderly, and those who already suffer from other serious health conditions, complicating their health, and possibly resulting in requiring serious hospital care.
He cautioned that the soaring infection rates could have the opposite effect. “The more Omicron spreads, the more it transmits and the more it replicates, the more likely it is to throw out a new variant. Now, Omicron is lethal, it can even cause death” he added. Experts in the webinar said that asymptomatic and mild cases of Covid should be home-isolated so that other family members do not get infected. While the UK defines self-isolation as seven days, in the US, it is five days. For people who are elderly or have co-morbidities, consultation should be sought with a physician. They said further intervention will depend upon clinical and laboratory parameters. Experts speculated that India is likely to see an increasing number of cases in the coming weeks, with a likely peak by mid-February. This can get compounded by-election rallies in some states going to the polls. While there may not be as many severe cases this time as in the second wave, there are chances of panic and the likelihood of testing and emergency facilities being overwhelmed. Experts pointed that India has already recorded around 2,000 cases of Omicron. These numbers may not, however, be the true reflection of the actual figures since they are based on genome sequencing, which is being done for only about 1 percent of the cases. With poor compliance with Covid-appropriate behavior guidelines, India could see a rapid increase in the numbers.