Jalandhar, Jan 17 (FN Agency) Omicron is likely to cause infections to both vaccinated as well as unvaccinated people. The World Health Organization reported 15 million new Covid-19 cases globally for the week of January 3-9, a 55 per cent increase from the previous week. India urgently needs a comprehensive Covid-19 plan, from now till the end of the year, with scenario mapping and responses. This should consist of daily public communication, rapid testing and scaling up home support services, expanding tele medicine and shoring up the health infrastructure, recruiting more health personnel and also pay those at the front lines better. Accompanying this must be a rapid expansion of the vaccination plan which is inadequate. National Communicable Disease Control Programme – Advisor, Dr Naresh Purohit told UNI here after addressing a webinar on Combating Omicron Surge organised by the Pathankot based Chintpurni Medical College on Sunday, that even though COVID is a communicable disease, its worst effects are visible in those with non- communicable diseases– cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, obesity and chronic respiratory diseases.
Front line Covid warrior Dr Purohit said that with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic the need of the hour is to create more awareness regarding preventive healthcare. He averred that the recent surge in Covid–19 cases and the threat of Omicron variant has once again led to restrictions and shutting down of public places including gyms, employees have again returned to ‘work from home’ and students are back to online classes mandating the long sitting and screening sharing hours at the cost of numerous health problems. Hence, it is pertinent to keep the mind and body healthy and abstaining from illness by following the work-from-home healthy lifestyle through practicing Yoga. Experts in the webinar said that the pandemic has made us stronger than ever before. With a stronger mind, body, coping mechanisms we know that we will get through this storm like we did before and this too shall pass.