As India opens up completely after following strict COVID-safety protocols for over two years, many countries across the world are seeing a sudden surge in cases. But why there is a surge after such a long pause? The spike in cases across Asia and European countries has been blamed on the highly contagious Omicron (BA.1 and BA.2) variant. First detected in South Africa, the Omicron variant is now the dominant COVID strain worldwide.
Talking about the future, Dr. Mike Ryan, Exd, WHO health emergencies programme says that completely lifting up of restrictions can lead to major outbreaks in the future. Addressing a press meet, he said, “There could be a dangerous ‘double effect’ of opening up too quickly, given the high Omicron transmissibility being reported across the world.” He further added, “When you open up as quickly as some countries have, you will get that bounce in transmission. If you add to that the increased transmissibility of BA.2, then you can a double effect. In all of those countries that are focussed on vaccination of the most vulnerable people, it does not necessarily result in a massive increase in pressure on the health system.”
Worried enough? Dr. Ryan has, however, added that if countries maintain their vaccination status and keep following the protocols, then the situation can be kept under control and vaccination not only helps in keeping the infection rate under control but also helps the healthcare system to function normally. “Good surveillance and good tracking are linked to measures that reduce transmission and protect individuals.” Follow TheHealthSite.com for all the latest updates on COVID-19.
