Omicron fears: Virologists suggest more Covid-19 tests: Siliguri being a transit point, they urge cautious approach from administration

SANKHA GHOSH, SNS, SILIGURI, 30 NOVEMBER, Virologists have stressed on more Covid tests to tackle any surge in cases due to Omicron, the mutated Covid virus designated by the World Health Organisation ( WHO) as a 'variant of concern.'

Though no case of the new strain has been found in India so far, the administration should be cautious when it comes to international travellers, they underlined.

The Centre has announced a revised set of guidelines for international travellers amid renewed fears over the new Covid variant. The Union health ministry said on Monday that one in every 20 international passengers front countries not on the high-risk list will be tested for Covid-19 on arrival in India.

"Siliguri is used as a transit point as tourists from abroad may travel to places like Darjeeling and Sikkim. There should he a very cautious approach on the part of the administration. At the

same time, there should be widespread testing," said the assistant professor of the microbiology department and in-charge of the virus research and diagnostic laboratory (VRDL) at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH), Dr Santanu Hazra.

The health ministry has asked states to activate rigorous surveillance and increase testing.

According to the Darjeeling district magistrate, S Ponnambalam, they will strictly follow the government's instructions on this.

The number of tests has gone down drastically at the VRDL, which can conduct around 2,500 tests per day. It now caters to Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. However, on Sunday, only 43 samples were tested there, sources said.

Public health specialists said that with the second wave that seems to be under control now, a sense of complacency had set in everywhere. They said there was no room for complacency as the future course of the pandemic was uncertain. They also underscored an aggressive vaccination drive and mask awareness drive.

The Omicron variant carries multiple mutations that scientists say appear to make the virus stronger against human immune responses.

According to Dr Hazra, there was no alternative to rigorously following the Covid appropriate behavior--wearing masks properly, maintaining physical distance and using hand sanitisers to prevent the transmission of the virus, and focus on vaccination.

"People should not panic but keep following the Covid protocols. The vaccination has reduced the severity of the disease, but it is too early to forecast the implications of B.1.1.529 on the current vaccines. The variant appears to have a high number of mutations- about 30-in the coronavirus' spike protein. We need to wait for a few more days to ascertain whether it has more severity or virulence or if it can evade vaccines," he added.

The Omicron is potentially more contagious than previous variants, although experts are trying to understand if it will cause more or less severe Covid- 19 compared to other strains.

"The newly-found variant, Omicron, also called B.1.1.529, has been declared as a variant of concern by the WH0, and preliminary studies have suggested that it is far more transmissible than the Delta variant, which had a devastating effect on India during the second Covid-19 wave. The highly infectious Delta variant was very prominent in South Africa even a few days ago, but now the Omicron is now dominating," said Dr Sanjay Mallik, the NBMCH superintendent, who is also associated with the microbiology department.

According to Dr Mallik, one of the major symptoms found in Omicron was fatigue, unlike the previous symptoms of Covid-19.

"The data is limited to predict its course so far and it is not known yet if Omicron is more lethal than earlier variants. It will be clearer in the days to come. Two of these mutations- R203K and G204R - help the virus replicate faster and three mutations - H655Y, N679K and P681H- can help it evade the body's immune response," he added.

He, however, said that studies have shown that the P681H was more resistant to vaccines.

"It is said that vaccines may be 40 percent less effective against Omicron," Dr Mallik said.

India has labelled European Union nations, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel as at-risk countries. The guidelines come into effect tomorrow.

Apart from Botswana and South Africa, the variant has been found in 13 other countries-Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and the UK.