New Delhi: The coronavirus outbreak has started again. This time, Covid cases have increased in Singapore. Cases of Covid variants called LF.7 and NB.1.8 are increasing here. Together, these two variants are responsible for about two-thirds of the cases here. India has also been panicking over the increasing corona outbreak in Asia. On this, India's leading epidemiologist Dr. Raman Ganga Khedkar has said that if the number of hospitalized patients or deaths does not increase, then there is no need to panic. In an interview (reference), Dr. Ganga Khedkar said that these two variants are related to the Omicron variant subtype and the JN.1 variant, which itself is a part of Omicron BA.2.86. The WHO has previously said that JN.1 and similar variants have the ability to evade the immune system, but there is no hard evidence yet that they cause more severe disease than the older Omicron variant.
Doctors say that because it is an RNA virus, it can mutate and create new variants. Such Omicron-related variants are also being seen in other countries. As long as the virus does not cause more deaths or more cases of severe illness, there is no need to panic. Just because the number of cases is increasing does not mean that the situation is getting worse.
Symptoms of the JN. 1 variant
These types of symptoms are 'mild to moderate'. Some of the symptoms associated with the JN.1 variant include sore throat, fever, runny nose, dry cough, fatigue, headache and loss of taste or smell.
Corona variant is changing its form
Dr. Ganga Khedkar said that the world is currently going through 'convergent evolution', that is, the virus is changing itself so that it can escape the effects of drugs and vaccines. This virus adapts itself in such a way that it can spread rapidly and survive without killing people. This is its way - spread quickly, make copies and reach the next person.
Danger in new variants
He said, 'If there is a sudden increase in cases, then the production of this vaccine can be increased.' But there is nothing to worry about now. We must accept that Covid has now become a local disease. The elderly and people with weak immune systems should only take precautions like washing hands, wearing masks and avoiding crowds.
Is a booster dose needed
Dr. Ganga Khedkar said that as long as there is no major risk from the virus, there is no need for a booster dose, not even for the elderly. He said that we still don't have any solid scientific data to support the need for booster doses. In addition, there is no need for genome sequencing right now. It is expensive and should only be done when hospitalizations or deaths start
to increase.
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