A new variant of Covid -19, B.1.1.529 is named Omicron. It is a dangerous mutant of the Coronaviruses and has 7 times more spreadability than the delta virus. It is more asymptomatic due to less diagnosed symptoms just like light fever and tiredness. There is no loss of smelling power and hunger etc. It seems very common flue but shown fast effect than the past many variants. However, many experts say that it has no major health hazard especially for those who have been fully vaccinated.
India has prepared a list for high alert countries, the screening will be done very strictly to the passenger who will come from that countries. An abnormal mutation has been observed in the Omicron virus. Till date, it has spread to 16 countries. It includes African countries, Europe, Canada, Australia, Hongkong, Israel, Netherland, Switzerland, Italy, Botswana, etc. It has been reported that it spread very fast and will take less time in spreading than the Delta virus.
The mutation in viruses is a natural phenomenon and the protein spikes that consist of RNA keep on changing resulting formation of new strains or mutants. WHO has considered it as a Variant of Concern (VOC). Not only this but also WHO has kept the five variants in the list of Variant of Concern. These are alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron. The alpha variant has been first of all seen in the United Kingdom on 18 December, 2020; Beta variant in South Africa on 18 December, 2020; Gamma has been seen in Brazil on 11 January, 2021; Delta had been reported from India on 11th May, 2021 and Omicron is from many countries from 26 November, 2021.
However, more information is not available for the Omicron variant. Research is still going on. The scientist has told, it is very dangerous but still, they don't know how many percent of people need hospitalization or which age group of people will be more affected due to this variant. The information of the new variant is dependent upon genome sequencing. As much as genome sequencing is done, the variant of the new virus will be exposed. Till today, omicron has attained 32 mutants.
India has made new guidelines for the new arrival of passengers from other countries and that guideline will be implemented from the 1st December 2021. In this guideline, the arriving people will take the RT-PCR test at the airport itself that also with their own expenditure and have to stay at the airport till the report comes. If the report comes as negative even though they have to follow 7+7 quarantine formulae. This means they have to stay at the airport for 7 days and after they get a negative report again they have to stay at home for more than 7 days. At intervals of 7 days, the patient is to take again the RT-PCR test for the negative result. So, the total days of quarantine will be 14 days. If any person is found positive at the airport then, the sample of those people would be sent for genome sequencing so that it would be known that which type of variant affecting to the person.
The contact tracing will be necessary for such a patient and for that three rows of the front and back passenger would have to cross from the RT-PCR test and cabin crew members should also be checked for corona test. A person who wishes to travel via airport has to show their negative report and RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours. the passenger who comes from ships also follows the same protocols.
Some study shows that the new variant of this omicron virus can break vaccinated immunity too. Dr. Ranveer Guleria, Director AIIMS has told that the changes observe in the virus's spike protein. Scientists from South Africa told that this variant is more infectious but not dangerous like other variants already come last year.
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