Experts in India urge caution as new coronavirus variant emerges in South Africa

With a new coronavirus variant detected in South Africa, scientists and health experts in India have said that new waves of infection are anticipated and unless we act quickly and efficiently, the country will possibly see repeat waves.

India has better tools in hand now compared to two years ago, said Vinod Scaria, scientist at CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB). He added the country, however, had to improve its vaccination drive, public health measures, health infrastructure and genomic surveillance to be better prepared..

Time was valuable and we cannot afford to lose it, he explained, adding that India had the best tools at hand, vaccines and public health measures including masks, distancing and ventilation. Unfortunately, there was a global inequity of vaccines.

“We have to use our precious time to vaccinate all eligible people with two doses at least. Closing the gap in the unvaccinated and second dose in the 45+ age group could provide a unique opportunity to minimise COVID-19 deaths,” he said.

Dr. Scaria added that boosters would not help when a larger proportion of the world has not got even one dose..

India has been successful in administering more than 100 crore vaccinated doses, which is a great achievement in terms of the huge population but mostly these are single dose and not the complete two doses of vaccination, which can be effective in fighting the new strain, if it gets in India, said Ankita Baidya of infectious diseases department, HCMCT Manipal Hospitals.

Dr. Baidya added that viruses tend to mutate and the only way out was to strengthen and be prepared with the healthcare infrastructure to tackle and treat.