Namrata Sharma

Just when the lockdowns were lifted and the people were slowly getting back to leading their normal lives, the COVID-19 virus reappears as a different variant. As research and treatment against the Delta variant was progressing and people were adapting to regulations related to it, the Omicron variant emerged in South Africa in November 2021. On November 26th WHO designated the variant B.1.1.529 a concern named Omicron as advised by their technical advisory group on virus evolution. So once more, the health experts are in a frenzy to understand the details of this new variant so as to determine what treatment is most appropriate.

“Development of the new variants and high transmissibility are the most challenging issues related to the ongoing pandemic. Omicron has been associated with increased transmissibility so we should be careful on hand hygiene, social distancing and mask use,” says Dr Kamal Thapa, HOD of Chest and Critical Care Department at Sumeru Hospital, Lalitpur. Dr Thapa is an expert in dealing with COVID-19 cases.

Since the discovery of this virus, the world was watching and feeling a bit relieved that there were no deaths caused by this variant. However, the joy was short-lived as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on 12th December 2021 that there had been a death in UK due to this variant. The British media has quoted the British PM as saying that everyone aged 18 and above in England will have the chance to get their booster vaccine before the end of the year to combat the threat of the rising Omicron variant cases.

Precautions
In Nepal, unfortunately, we probably cannot expect a drive for booster doses for all above 18 as in the UK. Therefore, the need to maintain all precautions related to curbing the pandemic as mentioned by Dr Thapa could be the only way to save us. With marriage and festival seasons ongoing in Nepal, there has been a slack in the home bound situations. People of all age groups are now out in the streets doing their daily chores. Most alarming is the fact that party palaces, hotels and restaurants are now filled up in celebration of social events and professional conferences. The schools and colleges have started opening all over the country.

According to the Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP), during the last 24 hours, the COVID-19 cases reported are 313, recovered 376 and deaths 3. According to Dr Sameer Adhikary of MOHP, two cases of infection by Omicron variant were detected in Nepal on December 6th, 2021. A 66-year-old foreign national, who was fully vaccinated, had arrived by air in Nepal on November 19th with a PCR negative report. He is expected to have infected a fully vaccinated 71- year- old Nepali male. According to the ministry they were tested on November 25th. Both the infected people are in quarantine and are monitored closely by the health officials.

Although the experts say that it is still too early to predict how Omicron affects people, there are suggestions that it is more adept at infecting people who've already had COVID-19 or multiple doses of the leading vaccines, and the heavily-mutated variant also has an uncanny knack for transmitting between people in the same household  “As we mostly live in joint families, the likelihood of the vulnerable elderly being exposed to the new variant is high,” says Dr Sabina Shah Pahari, a paediatrician. She states that the government should plan ahead and roll out booster shots for the elderlies and the high risk groups. “We don’t know yet how this is going to affect the paediatric population and schools should be urged to strictly adopt all the recommended precautions,” she opines. There is no room for complacency and it’s time to discipline ourselves once again to strictly observe the basic precautionary measures as masks, social distancing and hand hygiene she adds.

Sarah Otto, an expert in modelling and evolutionary biology with the University of British Columbia in Vancouver is quoted to say that she thinks, she hasn’t seen anything like Omicron in this pandemic yet, as it is capable of taking over in a matter of a few weeks.

Higher transmissibility
According to WHO, the Omicron variant has been reported in more than 60 countries and poses a very high global risk, with some evidence that it evades vaccine protection, but clinical data on its severity is still limited. In a technical brief of WHO released on December 12, 2021, considerable uncertainties surround Omicron, which was first detected in southern Africa and Hong Kong. It’s mutations may lead to higher transmissibility and more cases of COVID-19. WHO also mentions that there is evidence that the number of infected people by Omicron in South Africa has increased. While early findings suggest that this variant may be less severe than the Delta variant, more data is needed to determine whether Omicron is inherently less dangerous or not.

In Nepal, the normal traffic jams are back as people have started going out for education, work or other chores. It is important to remind all that the pandemic is not yet over. The most vulnerable to Omicron infection seem to be the elderly. However, due to the long separation from friends and families, the senior citizens are now starting to move around or even to travel briefly. It is important for the government to start booster doses, especially for the elderlies. Vaccination of all school-going children is a must now as pre-schools, middle schools and high schools have commenced physical classes.
But until then, it is important to wear masks and follow the precautions that the pandemic demands.

(Namrata Sharma is a journalist and women rights activist. namrata1964@yahoo.com Twitter handle: @NamrataSharmaP)