Worrying prospect: The news on Omicron is worrying for India. It wouldn’t seem so, immediately given the scattered few cases that have surfaced in India and a widely held belief that this mutation is more contagious but less dangerous. But over the weekend Britain has seen the first cases of hospitalisation from Omicron. The move from a few scattered cases to a lethal sweep can be devastatingly swift. Already we know this new mutation can be more serious than just another kind of flu that many were quick, too quick, to call it.
Vaccine woes: Down the line, the signals for India coming from the UK are even more worrying. It seems from early studies that AstraZeneca is not very effective against Omicron. India has mostly of course been going with AstraZeneca under its name Covishield. Covaxin is a similar vaccine. The study finds that taking a third dose of Pfizer is the best bet against Omicron. It is frightening to think it will take the prohibitively costly Pfizer to stop the spread in India.
Small window: The Omicron wave is expected to peak in Britain in January. That would suggest that anyone who wishes to travel to India, or return to India from the UK, would do well to travel promptly. The seven-day quarantine at home at present might look like a picnic in the face of what is expected to follow. With Omicron spreading the way it is, it could be a matter of time before flights from Britain are stopped altogether.
Odd numbers: The numbers coming out of Britain are deceptive at present for the oddest, and a very British reason. As these go, the number of cases has come down over the past three days from about 58,000 to 54,000 to about 48,000 on Sunday. But nobody is concluding that the numbers really are coming down. The numbers reported are coming down because down the medical line most people don’t work on weekends. The true test will be the Covid call on Tuesday. If that comes down, it would be good news beyond belief at present.
Taking the lead: Indian officials in London have been among those taking a lead in beating Omicron without going into hiding. A group has been engaged to carry out a nasal swab on guests arriving at an event. The swab is dipped into a vial of magic water to give a result straight away. This means that those arriving are perhaps in the safest place there could be, in a closed gathering of the negative.
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