Another Covid Variant With High Number Of Mutations Surfaces To Cause Worry
By A Special Correspondent
First publised on 2021-11-26 03:30:26
About the Author
The Centre has issued an advisory to all states and UTs to screen travelers, including transit passengers, from Botswana, South Africa and Hong Kong after the discovery of B.1.1.529, the new Covid variant which has caused an exponential rise in the number of cases in these countries. South Africa has reported a ten-fold increase in fresh Covid cases in November.
World Health Organization (WHO) is to hold a technical meeting to study the data from across the world regarding this variant to decide whether it should be placed in the "interest" or "concern" category. The problem is that this variant has a large number of mutations and hence more details are required before its classification.
Studies so far have also not been clear on whether the variant infects the unvaccinated or is equally dangerous for persons who have taken one dose of the Covid vaccine or are even fully vaccinated. But since the variant has been infecting people and has many mutations, it is dangerous as it can spread fast and cause another wave of Covid infections.
Hence, WHO has to classify it fast and all countries must take measures to screen visitors from these countries. The main concern in Covid is to stop the spread of the virus and even one infected person allowed to roam free might start a wave of infections. The first priority of Botswana, South Africa and Hong Kong must be to prevent infected persons from travelling abroad and of other countries to screen visitors, put them in isolation and allow them only after they test negative.
While vaccination has started to achieve the desired results and a slowdown in the spread of the virus is visible in many countries including India, the threat from new variants remains, especially as international travel is fast returning to normal. The need is for all countries to be on guard and screen travelers to prevent infected persons from entering their country.
