Omicron
India makes 7-day quarantine mandatory for overseas arrivals
India on Friday set out new Covid-19 rules, making a seven-day quarantine mandatory for all international passengers. The rules effective January 11 come in the wake of an exponential rise in Omicron cases across the country.
And after undergoing home isolation for a week, the Indian Health Ministry said, all such passengers flying in from abroad will have to take an RT-PCR test. If anyone tests positive, they will be sent to an isolation facility for treatment.
Those who test negative will have to self-monitor their health for another week, according to the latest rules.
Read: India logs 90,928 new COVID-19 cases
The Ministry also added more countries to the list of "at-risk" nations -- South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, China, Ghana, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Hong Kong, Israel, Congo, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Nigeria, Tunisia, and Zambia.
Those arriving from these 19 "at-risk" nations will be required to submit samples for Covid testing at the airport itself. They will not be allowed to leave the airport till their results come.
On the other hand, people arriving in India from countries other than "at risk" nations also face the prospect of an RT-PCR examination as airport authorities will pick two percent of such passengers randomly for Covid test, as per the latest Health Ministry rules.
Meanwhile, on Friday, the country reported a whopping 1,17,100 new coronavirus cases and as many as 302 fresh deaths in 24 hours. The new infections pushed up the country's total coronavirus tally to 3,52,26,386.
Of the new infections, over 3,000 were of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, as per the latest figures released by the Health Ministry.
Just two days ago, India reported its first Omicron death in the northwestern state of Rajasthan's Udaipur city. The Omicron victim -- identified as 73-year-old Laxminarayan Nagar -- tested positive for Covid on December 15.
The man who had multiple comorbidities but was doubly vaccinated, succumbed to the Omicron strain of the coronavirus in the early hours of December 31, according to officials.
Omicron has been classified as "a variant of concern" by the World Health Organisation.
Read:India-made RT-PCR kit to detect Omicron gets approval: Centre
Alarmed by the rising Omicron cases, India's federal government two weeks ago warned states that "the variant is three times more transmissible than the Delta" and directed them to take action to rein in its spread.
Earlier last month, India's civil aviation regulator backtracked on its decision to resume regular international flights from December 15.
The government put curbs on all flights in March 2020 following the Covid-induced lockdown. However, it allowed domestic flights from May 2020, and the entry of foreigners except tourists from October.
Police HQ issues guidelines to protect force from Omicron
As the Covid cases continue to surge, the Police headquarters issued a 21-point guideline to keep its members protected from infection by the new variant of the Covid virus, Omicron.
The directive was signed by AIG (Operations-2) of Bangladesh Police Headquarters Mohammad Ullah on Wednesday.
According to the directive, every policeman must wear mask, gloves, headcover, face shield etc. while on duty.
Hand sanitizer should be used from time to time while performing duty and hands should be cleaned with soap / hand wash at the end of regular duty.
In case of Covid-19 (Omicron) symptoms, treatment should be arranged at the isolation center.
Every policeman has to get the Covid-19 vaccine as soon as possible. In this case, unit in charge has to ensure vaccination of police and non-police members.
The ‘No Mask No Service’ and ‘No Mask No Entry’ instructions have to Comply with in all police units and has to arrange masks where applicable.
In all cases of duty, physical distance (at least 3 feet or 1 meter), sneezing-coughing etiquette and hygiene must be following.
Measurement of body temperature and hand washing / sanitation for service recipients and visitors entering the police establishment has to be ensured.
The use of personal hygiene items (masks, hand gloves, hand sanitizers, etc.) for each police member must be ensured.
Weapons, handcuffs, riot gear, hand mic, metal detectors, archways, etc. used in operational work must be properly disinfected.
Before entering the residence at the end of duty, everyone has to thoroughly disinfect uniforms and shoes and take a bath with soap.
Read: Primary school headmasters to get grade 10 pay scale: SC
Before entering dining room, canteen, recreation room, roll call, and after returning from duty, everyone has to maintaining social and physical distance in the gathering place and ensuring use of protective gear must be ensured.
Covid-19 positive members have to be treated at central / divisional / district police hospitals and local hospitals as per the doctor's advice.
Unit in-charge has to take immediate step in case of emergency transfer of the patient.
Awareness briefing has to give during roll call following the SOP (Standard Operation Procedure) guidelines issued by the Police Headquarters for prevention of Covid-19 infection.
Police members have to follow the Covid-19 related instructions, given earlier, in properly and sincerely
All members of each police unit must ensure that they receive the Covid-19 (booster dose) vaccine in coordination with the local health administration etc.
India logs 90,928 new COVID-19 cases
In India, the third wave of the pandemic seems to have set in.
On Thursday, the country reported a whopping 91,000 new Covid cases and as many as 325 deaths in 24 hours. The Indian capital alone recorded over 15,000 cases of coronavirus -- a 41% spike in just a day.
Of the 90,928 Covid cases logged pan-India in 24 hours that took the total case count to 351,09,286, as many as 2,630 were of the Omicron variant, as per the official figures released by the Indian Health Ministry.
Delhi, on the other hand, recorded its biggest single-day spike in eight months, as 15,097 fresh infections were recorded in 24 hours. The infection figure was 10,665 on Wednesday.
Read: India-made RT-PCR kit to detect Omicron gets approval: Centre
The national capital's positivity rate also surged past 15%, as per the government statistics.
Just a day before, the country reported its first Omicron death in the northwestern state of Rajasthan's Udaipur city, as the country recorded 58,097 fresh Covid cases and 534 fatalities in 24 hours.
The Omicron victim -- identified as 73-year-old Laxminarayan Nagar -- tested positive for Covid on December 15. A subsequent genome sequencing of his blood samples confirmed that the man had contracted the Omicron strain, according to health officials.
The man who had comorbidities but was doubly vaccinated, succumbed to the Omicron strain of the coronavirus in the early hours of December 31, according to the officials.
Omicron has been classified as "a variant of concern" by the World Health Organisation.
Alarmed by the rising Omicron cases, India's federal government two weeks ago warned states that "the variant is three times more transmissible than the Delta" and directed them to take action to rein in its spread.
Read:India reports first Omicron death
Earlier last month, India's civil aviation regulator backtracked on its decision to resume regular international flights from December 15.
The government put curbs on all flights in March 2020 following the Covid-induced lockdown. However, it allowed domestic flights from May 2020, and the entry of foreigners except tourists from October.
Release of 'Shaan' postponed
As the Omicron variant of the ongoing COVID-19 is slowly but surely affecting lives in Bangladesh, the much-anticipated police action thriller film 'Shaan's theatrical release got postponed on Wednesday.
This came as a shock to many as the announcement came just after the day of 'Shaan's gala press meet on Tuesday night in the capital.
When contacted, 'Shaan's director M Raahim told UNB that the team had taken this decision after evaluating the present situation of the Omicron variant and its latest surge in the country.
"Yes, that's true. We had to take this decision, considering the current circumstances. As heartbroken as we all currently are, we took this decision because we don't want to see our audience taking any risk to watch 'Shaan' in the theatres," Raahim told UNB.
When this correspondent asked if there's any tentative plan to release the film on any OTT platform in the near future, Raahim told UNB that everyone in the 'Shaan' team wants the movie to hit the theatres first, as it was made to cater the theatre-based moviegoers and satisfy their cravings to see a complete action thriller on the big screen.
"This is my debut film for which I have been working and waiting for over three years now, so you understand my emotional situation at this moment. We really became this close to experience the big release together, but considering the current circumstances I can surely say that I am all in for this decision as it was made for the safety of our beloved moviegoers. We really want to see their reactions at the theatres, and we are hoping for a better future at this moment," Raahim told UNB.
On Wednesday night, 'Shaan's digital team announced the decision through a post on the film's official Facebook page.
"We deeply respect the anticipation of our beloved fans, who have been waiting for so long to watch 'Shaan'. That being said, the first priority of team 'Shaan' is our audience and their wellbeing, during this challenging period. We must ensure our victory against the Omicron variant, and to accomplish that we need to keep fighting with patience in the upcoming days, so we are postponing and rescheduling the release date of 'Shaan' for now," the Facebook post said.
Produced by Filman Entertainment, 'Shaan' is based on true incident of breathtaking operations against human trafficking. Azad Khan, Superintendent of Bangladesh Police, wrote the story of the film.
India reports first Omicron death
India Wednesday reported its first known Omicron death in the northwestern city of Udaipur, as the country recorded a whopping 58,097 fresh Covid cases and 534 fatalities in 24 hours.
The Omicron victim -- identified as 73-year-old Laxminarayan Nagar -- tested positive for Covid on December 15. A subsequent genome sequencing of his blood samples confirmed that the man had contracted the Omicron strain, health officials said.
The man who had comorbidities but was doubly vaccinated, succumbed to the Omicron strain of the coronavirus in the early hours of December 31, according to the officials.
READ: Biden urges concern but not alarm in US as omicron rises
Meanwhile, India logged 58,097 new Covid cases in 24 hours, taking the total caseload to 3,50,18,358, as per the latest Health Ministry data. Wednesday's Covid figures were 55% higher than that of Tuesday's.
Of the total Covid cases logged in 24 hours, officials said that 2,135 were of the Omicron variant -- with Maharashtra in western India and the national capital recording 653 and 464 cases of the variant, respectively.
Omicron has been classified as "a variant of concern" by the World Health Organisation.
However, the overall Covid recovery rate has been 98%, with nearly 15,400 people having recovered in 24 hours, as per the Health Ministry data.
Alarmed by the rising Omicron cases, India's federal government two weeks ago warned states that "the variant is three times more transmissible than the Delta" and directed them to take action to rein in its spread.
Earlier last month, India's civil aviation regulator backtracked on its decision to resume regular international flights from December 15.
READ: Global Covid cases near 295 million as Omicron spreads
The government put curbs on all flights in March 2020 following the Covid-induced lockdown. However, it allowed domestic flights from May 2020, and the entry of foreigners except tourists from October.
COVID case counts may be losing importance amid omicron
The explosive increase in U.S. coronavirus case counts is raising alarm, but some experts believe the focus should instead be on COVID-19 hospital admissions. And those aren’t climbing as fast.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, for one, said Sunday on ABC that with many infections causing few or no symptoms, “it is much more relevant to focus on the hospitalizations as opposed to the total number of cases.” Other experts argue that case counts still have value.
As the super-contagious omicron variant rages across the U.S., new COVID-19 cases per day have more than tripled over the past two weeks, reaching a record-shattering average of 480,000. Schools, hospitals and airlines are struggling as infected workers go into isolation.
Meanwhile, hospital admissions averaged 14,800 per day last week, up 63% from the week before, but still short of the peak of 16,500 per day a year ago, when the vast majority of the U.S. was unvaccinated. Deaths have been stable over the past two weeks at an average of about 1,200 per day, well below the all-time high of 3,400 last January.
Also read: FDA paves way for Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations in young kids
Public health experts suspect that those numbers, taken together, reflect the vaccine’s continued effectiveness at preventing serious illness, even against omicron, as well as the possibility that the variant does not make most people as sick as earlier versions.
Omicron accounted for 95% of new coronavirus infections in the U.S. last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday, in another indication of how astonishingly fast the variant has spread since it was first detected in South Africa in late November.
Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, director of ICAP, a global health center at Columbia University, said the case count does not appear to be the most important number now.
Instead, she said, the U.S. at this stage of the pandemic should be “shifting our focus, especially in an era of vaccination, to really focus on preventing illness, disability and death, and therefore counting those.”
Also read: Pfizer asks FDA to OK COVID-19 booster shots for all adults
Daily case counts and their ups and downs have been one of the most closely watched barometers during the outbreak and have been a reliable early warning sign of severe disease and death in previous coronavirus waves.
But they have long been considered an imperfect measure, in part because they consist primarily of laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19, not the actual number of infections out there, which is almost certainly many times higher.
The daily case counts are also subject to wild swings. The number of new cases recorded on Monday topped an unprecedented 1 million, a figure that may reflect cases that had been held up by reporting delays over the holiday weekend. The seven-day rolling average is considered more reliable.
Now, the value of the daily case count is being called into question as never before.
For one thing, the skyrocketing increase reflects, at least in part, an omicron-induced stampede among many Americans to get tested before holiday gatherings, and new testing requirements at workplaces and at restaurants, theaters and other sites.
Also, the true number of infections is probably much higher than the case count because the results of the at-home tests that Americans are rushing to use are not added to the official tally, and because long waits have discouraged some people from lining up to get swabbed.
But also, case numbers seem to yield a less useful picture of the pandemic amid the spread of omicron, which is causing lots of infections but so far does not appear to be as severe in its effects.
Case counts have lost relevance, said Andrew Noymer, a public health professor at the University of California, Irvine.
“Hospitalizations are where the rubber meets the road,” Noymer said. “It’s a more objective measure.” He added: “If I had to choose one metric, I would choose the hospitalization data.”
Even hospital numbers aren’t a perfect reflection of disease severity because they include patients admitted for other health problems who happen to test positive for the coronavirus.
Keeping track of COVID-19 admissions can tell doctors something about the seriousness of the virus and also the capacity of hospitals to deal with the crisis. That, in turn, can help health leaders determine where to shift equipment and other resources.
Still, health experts are not prepared to do away with case counts.
“We should not abandon looking at case numbers,” said Dr. Eric Topol, head of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, “but it is important to acknowledge we’re seeing only a portion of the actual number of cases.”
Ali Mokdad, a professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, said that for each new infection detected, the U.S. is missing two cases. But he said tracking the number of positive test results is still important as omicron makes its way across the land.
Case numbers can point to future hot spots and indicate whether a wave of infection has peaked, Mokdad said.
Also, case counts will continue to be important to people who are vulnerable because of age or health reasons and need a sense of the virus’ spread in their communities so they can make decisions about precautions, he said. Hospitals, schools and businesses need to plan for absences.
“To give up on knowing if cases are going up or down, it’s flying blind. How can we as a country not know the epidemic curve for infection?” Mokdad said.
If testing has lost its relevance, he said, it is because the U.S. never developed a way to consistently and reliably monitor infections.
“It’s not acceptable to cover failure by changing the rules,” he said.
FDA expands Pfizer boosters for more teens as omicron surges
The U.S. is expanding COVID-19 boosters as it confronts the omicron surge, with the Food and Drug Administration allowing extra Pfizer shots for children as young as 12.
Boosters already are recommended for everyone 16 and older, and federal regulators on Monday decided they’re also warranted for 12- to 15-year-olds once enough time has passed since their last dose.
But the move, coming as classes restart after the holidays, isn’t the final step. A panel to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to decide later this week whether to recommend boosters for the younger teens with a final decision by Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC’s director.
The FDA also said everyone 12 and older who's eligible for a Pfizer booster can get one as early as five months after their last dose rather than six months.
FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said even though serious illness is uncommon in younger teens, a booster will help them avoid that risk — while also helping reduce the spread of omicron or any other coronavirus mutant.
“Hopefully this will be not just a call for people to go get their booster shot,” but for the tens of millions of unvaccinated Americans to rethink that choice, Marks said. “It's not too late to start to get vaccinated.”
Also read: FDA paves way for Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations in young kids
The FDA based its latest booster decision largely on real-world data from Israel that found no new safety concerns when 6,300 12- to 15-year-olds got a Pfizer booster five months after their second dose.
Likewise, the FDA said even more data from Israel showed no problems with giving anyone eligible for a Pfizer booster that extra dose a month sooner than the six months that until now has been U.S. policy.
The chief safety question for younger teens is a rare side effect called myocarditis, a type of heart inflammation seen mostly in younger men and teen boys who get either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. The vast majority of cases are mild — far milder than the heart inflammation caused by COVID-19 — and they seem to peak in older teens, the 16- and 17-year-olds.
Marks said the side effect occurs in about 1 in 10,000 men and boys ages 16 to 30 after their second shot — but that a third dose appears less risky, by about a third. That's probably because more time has passed before the booster than between the first two shots, he said.
While the FDA didn’t consult its independent scientific advisers before making that decision, the CDC's own advisory panel is sure to closely weigh how much benefit this age group is likely to get before backing the extra shot.
Vaccines still offer strong protection against serious illness from any type of COVID-19. But health authorities are urging everyone who’s eligible to get a booster dose for their best chance at avoiding milder breakthrough infections from the highly contagious omicron mutant.
Children tend to suffer less serious illness from COVID-19 than adults. But child hospitalizations are rising during the omicron wave -- most of them unvaccinated.
Pediatrician and global health expert Dr. Philip Landrigan of Boston College welcomed the FDA's decisions, but stressed that the main need is to get the unvaccinated their first shots.
“It is among unvaccinated people that most of the severe illness and death from COVID will occur in coming weeks,” he said in an email. "Many thousands of lives could be saved if people could persuade themselves to get vaccinated.”
Also read: Pfizer asks FDA to OK COVID-19 booster shots for all adults
The vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech is the only U.S. option for children of any age. About 13.5 million 12- to 17-year-olds — just over half that age group — have received two Pfizer shots, according to the CDC.
For families hoping to keep their children as protected as possible, the booster age limit raised questions.
The older teens, 16- and 17-year-olds, became eligible for boosters in early December. But original vaccinations opened for the younger teens, those 12 to 15, back in May. That means those first in line in the spring, potentially millions, are about as many months past their last dose as the slightly older teens.
As for even younger children, kid-size doses for 5- to 11-year-olds rolled out more recently, in November -- and experts say healthy youngsters should be protected after their second dose for a while. But the FDA also said Monday that if children that young have severely weakened immune systems, they will be allowed a third dose 28 days after their second. That’s the same third-dose timing already recommended for immune-compromised teens and adults.
Pfizer is studying its vaccine, in even smaller doses, for children younger than 5.
What about timing of boosters for adults who got the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines?
The FDA said it didn’t have any new data from Moderna to back a timing change and people who’d already had two Moderna shots should continue to wait six months for a booster. As for people who originally got the single-dose J&J shot, the U.S. already recommends another dose of any vaccine two months later.
Global Covid cases surpass 292 million amid Omicron spread
The overall number of global coronavirus cases has surged past 292 million amid rapid surge in infections due to the Omicron variant.
According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 292,394,085 while the death toll from the virus reached 5,448,778 until Tuesday morning.
The US has recorded 56,149,558 cases so far and more than 827,726 people have died from the virus in the country, the university data shows.
Across the U.S., new Covid-19 cases have tripled in the past two weeks to over 400,000 a day, the highest level on record, amid a rush by many Americans to get tested, reports AP.
Brazil, which has been experiencing a new wave of cases since January last year, registered 22,305,078 cases as of Tuesday and its Covid death toll rose to 619,245.
Also read: CDC mulling COVID test requirement for asymptomatic: Fauci
India's Covid-19 tally rose to 34,958 ,768 on Monday, as 35,886 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, showed the federal health ministry's latest data.
Besides, 123 deaths due to the pandemic reported since Sunday morning took the total death toll to 481,893.
Meanwhile, a total of 1,700 cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus have been detected across 23 states and Union Territories so far, out of which 639 have recovered or migrated, according to the India’s health ministry's data updated on Monday..
According to WHO’s figures, the number of Covid-19 cases recorded worldwide increased by 11% last week compared with the previous week, with nearly 4.99 million newly reported from Dec. 20-26. New cases in Europe — which accounted for more than half of the total — were up 3% while those in the Americas rose 39% and there was a 7% increase in Africa. The global gain followed a gradual increase since October.
Situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh reported 674 more Covid-19 infections with four more deaths linked to it in 24 hours till Monday morning.
The country’s daily cases crossed 600 last on October 8, 2021 with the logging of 645 cases and seven deaths.
With the detection of fresh cases after testing 19,980 samples, the daily case positivity rose to 3.37 per cent from Sunday’s 2.91 per cent during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The fresh numbers took the country’s total fatalities to 28,081 while the caseload mounted to 15,87,140.
Also read: Covid-19 in Bangladesh: Daily cases surge past 600 after 3 months
Of the 17 deaths recorded from December 27 to January 2, some 29.4 per cent received Covid vaccines while 70.6 percent did not, the DGHS mentioned.
Comorbidities among the deceased patients increased 0.5 per cent this week compared to the previous one. Comorbidity means the simultaneous presence of two or more diseases or medical conditions in a patient.
Meanwhile, the mortality rate remained static at 1.77 per cent during the period.
Besides, the recovery rate declined to 97.65 per cent with the recovery of 214 more patients during the 24-hour period.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s total tally of Omicron cases stood at 10 with detection of three cases on Friday, according to GISAID, a global initiative on sharing all influenza data.
On December 9, Bangladesh again logged zero Covid-related death after nearly three weeks as the pandemic was apparently showing signs of easing.
The country reported this year’s first zero Covid-related death in a single day on November 20 along with 178 infections since the pandemic broke out in Bangladesh in March 2020.
Bangladesh reported the highest number of daily fatalities of 264 on August 10 this year, while the highest daily caseload was 16,230 on July 28 this year.
How will pandemic end? Omicron clouds forecasts for endgame
Pandemics do eventually end, even if omicron is complicating the question of when this one will. But it won’t be like flipping a light switch: The world will have to learn to coexist with a virus that’s not going away.
The ultra-contagious omicron mutant is pushing cases to all-time highs and causing chaos as an exhausted world struggles, again, to stem the spread. But this time, we’re not starting from scratch.
Vaccines offer strong protection from serious illness, even if they don’t always prevent a mild infection. Omicron doesn’t appear to be as deadly as some earlier variants. And those who survive it will have some refreshed protection against other forms of the virus that still are circulating — and maybe the next mutant to emerge, too.
The newest variant is a warning about what will continue to happen “unless we really get serious about the endgame,” said Dr. Albert Ko, an infectious disease specialist at the Yale School of Public Health.
“Certainly COVID will be with us forever,” Ko added. “We’re never going to be able to eradicate or eliminate COVID, so we have to identify our goals.”
At some point, the World Health Organization will determine when enough countries have tamped down their COVID-19 cases sufficiently — or at least, hospitalizations and deaths — to declare the pandemic officially over. Exactly what that threshold will be isn’t clear.
Even when that happens, some parts of the world still will struggle — especially low-income countries that lack enough vaccines or treatments — while others more easily transition to what scientists call an “endemic” state.
They’re fuzzy distinctions, said infectious disease expert Stephen Kissler of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He defines the endemic period as reaching “some sort of acceptable steady state” to deal with COVID-19.
The omicron crisis shows we’re not there yet but “I do think we will reach a point where SARS-CoV-2 is endemic much like flu is endemic,” he said.
For comparison, COVID-19 has killed more than 800,000 Americans in two years while flu typically kills between 12,000 and 52,000 a year.
Exactly how much continuing COVID-19 illness and death the world will put up with is largely a social question, not a scientific one.
“We’re not going to get to a point where it’s 2019 again,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “We’ve got to get people to think about risk tolerance.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, is looking ahead to controlling the virus in a way “that does not disrupt society, that does not disrupt the economy.”
Already the U.S. is sending signals that it’s on the road to whatever will become the new normal. The Biden administration says there are enough tools — vaccine boosters, new treatments and masking — to handle even the omicron threat without the shutdowns of the pandemic’s earlier days. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just reduced to five days the time that people with COVID-19 must stay in isolation so they don’t sicken others, saying it’s become clear they’re most contagious early on.
READ: Women more vulnerable to Omicron than men: DGHS
India offers a glimpse of what it’s like to get to a stable level of COVID-19. Until recently, daily reported cases had remained below 10,000 for six months but only after a cost in lives “too traumatic to calculate” caused by the earlier delta variant, said Dr. T. Jacob John, former chief of virology at Christian Medical College in southern India.
Omicron now is fueling a rise in cases again, and the country in January will roll out vaccine boosters for frontline workers. But John said other endemic diseases, such as flu and measles, periodically cause outbreaks and the coronavirus will continue to flare up every so often even after omicron passes through.
Omicron is so hugely mutated that it is slipping past some of the protection of vaccinations or prior infection. But Dr. William Moss of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health expects “this virus will kind of max out” in its ability to make such big evolutionary jumps. “I don’t see this as kind of an endless cycle of new variants.”
One possible future many experts see: In the post-pandemic period, the virus causes colds for some and more serious illness for others, depending on their overall health, vaccine status and prior infections. Mutations will continue and might eventually require boosters every so often that are updated to better match new variants.
But human immune systems will continue to get better at recognizing and fighting back. Immunologist Ali Ellebedy at Washington University at St. Louis finds hope in the body’s amazing ability to remember germs it’s seen before and create multi-layer defenses.
Memory B cells are one of those layers, cells that live for years in the bone marrow, ready to swing into action and produce more antibodies when needed. But first those memory cells get trained in immune system boot camps called germinal centers, learning to do more than just make copies of their original antibodies.
In a new study, Ellebedy’s team found Pfizer vaccinations rev up “T helper cells” that act as the drill sergeant in those training camps, driving production of more diverse and stronger antibodies that may work even if the virus changes again.
Ellebedy said baseline population immunity has improved so much that even as breakthrough infections inevitably continue, there will be a drop in severe illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths — regardless of the next variant.
“We are not the same population that we were in December of 2019,” he said. “It’s different ground now.”
READ: Omicron’s New Year’s cocktail: Sorrow, fear, hope for 2022
Think of a wildfire tearing through a forest after a drought, he said. That was 2020. Now, even with omicron, “it’s not completely dry land,” but wet enough “that made the fire harder to spread.”
He foresees a day when someone gets a coronavirus infection, stays home two to three days “and then you move on. That hopefully will be the endgame.”
Women more vulnerable to Omicron than men: DGHS
Women are more vulnerable to the newly emerged Covid-19 variant Omicron across the globe than men, says the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Research data collected from countries like South Africa where the new variant has spread is showing this trend,DGHS spokesperson Dr Robed Amin said joining a briefing on Covid-19 on Sunday virtually.
“Data found in South Africa where the variant was detected first is showing a different trend -- women, children and youths are being infected more,” he said.
Also read: 3 more Omicron cases detected in Bangladesh
Dr Robed said Omicron has debunked the previous idea that younger generations are less likely to be infected with the virus as they have stronger immunity.