Omicron alert

Winter is my favourite time of year; scratch that, winter 'was' my favourite time of the year. The childish allure of Christmas and the hope for a new year would fill me with happiness. It's that time of the year when every preceding month had some reason to celebrate and there was still the crescendo of year-end festivities awaited. The Covid years however, have dimmed my spirits as it would have for many others. At the end of every year when we had hoped for a better tomorrow, new strains of the dastardly virus have dashed our every belief. This year too, right on cue, we have a new, more contagious strain on our hands — Omicron.

The 'new normal' is now so normal that I have forgotten what life was before these new viral rules. I feel naked and conscious without my mask; do you feel it too? The mask has become my second skin, wrapping me in an N-95 assurance. The fear of the virus, even after surviving it earlier this year, is still all too real. Only recently have I rid myself of recurring nightmares of being mask-less in crowded spaces! We have all suffered in these last two years, lost many loved ones and bid adieu to acquaintances way before their time. Covid fatigue, though invisible, has had a debilitating impact on mental health. You see, not everyone is still comfortable partying and travelling unless absolutely unavoidable. And those who don't have the luxury of living sequestered lives, know very well the daily risk of venturing outside the safe confines of one's home. The latest variant seems yet another spanner in our life's plans threatening to unleash pandemonium.

What can we do to survive in this world where new variants seem to be popping up every year? Just when it felt that life could have some semblance of routine aided by double vaccination, we have yet another virus to worry over. We have no choice but to be prepared, vigilant, and proactive. The Omicron variant is touted to be highly contagious though its symptoms till now seem to be mild. While this is great news, we should not be complacent. Variants can mutate and turn deadly especially when it will have a populous country like ours as its infection field. The government has done well to keep suspended regular international flights till January 31, 2022. Continuing with air bubbles between countries is a safe way to ensure that people aren't in travel lockdowns. However, testing, tracing, and quarantining should continue on war-footing so that we can stop infected travellers from entering the country.

Till we know more about the new strain, masks and social distancing must continue. We see too many people with their guards down. Weddings, events, functions — there are largescale gatherings underway with little precaution. It's undoubtedly tough to remain fastidious after two weary years but we must remain wary; Covid-19 and its siblings are still here to stay.

India has achieved a laudatory milestone of administering 131 crore doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. But let's not forget that this comprises only 36.1 per cent or 49.8 crore Indians who are fully vaccinated. The Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has said that 86 per cent of eligible Indians have received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. So, essentially as we fret over the efficacy of the vaccines in fighting Omicron or softening its blow, the harsh reality is that less than half of our country is fully vaccinated. Children in India are also yet to receive the jab.

Meanwhile, Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's largest manufacturer of vaccines, has halved its vaccine production and is currently sitting on a stockpile of half a billion doses. The government must also quickly decide on shortening the gap between two doses of the vaccine so that more Indians can achieve full vaccination.

There is an urgent need to deliberate and take action on whether vaccine booster shots should be given to those who were the first to receive the Covid-10 vaccines. Senior citizens, medical and frontline workers were the first to be vaccinated as part of the Covid-19 immunisation drive. India's genome sequencing consortium has advised that all above 40 years of age should receive booster shots. Experts have said that herd immunity and vaccine-induced immunity may not thwart the spread of Omicron. Pfizer, for instance, has already announced that a booster shot of its vaccine is needed to neutralise the Omicron variant. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has already warned against stockpiling of vaccines given the Omicron threat. Hopefully, the government is working to ensure that there are no such hiccups in the ongoing vaccination programme. Vaccine supply warnings, a probable need for booster shots, and ongoing efforts to still achieve 100 per cent vaccination could lead to a messy situation if the government machinery doesn't swing into action.

The writer is an author and media entrepreneur. Views expressed are personal