India Should Learn From The UK Omicron Example: Niti Aayog
India could look at 14 lakh cases of Omicron infections per day, something like the UK kind of infection spread. It is worth noting that India has been able to maintain less than a one percent rate of infection on a weekly basis. It counts to 10,000 cases in 20 days.
Health authorities have warned against complacency, highlighting the situation in UK and France that are witnessing a surge due to Omicron despite high vaccination rate and exposure to Delta variant.
According to Niti Aayog member-health Dr. V.K. Paul, “You are aware from the information in the public domain that situation in parts of Africa but also in parts of Europe has gone worse.” He was stressing that pandemic spreads rapidly, particularly with variants like Omicron.
However, the UN has also said that the death rate around Omicron isn’t as bad as it was in the Delta variant. Its symptoms are milder. India’s infrastructure came under severe pressure handling the Delta variant spread. Hospitals could not accommodate multiple cases of spread and many were out of oxygen and ventilation systems too.
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Lack of maintenance in life support systems also lead to the spread of the Black fungus as well. Underlining that India face a stage of “worry” with the onset of winters, with people traveling and partying for Christmas and New Year celebrations, officials said if daily cases in such countries are extrapolated in the context of India’s population, they would mean 14-15 lakh cases a day.
The Christmas and New Year celebrations already look dull in Africa and the UK. Many companies in the UK have cancelled their parties and get together.
Warning India over learning from the UK example, Dr. Paul highlighted the example of the UK which reported over 80,000 cases recently, despite high vaccination rate and exposure to Delta. “If there is a similar outbreak in India, given our population, there will be 14 lakh cases every day. Similarly, France — where there is 80% partial vaccination — is reporting 65,000 cases. If an outbreak of a similar scale takes place in India, it will mean 13 lakh cases every day.” “While our new daily cases continue to remain rather low, we still need to remain cautious, particularly in the context of Omicron,” health ministry joint secretary Lav Agarwal said.
