Bengaluru: With the third wave of Covid-19 recedes, the government plans activities to prepare for future virus variants that can push fresh waves.
While steps such as strict supervision are being thought, there are various opinions about steps such as sero supervision even when experts suggest more effective vigilance.
“This is an important time because we will witness the gap between the end of the third wave and a coming scenario driven by the emerging variant, which is unpredictable.
We need to be very alert and continue to study varied situations,” said Utpal Tatu, Professor Biochemistry at the India Institute of Science, which helped Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in conducting data surveillance and analysis.
While the Virology section has suggested the government to supervise Sero to understand the level of immunity developed among the people, many experts say it will be a futile exercise because the immunity developed caused by viral infections, and servo surveillance cannot see the difference between the two.
“The government is studying the suggestions that come from all the parts of the expert and the focus is on strict vigilance.
We will advance with more testing and sequencing positive sample genomes to understand the change in virus properties due to the possibility of mutations,” KV Trilok Chandra said, Special Commissioner ), BBMP.
Prof.
Tatu said the waste survey would be more effective than the sero survey as an analysis of materials such as human excretations provide a more accurate picture of the variant that arises, if any.
“We are conducting a waste survey and will continue.
Although it provides a fair picture of the current scenario, it also helps us in ensuring readiness to combat new variants,” said Trilok Chandra.
Dr.
V Ravi, the Nodal Officer for genomic sequencing, said the government must focus on increasing immunization by providing a dose of booster for all instead of carrying out a fresh sero survey round.
“Detection of antibodies through sero surveys is not needed now.
Even antibodies developed by infection and vaccines seem to be reduced; memory cells will be active and tend to react when there is a new infection,” said Dr.
Ravi.
He said the variant of BA.1 and BA.2 from Omicron, who entered India almost simultaneously in November, has been stable and the time for the third wave to reach the base line is not far away.
Along with the argument, the famous virologically Dr.
T Jacob John said the pandemic was expected to change to endemic, which saw a lower infection rate and lower number of positive cases, in mid-February.
“The third wave recedes at a faster level than expected.
Previously, it is hoped that it will decrease in February-end, but the decline is quickly and is now anticipated that the surge induced by Omicron will reach the endemic stage on February 15,” Dr.
John said.