Rajkot: Omicron may rise gradually, but panic that has been triggered seems to spread faster.
Counseling assistance that has begun by the Department of Psychology of the University of Saurashtra is pounded with calls from residents, especially those who see close and loved ones dying in Covid-19 or themselves infected with the virus in the first and second wave.
Prakasbh Bhambhi (name changed), who spent 35 days in the hospital in the second wave, spent a night without sleep, after learning about a new variant.
But he told the advisers that fear of his contract Omicron had gripped him and that he had locked himself at home.
The department conducted a detailed analysis of nearly 2,160 calls they received about fear of a new variant and found that 72% of people were very anxious while 63% was feared infected.
Calls to Helpline have dropped drastically because the Covid-19 case subsides, but there is a sudden surge after the entry of Omicron in Gujarat.
Assistant Professor Dhara Doshi and Dimpal Ramani, who conducted this survey, said “There are many people now who avoid attending social functions.
About 45% in our survey admitted that they avoided attending a marriage while 15% claimed to have delayed their picnic or holiday weekend.
There are people who are also afraid of taking the exam or attending work interviews.
“According to the survey, 90% of participants have started Ayurvedic ukala and home drugs to increase their immunity as they do during the first and second peak covid.
Most participants are those who suffer from Covid-19 during the second wave or have lost several family members or nearby.