India has already started preparing for the “next pandemic” as the Narendra Modi government plans to roll out a programme to detect potential pathogens, NTAGI chief NK Arora told News18.com in an exclusive interview.
The head of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) — an apex panel that takes critical decisions on the use and deployment of coronavirus vaccines in India — said that while the country is already strengthening its healthcare infrastructure, its surveillance mechanism is also of the highest order.
“Also, a programme will be launched soon which will help India identify and detect new potential pathogens,” he said while adding that “so far, in the last year, over 70 sublineages of Omicron have been detected across the globe and there is no sublineage which has not been found in India.”
Arora said that the pandemic has shown us that the world has become flat when it comes to the travelling of pathogens. “It’s no more a surprise that India has seen all Omicron sublineages that have been detected globally. Hence, strengthening surveillance mechanisms and coming out with strong policies is the need of the hour and we are on it.”
‘No need to panic, adhere to Covid discipline’
Speaking on concerns about the detection of Omicron’s XBB variant — the recombinant of BA.2.75 and BJ.1, that caused a rapid spike in the number of Covid cases in Singapore — Arora said that “new strains globally have not shown any unusual virulence”.
Transmission rate has not much relevance, he added.
Virulence – the measure of severity of disease caused by a virus – is an important factor for consideration instead of its transmission capability.
“Globally, testing for Covid-19 is at a minimal level. Hence, the key parameters that the country looks for are the rate of hospitalisation and deaths. In India, both of them are under control and there is no reason to panic or be concerned,” said Arora. “India has better epidemiological data where hospitalisation rates are very low and deaths also hover just around 10-20 in comparison to global data.”
The only advice is not to let the guard go down, he said.
“By closely watching the hospitalisation and death rate in cities and states and conducting surveillance of the highest order, we can keep Covid at bay,” he said.
Arora maintained that India’s surveillance drive is extremely sensitive. “Apart from sewage surveillance, India is also conducting viral isolation from the samples of severely ill, hospitalised individuals,” the NTAGI chief said.
‘Covid is still here’
Covid-19 is still very much around, Arora insisted.
With festivities coming to an end, one must wait and watch if there is any explosive increase in the number of cases or any other surprising trend; otherwise, there is no need for concern or panic, so far, he said.
“The only advice is to maintain discipline and follow good hygiene practices such as washing hands and wearing masks,” said Arora.
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