Covid-19 is now endemic, like flu: Expert
HYDERABAD: In light of recent spurt in Covid-19 cases, scientists and public health experts believe that the current variants are not a major concern. They emphasize that there is no need for a rush to vaccinate or extreme measures, as the scientific community and the public have learned how to manage the situation effectively.
Also, Covid-19 has transitioned from a pandemic to an endemic disease (regularly found in a particular place or among a particular group of people and difficult to get rid of) like seasonal flu.
N Madhusudhana Rao, CEO of Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) Incubation Centre, told TOI many measures implemented during first and second waves of Covid-19 were unnecessary. He highlighted that without extensive surveys on the vaccines administered, it would be challenging to determine which vaccines remain effective.
Until recently, several Covid-19 viruses were cultured for research purposes at the incubation centre.
"During the first wave, we didn't know much about the virus. For instance, we saw bleach being sprayed on roads, even though the virus spreads through the air; that measure was not necessary. I can also say that some steroids were given to people who were only mildly affected due to a lack of awareness. Over time, we realised that basic treatment was sufficient for those without co-morbidities," he said.
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The administration of vaccines was a major initiative during the third and fourth waves globally, he added.
"Now, we must determine which vaccines are still effective, given that the current vaccines were developed based on variants from those earlier waves. Numerous vaccines were distributed worldwide, so a survey is needed to assess their efficacy," the CCMB expert said.
In the initial years, CCMB had maintained live Covid-19 viruses in highly secured labs to assist companies developing vaccines, but that activity has ceased, and genome sequencing has stopped.
Rao said Covid-19 (a pandemic) has transitioned into an endemic phase (like seasonal flu), as evidenced by evolving patterns of SARS-CoV-2 variants across different countries. Up until the emergence of the JN.1 variant, there was a relatively uniform global pattern in variant circulation. However, after the JN.1 variant, this trend shifted, with each country now demonstrating its own distinct evolutionary trajectories, he added.
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