Is Covid back? As cases climb, how Indians can stay safe
The horrific Covid-19 pandemic never really got erased from our collective memory, but now, a string of new cases in India and abroad is beginning to cause panic. India had reported 257 Covid cases as of May 20, with the count expected to rise. How concerning is the situation and what should we do? Dr Ankita Baidya, head of department, infectious diseases, Manipal Hospital Dwarka, New Delhi, separates fact from fiction to help you make informed choices and stay safe.How are the new variants different?There are different new variants of Covid circulating not only in India, but globally. These are mostly derived from the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus and are subvariants of the Omicron variant. Certain mutations in the spike protein of these viruses help them to attach and cause infection in people who were already immune or have protective antibodies from earlier infection. As such, we start seeing some cases coming up from the new variants.advertisementWhat are the symptoms?Symptoms of Covid infections are similar to viral infections, such as fever, sore throat, cough, running nose, blocked nose, loss of taste and smell. However, these symptoms are not very commonly seen these days but still can be noticed with Covid-19 infection. Sometimes loose motion, upset stomach and headache accompany Covid-19 infection.
What are the new treatments available?There are antivirals approved for Covid infection, but are mostly used in patients who are anticipated to have severe infection because of certain comorbid conditions, and are used in the early course of infection because they mainly affect the viral replication. As such, these are Remdesivir and Paxlovid. Remdesivir is intravenous. So, it is used in patients who are admitted in hospital, while Paxlovid can be used in an outpatient setting.advertisementHowever, it is not universally recommended that all patients should be taking this medication after diagnosis of Covid. It depends on person to person and as per the risk assessment status for severe disease. Apart from the antiviral, certain supportive therapies and some anti-allergens are used depending on what symptoms the patient is having. Accordingly, supportive treatment is the one that is usually provided.Would Indians' immunity have waned over time?People in India should not worry, but yes, preparedness and taking precautions are always better. Therefore, awareness is important. As these viruses tend to mutate, our immunity against these diseases changes with time, and getting a milder form of infection is possible. And it is not always necessary that somebody who gets Covid is going to get a severe disease. So it is about the immunity and the response to the virus that our body takes after infection. It is advised not to panic, but one must take precautions.What precautionary measures should one take?The precautions are still the same as taken before. It is always suggested to wear a mask, especially in social gatherings or when somebody has symptoms of viral infection, and practise hand hygiene. Affected people should wear a mask and isolate themselves. This helps in preventing the transmission of infection to close family members and friends, helping slow down the progress of the disease in society.advertisementSubscribe to India Today MagazineMust Watch
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