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Op-ED JANUARY 07, 2022 | The Indian Eye 16

OmIcrOn ThreAT:

Better safe than sorry

Views and opinions from the top commentators in Indian media

peed is of the essence in fight-
ing fast-transmitting Omicron.
SThe Union health ministry has
finally advised states to adopt a dual
testing strategy deploying both stan-
dard and imported S-gene drop RT-
PCR test kits to detect Omicron cases.
This should have been done weeks
ago as such dual testing obviates the
need to send all Covid-positive sam-
ples for genome sequencing, which
is time-consuming and therefore de-
feats the purpose of quick identifica-
tion. Also, finally, the regulator ap-
proved emergency use authorization
to Serum Institute of India’s Covovax
and Biological E’s Corbevax vaccines,
while also granting permission to
manufacture and market anti-Covid
pill Molnupiravir for restricted use
in patients with Covid who have high
risk of disease progression.
Covovax is the Indian version of Passengers inside the Delhi Metro maintaining social distancing as metro trains run on 50% seating capacity imposed by Delhi Government
Novovax’s recombinant nanoparticle amid a surge in Omicron cases in New Delhi on Wednesday (ANI)
protein-based vaccine. The indige-
nous Corbevax too is protein based es of the Corbevax vaccine. The jab no need to elaborate on the scenario warned, that relative strength too is
and GoI in June had placed an ad- that teaches the immune system to as the memory of the immense loss of now at risk of waning, largely because
vance order of 300 million doses of make antibodies using spike pro- life due to Delta wave is still vivid in of New Delhi’s own actions — or in-
it. As per earlier reports, 200 million teins has been heralded as a stronger our minds. actions. The arrows in India’s quiv-
doses of Covovax were expected be- shield against variants such as Omi- We have known Omicron only for er are many: from its stature as the
tween August and December. But cron compared to viral vector vac- a month. So far, it seems to be less vir- world’s largest democracy and its im-
Corbevax is aiming to hit production cines such as Covishield and Covaxin. ulent than every previous virus variant. mense diversity to the moral authority
of 100 million doses per month only Covovax, manufactured by the Serum This may be because vast swathes of of M.K. Gandhi’s model of successful
by February. These timelines need Institute of India under licence from humanity have been already exposed non-violent resistance that was adopt-
to be bettered if the two vaccines are the US-based Novovax, also uses and rendered partly immune by the ed by Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther
to be used for a speedy booster pro- a protein-based platform. Though previous variants and a large number King and other icons. The addition of
gramme for all adults. these vaccines take more time to de- of people have had one or two doses yoga, spiritualism, delicious cuisines
-- Editorial, The Times of India velop, they are more affordable, and of vaccine. Everyone agrees that there and Bollywood to this mix has led to
their production is easier to scale up. will be a massive increase in infec- the creation of an enviable and pow-
loTS of JaBS -- Editorial, The Indian Express tions, but much of those will be invisi- erful cocktail that should be hard
ble. A huge wave of disease outbreak
A IS IT Too laTe? is unlikely, as far as we can expect. A which, until recently, was inward look-
to match for an authoritarian State,
large section of experts be-
lieves that a mix-and-match
disease wave must be expected, only
ing and uneasy with its own ancient
approach to vaccination is bet-
may be quite small. However, it will
while speaking at the second Krishna
ter for shoring up immunity compared micron variant can spread its magnitude is unpredictable, and it traditions. But as Ms Rao pointed out
much faster than Delta – its
to an additional jab of the vaccine ORo is much higher than that be better to be safe than sorry. Bose lecture, these advantages would
administered in the primary phase of of Delta and it is more efficient in -- T Jacob & MS Seshadri, The Quint count only if India upholds constitu-
inoculation. In India, too, there is pre- dodging immunity. It causes re-in- tional values, including human rights
liminary consensus that booster recip- fections and breakthrough infections IndIan SofT-Power and sensitivity towards minorities.
ients shouldn’t receive a third dose of more frequently than Delta. So, will -- Editorial Board, The Telegraph (India)
Covishield or Covaxin. The country Omicron cause yet another wave in or decades now, India’s global Every week, we look at what the top
is well placed to meet this challenge. India? That remains unpredictable. influence has been greater than commentators in the Indian media are
The government has made advance If we assume it will not, but it does, FChina’s in only one sphere: soft talking about and bring to you a slice
payments to the Hyderabad-based power. Yet, as the former Indian for- of their opinions and comments
Biological E to reserve 30 crore dos- then India will suffer again. There is eign secretary, Nirupama Rao, has

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