Covid could be heading towards endemic stage in India; here is what it means [Beuzz]

Amid the outbreak, sources close to the government said PTI that the new covid case will continue to increase for the next 10-12 days, but will begin to decrease shortly thereafter. They added that in India, Covid is heading towards the endemic stage. But what does that mean? We called in experts to better understand.

Dr. Vijay Kumar Gurjar, Senior Consultant and Head of Department of Geriatric Medicine, Primus Super Specialty Hospital, New Delhi, said when Ministry of Health sources refer to Covid-19 being in endemic stage, it means that the virus has become part of the population’s normal cycle of illness, much like the flu. “It’s no longer considered a pandemic but rather a common phenomenon that people will come across from time to time. It also suggests that people may need to learn to live with the virus in the long term, and measures will need to be put in place to keep the virus under control while allowing daily life to continue,” he said. he adds.

Agree, Dr Sandeep Bhatnagar, Director of Internal Medicine, Paras Hospital, Udaipur, said it also means the virus is present at a relatively stable level in a specific geographic area or population. “In other words, the virus is no longer spreading rapidly and uncontrollably, and people have developed some level of immunity against the virus. virus by vaccination or previous exposure. This does not mean that the virus is no longer a threat, but rather that it has become a more manageable public health problem,” he explained.

As the Ministry of Health expects cases to disappear after the next 10-12 days, experts urge caution (Source: Freepik)

Government sources have also pointed out that although Covid-19 cases are increasing, hospitalization is low and expected to remain low. “The number of hospitalizations is however minimal and expected to remain low, despite the fact that Covid-19 cases are increasing every day,” said Dr Piyush Mishra, District Immunization Officer, North East Delhi. The expert added that the XBB.1.16 subvariant of Omicron, which is behind the latest outbreak, is the most contagious strain of the virus so far. It can infect both fully vaccinated people and those who have recently recovered from Covid.

Thus, “high temperature, headache, sore throat, persistent cough, feeling of exhaustion and body aches are some of the symptoms that people need to watch out for and recognize at an early stage. people with diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, asthma and other diseases need to take more care of themselves, as well as children, pregnant women and the elderly who also need to be given attention particular. Wear a mask, stay away from crowds and wash your face frequently,” Dr Mishra said.

Speculating on the continued rise in cases, Dr Monalisa Sahu, Infectious Diseases Consultant, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad said cases are unlikely to reach the fourth wave level. “Covid-19, being an RNA virus, is more prone to mutations and the evolution of new strains. Not all mutant strains would be of greater virulence and pathogenicity, and would not always cause more severe disease. Thus, one should not expect a severe form of the disease with each new strain that appears,” she said.

While the Ministry of Health expects cases to disappear after the next 10 to 12 days, experts are urging caution. “It is important to note that such predictions are subject to change and may vary depending on factors such as vaccination rates, public health measures and the emergence of new variants. It is also important to continue to follow public health guidelines such as wearing masks, social distancingand getting vaccinated to help reduce the spread of the virus and prevent future flare-ups,” Dr Bhatnagar said.

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