Dear Rotary Leaders
As we come to the end of 2021, we were considering when things might get back to normal after the pandemic. The new variant, Omicron, has made us believe that this era of unpredictability is not going away soon. One important source of uncertainty is the news that the new variant is advancing around the world at an astonishing rate. I read that in the U.K. they have estimated that a staggering two lakh people have been infected with the Omicron variant and that the cases are rising at a faster pace compared to the Alpha and Delta waves. The age group getting affected is also between 18 years to 60 years.
It is now over four weeks since the Omicron variant has taken the headlines in all the media and scientists say that that this variant has the ability to mutating and binding better to the receptor. This virus is also able to rei-infect previously infected individuals and also vaccinated people. Reports say that in India there are 213 cases of Omicron reported so far.
Omicron cases are increasingly being reported from countries outside of South Africa and given its characteristics, it is likely to spread to more countries including India. However, the scale and magnitude of rise in cases and most importantly the severity of disease that will be caused is still not clear. Further, given the fast pace of vaccination in India and high exposure to delta variant as evidenced by high seropositivity, the severity of the disease is anticipated to be low. However, scientific evidence is still evolving.
While, there is no evidence to suggest that existing vaccines do not work on
Omicron, some of the mutations reported on Spike gene may decrease the
efficacy of existing vaccines. However, vaccine protection is also by antibodies as well as by cellular immunity, which is expected to be relatively better preserved. Hence vaccines are expected to still offer protection against severe disease and, vaccination with the available vaccines is crucial. If eligible, but not vaccinated, one should get vaccinated.
Indian government is monitoring the situation closely and is issuing suitable
guidelines from time to time. Meanwhile, the scientific and medical community
is geared up for developing and deploying diagnostics, carrying out genomic
surveillance, generating evidence about viral and epidemiologic characteristics, and development of therapeutics.
As I look back on this year which is coming to an end, I am inspired by the resilience shown by the Rotary members in fighting the pandemic. It’s all of you. It’s all the people who are showing us a better way forward, dedicated, thoughtful, inclusive leaders who are eager to serve their communities and remake the world. So, I am again requesting you to commit today to stop the pandemic and make this world safer. Safer India is possible, but it starts with you.Wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New year 2022…