Opinion Express View on Covid rise: Time for caution, again

Viruses are strips of genetic material and some other molecules. Strictly speaking, they never die and even when they are benign, these microbes are at work, infecting people. That’s why experts have maintained that the Covid virus will never go away — new variants and sub-variants that escape the protection offered by vaccines will emerge. That’s what seems to be happening in India and some other parts of the world which have seen an uptick of Covid cases for about a week. The rise in infections has largely been driven by a new sub-variant of Omicron, JN.1. Three Covid-related deaths have been reported from Kerala and two from Karnataka, though their connection with the JN.1 hasn’t yet been established. The government has rightly advised caution though it has also assured that the situation is by no means worrying. “The variant is currently under intense scientific scrutiny but not a cause of immediate concern. All JN.1 cases were found to be mild and all of them have recovered without any complications,” the Health Ministry has said.

Omicron has been the dominant coronavirus variant for a little more than two years. So far, its substrains have displayed certain common characteristics — they replicate in the upper respiratory tract and tend to cause less severe disease compared to the Delta variety. Its ability to mutate fast helped Omicron find new ways to infect people. A section of researchers had feared that its slipperiness may offset Omicron’s reduced nastiness. That does not seem to have happened.

Advertisement

So far there is very little evidence that JN.1 will behave very differently from other Omicron sub variants. That said, the standard SARS-CoV-2-related caveats — Covid-appropriate behaviour — must be adhered to during the current spurt in infections. The immunity conferred by vaccinations or through infection could be waning amongst a large section of the country’s population. JN.1 has emerged during the festive season when markets and streets are likely to be crowded, allowing the virus to spread fast. The Karnataka government has mandated masks for senior citizens and people with comorbidities. Some other states might follow suit. There is good reason to believe that with precautions, the country will tide through the current spurt of infections. At the same time, the appearance of JN.1 has led to renewed conversations on a vaccine that works against all SARS-CoV-2 variants. In India, ICMR has handed over strains of all existing variants to Bharat Biotech. The jury is out on whether such a vaccine can eliminate infections. Once again, the work in laboratories and research institutes will be keenly watched.