Omicron variant: An action plan for India

This week, the Union government spelt out a series of steps states must take to mount an effective surveillance to catch any budding Sars-Cov-2 Omicron variant outbreaks and made a formal appeal to them to review medical infrastructure readiness. States must activate war rooms and pay attention to any clusters of infections, the Union health secretary said in an advisory to administrators across the country. The advisory also sets a clear threshold: If more than 10% of tests in a week turn up positive, or if hospital bed occupancy breaches 40% capacity, containment measures must kick in. Such clear, specific action points are critical to ensure surveillance and mitigation efforts are rooted in science, especially since efforts must now be focussed on avoiding any need to lock down.

India is now entering the crucial set of weeks when the variant could take hold in community transmission. The experience of European nations and the United States shows such a scenario is not a matter of if, but when. The variant has triggered case trajectories not seen since the start of the pandemic in several nations, bringing with it a potential for panic. On the other hand, continued mystery over whether it is inherently more virulent risks creating a sense of false security. The government’s messaging needs to strike a balance in which the threat is neither overblown nor underplayed, but the preparations must account for the worst-case scenarios. In this regard, the advisory is a welcome move and it is now up to states to pay adequate heed. The Centre, however, is still dithering on a step that experts largely agree on: India must start boosters, at least for the elderly and the vulnerable.