‘Battle against Covid not over yet’

Hyderabad: The detection and subsequent reporting of Omicron (B 1.1.529), the new variant of SARS-CoV-2, across the world, has made public health officials and general public in Hyderabad and the neighbouring districts of Rangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri, realise that the battle against Covid-19 has not been won yet and the pandemic could as stay for a […]

Hyderabad: The detection and subsequent reporting of Omicron (B 1.1.529), the new variant of SARS-CoV-2, across the world, has made public health officials and general public in Hyderabad and the neighbouring districts of Rangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri, realise that the battle against Covid-19 has not been won yet and the pandemic could as stay for a longer duration.

There is a sense of nervousness and uncertainty as people gingerly start to embrace masks and physical distancing again, even as senior health officials including Director of Public Health (DPH) Dr G Srinivasa Rao urged the community not to panic but continue to adhere to preventive measures including the use of face masks.

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“We have faced the pandemic for nearly 18 months. While we have lost many persons to Covid-19, we in the process also learned that the best way to avoid getting infected is to strictly follow appropriate behaviour. Every citizen has a vaccine in the form of a mask in their pockets. If we embrace masks, social distancing and get vaccinated, we should be able to control any resurgence of the pandemic,” Dr Rao said.

Public health officials have also acknowledged that people are fatigued from pandemic restrictions and advisories on the usage of masks and avoiding mass gatherings.

“There is a definite human angle to it as people are clearly burnt-out from staying indoors and not mingling physically. That’s why, when the daily Covid infections had dropped, we did not insist on restrictions. However, with the new variant getting reported, things have changed and we must be very cautious,” he added.

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