Editorial: Virus back with vengeance

Covid-19 seems to be back with a vengeance in China with nearly 40,000 cases being reported daily across the country.

Hyderabad: Though the World Health Organisation (WHO) has claimed that the end of the coronavirus pandemic is near, the reality appears to be different, going by the surge in infections in China. The disease seems to be back with a vengeance with nearly 40,000 cases being reported daily across the country. Ironically, the sharp rise in the daily infections comes against the backdrop of growing public protests against the restrictive Covid-19 measures.

The public anger has flared up after a deadly fire in Xinjiang killed ten people. Protestors claimed that the strict Covid curbs hampered rescue operations. Videos that have gone viral show protestors shouting ‘Communist party step down!, Xi Jinping step down’ and ‘End lockdown in Xinjiang’. In the last few weeks, tens of millions of people have been confined to their homes across more than 50 cities and towns, leading to restlessness.

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One of the key reasons for the spread of the virus is the poor vaccination rate in the country with only about half of people in China aged 80 and above receiving their primary vaccinations and fewer than 20% of them having secured a booster. Less than 60% of the 60-69 age group is fully vaccinated. Moreover, experts say the vaccines used in China have a low efficacy rate. The Omicron variants that are circulating in China right now are far more infectious than the previous sub variants and this could also be the reason behind the sudden surge despite the lockdowns and other strong measures.

The Omicron BF.7 variant imported from a trading town outside Beijing is the main strain in the current outbreak of Covid-19. The variant has resulted in cluster infections in nursing homes, construction sites and schools. The surge in China is a warning to the rest of the world that the pandemic is not over yet. The nations should not give up their quest for a variant proof Covid vaccine. The international community should also keep pushing the most populous nation to be more transparent. Some of the oppressive measures of China, particularly its zero-Covid policy, have come under a cloud. The private pharma firm Sinovac and state-run Sinopharm, which manufacture most of the vaccines in use in China, have not put out data in the public domain on final-stage clinical trials.

For India, the cause for worry is that the Omicron BF.7 variant, which is behind the current surge in China and has reached the United States, UK, Australia, and Belgium, was detected in Kerala last month. Even though the country is showing a sharp decrease in the number of fresh cases, the pandemic is not over yet. There will be periodic regional surges coinciding with festivals and social gatherings. Wearing masks, compulsory vaccination and social distancing are safe options. Vulnerable individuals will need to be specially protected.