YET ONCE again after two years of struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic, the recent surge in cases of COVID new Omicron variant named BF.7 in the countries such as China, the USA, UK, France and India has been in the headlines. Following the trend, the number of VOVID cases in India is also witnessing an increase at a faster pace. The entire country is geared up for a possible fourth wave of COVID-19, with the new omicron sub-variant being considered to be the reason behind the surge in the number of cases.
In a conversation with Dr Rahul Sharma, Additional Director – Pulmonology & Critical Care, Fortis Hospital, Noida, we discussed the symptoms, precautions and other important things that one must know about this new omicron sub-variant.
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Omicron New Subvariant: BF.7
According to the initially published studies, this new variant is highly transmissible with a short incubation period. According to the PTI reports, the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Center discovered the first instance of this new variant in October. The new Omicron subvariant known as BF.7 is spreading like a fire across substantial parts of China. The World Health Organization identifies the COVID virus with the quickest rate of dissemination as BF.7, which is short for BA.5.2.17.
Symptoms
According to Dr Rahul Sharma, the symptoms of this variant are essentially indistinguishable from that of previous strains and include upper respiratory symptoms like fever, cold, cough and sore throat. Some affected individuals may also present with diarrhoea and vomiting. Although the severity of this variant is considered less, it’s high transmissible underlines the importance of early diagnosis and isolation to prevent a resurgence of cases in pandemic proportions.
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Can Vaccinated People Also Be Infected By This New Omicron Variant?
Many people may have completed the initial 2-dose schedule, but have not taken their booster dose. This was most probably due to the lower severity of Omicron infection which was the cause of the third wave along with a large number of people getting infected, resulting in natural immunity to the infection. However, according to Dr Sharma, this new variant is known to cause reinfection at a higher rate and has been shown to infect even vaccinated individuals.
Many studies noted that BF.7 variant can infect vaccinated people as well because of its high neutralizing properties in comparison to the original Omicron strain. Still, booster doses are important for the control of this newer variant, as it helps in decreasing the severity of infection as witnessed during the previous waves. Various covid vaccines with variable mechanisms and efficacy are available and recent evidence has suggested that mixing of vaccination may also be done to boost immunity. With the advent of a new nasal vaccine by Indian scientists, more research is underway to see the impact of these vaccines on the newer variants.
Preventive Measures
Along with getting vaccinated, Dr Shamra advises some preventive measures that can play a great role in controlling the spread of the variant. These preventive measures include social distancing, the use of masks, using sanitisers, and proper isolation in case of any symptoms.
Moreover, one should avoid travelling at this time when COVID cases are surging in numerous countries like wildfire. We all should follow the government guidelines related to the pandemic with utmost priority.
