Omicron Variant: 3rd Wave of Coronavirus May hit in February,2022

Omicron is the new variant of SARS-COV2, the 3rd wave of Coronavirus may hit the peak by February with cases likely to be reaching nearing to 1 to 1.5 lakh each day in the nation, but it would be milder when compared to 2nd wave, IIT scientist, Manindra Agarwal, who has been involved in the mathematical projection of the trajectory of Covid-19, stated.

He stated in the new forecast, that the new Omicron variant have been factored in.

With this new variant, our present forecast is that, the nation, may witness 3rd wave by February but it would be milder when compared to 2nd wave. So far, we have witnessed the severity of Omicron, is not like which we have witnessed in the Delta variant.

He, however, stated that, close eye is being kept on cases such as South Africa, where numerous cases of this variant have been recorded.

Agarwal added that, as of now, South Africa has not witnessed a rise in hospitalisation,

He stated a fresh set of data on the virus as well as hospitalisation may help in receiving a more solid picture.

It looks like, although the new variant has shown high transmissibility, but when it comes to severity it is not like the one witnessed in the Delta variant.

Agarwal stated that, as observed during the spread of delta, a mild lockdown (night curfew, restrictions on crowding) can bring down beta substantially. That would significantly reduce the peak value, he added.

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) backed Sutra model had earlier stated that the 3rd wave of coronavirus may hit the nation by October if the new variant, is more virulent as well as transmissible when compared to Delta, emerges.

On November 26th, the World Health Organisation (WHO) named the Covid-19 virus variant detected in South Africa and some other nations as Omicron.

The WHO has also classified the Omicron variant as a Variant of Concern, experts have expressed varied possibilities that owing to the genetic modification in the virus, it may posses few specific characteristics.

While the transmissibility of infections seems to have increased due to this new variant, even though, there exists no clarity as to whether or not it would cause severe disease and whether it would evade immunity.

India has presently reported about 21 cases of Omicron variant, including 17 on Sunday, 9 were from Rajasthan capital Jaipur, seven in Maharastra's Pune district and a fully vaccinated man arrived in Delhi from Tanzania.