'Will ensure Omicron doesn't reach India'

New Delhi: India has so far not reported any case of the new Covid-19 variant Omicron, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed Parliament on Tuesday, underlining that the government has taken enough measures to ensure that it doesn't enter the country. The Centre has issued an advisory after looking at developments globally and is keeping a close watch on ports, the Union minister said, adding that genome sequencing of suspected cases is being done. During Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha, the Mandaviya said, "Omicron variant has been found in 14 countries now. 

Secondly, passengers will have to upload their Covid-19 status report taken before 17 hours of their departure. If they are from the 12 high risk countries and test positive, they will be shifted to the designated health centre. Their samples would be sent for genome sequencing. The details of those who have to undergo home quarantine would be shared with the Health department who would keep them under surveillance.

Those who test positive will be sent to TIMS in Gachibowli, where their samples will be collected and will be sent for genome sequencing and results will be received in three days. They will be kept under isolation for 14 days in the special ward and only after receiving negative results will they be allowed to go. The 12 nations that are listed as 'at-risk' for India are European countries, including the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong, Israel, and New Zealand. Passengers arriving from these 12 countries would need to follow additional measures on arrival to Hyderabad.

Public Health Director Srinivasa Rao informed that 41 passengers from the UK, Europe, and Hong Kong had come to Hyderabad, but their RT-PCR test results proved negative. He further said that the Omicron has been found to spread six times faster than the Delta variant, but the severity of the disease remains low. "No matter how many variants come, we can protect ourselves if we follow the Covid-19 norms," said Srinivasa Rao.

Omicron doesn't escape RT-PCR, Rapid Antigen Tests

New Delhi: Omicron, the new Covid variant that has put the world on a backfoot amid an intense fight against the pandemic over the last two years, doesn't escape the RT-PCR and RAT, sources in the Union Health Ministry said. The observation was shared at a meeting on Tuesday where the Centre asked the States to ramp up testing for early identification of positive cases.

Omicron-specific booster shot possible: Poonawalla

New Delhi: As the new Covid strain Omicron raises alarm across the globe, Serum Institute of India chief Adar Poonawalla told a news channel that Omicron-specific booster shots are possible and added that the focus of the government must remain to get everyone double vaccinated. "We have hundreds of millions of stock of Covishield vaccine in our campus."