By D N Singh
The euphoria over the Christmas and ensuing New Year now appear bit blighted following the surfacing of the Omicron cases in Odisha.
May be so far there two cases of omicron positive has been detected but it is not far when there might be a jump soon because of the slackening preventive measures can be noticed outside.
News from other states of a slow but steady climb up in Omicron infections are enough of a call to take up the guards in advance.
More so, the SOPs are to be adhered to in educational institutions from where some amount of relaxations have been given through off-line teaching for certain age groups.
But such steps have proved fatal in many institutions including Odisha, where several cases of Covid positive were detected just after the opening of classes.
It was never expected that, so soon post the Covid second wave some areas in the state capital would be brought under containment.
The chief minister of Odisha had earlier also sounded the warnings not to weaken the holds as regards following the guidelines. This time also the CM has yet again made an appeal to the people of the state to brace up for the times to come when the Omicron has landed in the state.
But a walk through the cities reveals how, in many cases, the guidelines are being thrown to the winds. Whether it is use of mask or maintaining physical distance, a very noticeable disregard for such cautions can be seen almost everywhere.
Back To Square
At a time when the new variant poses to be a bigger threat for the younger generation, the lack of vaccine for the children has come as a double whammy.
What deepens the doubts over the medical fraternity’s inability to judge the characteristics of the Covid itself so far, the new variant’s entry has added to the fears.
Confusions Confounded
Some say that Omicron variant has certain symptoms and few others hold the view that, it has no symptoms. Which reveals that, our know-how still wades through pools of ignorance about the virus and variant.
No pep talks can lighten the tensions those seem building up on people’s psyche.
Even there are varying medical opinions over the ferocity of the new variant Omicron. And there are news that, vaccines such as Covishield or Covaxin do not have any effect on the Omicron. Which means that, yet again a trial and error phase would continue for some time and may be such phases linger.
A Century Back!
So people now must learn to live with the viruses as the world has yet not been completely free of the impacts of the Spanish Flu which had claimed over 50 million lives way back 1918. Almost one hundred years have passed but no medical science has been able to eradicate the footprints of the Flu, Influenza or Viral fevers.
