“In India, it’s just getting started and will infect a larger number of people”; WHO Chief Scientist
When it comes to combating the spread of Covid variants, WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan has stated that there is no science behind night curfews.
In a television interview, she stated that countries such as India must develop science-based policies to combat the virus’s spread.
“Things like night curfews have no scientific basis.” Evidence-based measures must be taken. “There’s a long list of public health measures,” she explained to CNBC-TV18.
“Entertainment venues are the most common places for these viruses to spread.” “It’s natural to impose some constraints there,” Swaminathan added.
She stated that Indians should be prepared but not panicked.
“What we can expect to see in India is an increase in Omicron cases; I believe it is just getting started in some of the cities and will infect a large number of people,” the WHO scientist predicted.
Maharashtra leads the list of the 23 states and union territories that have reported Omicron infections so far, with 450 cases. According to data from the Health Ministry, 125 of them have been discharged.
With 320 cases of Omicron infection, Delhi ranks second in the country. However, 57 of them have been released from the hospital.
In a separate tweet on Friday, Swaminathan stated, “Hospitalizations are also increasing, mostly in unvaccinated people.” Though #Omicron may cause less severe disease, a small percentage of a large number is still very large and can overwhelm healthcare systems. IANS
