The novel coronavirus is a viral infection caused by a virus that is now endemic. Like the flu, the Covid-19 virus continues to survive and as the virus mutates and becomes more transmissible, the number of people infected will rise slightly. Therefore, the virus continues to exist in the human body and we must continue to coexist with the new coronavirus.
As Indians, we have achieved herd immunity against the original Covid-19 virus. However, as the virus mutates and changes to the spike protein, more and more cases of mild infection are possible.
Most of us have been vaccinated or have had the virus before, so it’s usually not too serious. Therefore, we are protected. However, the virus continues to change to some extent, so new cases may occur.
JN.1 is a Covid virus (substrain Omicron) that causes a flu-like syndrome that includes symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, and runny nose, which are indicative of a respiratory viral infection. Masu. Symptoms are common.
If your symptoms persist for more than 2 days, have a high fever, experience difficulty breathing or cough profusely, or are in a high-risk group, i.e. have comorbidities, you should seek further medical attention. there is. RT-PCR tested.
Steps to take note of
Wear a mask if you go to a crowded place, especially indoors. If you fall into a high-risk category, it is important to wear a mask. Carry hand sanitizer and wash your hands regularly. There is a vaccine for COVID-19 and we are all getting it.
You will also need to take a booster dose if you have not already taken it. It is important to note that other viruses can also cause similar symptoms at this time of year. Therefore, if you are in a high-risk group or are elderly, you should also take the influenza vaccine. You can also take the pneumococcal vaccine to protect yourself from pneumococcal infections.
Do I need another vaccine?
Because this is a new variant compared to the variants present in the vaccine, serosurveys and seroassociated studies will be needed to determine if and what type of booster is needed. you need to do. At present, previous infections and vaccinations provide sufficient protection, but we do not know how effective previous vaccinations will be against new variants.
So to understand how often you should get vaccinated, whether you are protected (against the latest variants) based on previous vaccinations you received, whether you need a booster, etc. Data needs to be collected and analyzed. This is ongoing work and must be done, as variants continue to change, emerge, and mutate.
Variant-specific vaccines are not needed. We need vaccines that are effective against a wider range of variants that currently exist or may emerge in the future.
For example, HN1 is a sublineage of Omicron.
Therefore, vaccines made against Omicron will also be effective against this variant.
Regarding the coronavirus, there will be ups and downs in 2024, but I hope there will be no major incidents or waves. What we need to focus on in 2024 is proper monitoring and data collection. This is effective in understanding if and why a severe infection is occurring.
Currently, it is a substrain of Omicron that causes mild infections, but high-risk people and the elderly should be careful.
(Dr. Randeep Guleria is the Chairman and Director of Medical Education, Institute of Internal Medicine, Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Medanta Gurugram)