Omicron variant has entered India as union health ministry on December 2 confirmed two cases of Omicron virus in Karnataka, revealed an official in the health ministry.
The joint secretary Luv Aggarval told agencies that the two cases of Omicron has been confirmed from Karnataka on Thursday today. They are both foreign nationals and we have traced their contacts and travel history and teams are on the job", the official said. They have exhibited mild symptoms and the samples are being carefully examined, said an official in the NITIAayog, health, adding that there is no need for panic.
Meanwhile the Civil Aviation Ministry hold review meeting with the stakeholders to decide upon the travel restrictions on the travellers from abroad.
Ministry of Civil Aviation in India on December 1 has asked the foreign travellers to submit their 14 days travel history, a negative RT-PCR report on the Air Suvidha portal including the authentic declaration for the covid-19 at their arrival in India.
These fresh travelling restrictions and guidelines have been imposed by the Ministry after WHO sounded an recent alert saying that “Omicron has been confirmed in 26 countries and the number may grow”. These fresh travel restriction has hit tourism and business in the region, said the hoteliers.
The media is creating unnecessary panic over Omicron variant, lamented the doctors, who have launched a campaign on social media citing the note of exhibited symptoms of Omicron (see Photo: symptoms of Omicron ). Ministry has also asked the stranded Indians in South Africa where the Omicron was first detected, to consult the Indian consulate there for the further movement or plans. The stranded and travelling Indians and tourists may also have to follow the home quarantine norms to avoid spread of the variant infection, said the officials.
According to the reports, the five passengers who had arrived in Delhi on Wednesday were tested positive for the Covid-19 that has added to a growing concern over the new Variant. The government may go for more restrictions on international travellers in India, revealed the official sources.
The Ministry has also asked the states including Himalayan states mainly the Northeast where the Hornbill and other festivals are in full swing these days and where the foreigners are also visiting, to follow the covid guidelines and precautions to ensure protection against the new variant.
With these restrictions in place, the business and tourism industry in states like Himachal and North-eastern region, where it is yet to see revival, has taken a beating. The tourist arrivals from Europe and other counties had not increased over the past few months when the pandemic was on the decline and vaccination was gaining an upper hand, said the hoteliers.
Promoters have planned many events to revive tourism in the region, but due to the fresh travel restrictions the event may lose its sheen, feared the promoters. The domestic tourists came to Himalayan states in larger number in the post-covid period after the lockdowns, but the foreigners chose not to travel in large number like they used to do in past normal years, said the travel agents.
The occupancy is not more than 50 per cent these days in hotels in tourists towns of Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala. Most of the domestic winter tourists come to witness snow in the hill stations. The foreigners footfalls remain on lesser side in the post-corona period and it is still lesser in winter months as compared with summer season, said the hoteliers.
In Himachal, the vaccination has achieved a good target and is heading for the cent percent vaccination of the second dose by December 31 as per claims by the state health department. This will act as a protective shield for people against Omicron variant in case it is detected in India, said the hoteliers in Shimla.
But in Uttarakhand, the state which also receives a high number of international and domestic tourists during the winter in Rishi Kesh, Haridwar, Nainital and other stations, vaccination is lagging behind.
The vaccination target is increasing day by day in Uttarakhand. The daily target was 67255 doses on November 1, 2021 which has increased to 90849 doses daily as on December 1, indicating that target of cent percent vaccination by December 31 seems to be achieved unlikely in Uttarakhand.
“The Uttarakhand needs vaccination target of 90,849 doses daily from December 1 onwards to vaccinate 100 percent vaccination by December 31”, said Anoop Nautyal, president of NCDC Foundation, Dehradun, NGO engaged with the government.
The most effective deterrent against Omicron can be the vaccination and safety precautions that individuals adopt and authorities enforce while they travel or follow their daily routine in the society, cautioned health officials.
In Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir and northeast, the vaccination is on and the health authorities have stepped up testing and vaccination of the leftout population.
“The blanket ban on travel will not prevent the spread of Omicron”, reported agencies quoting WHO chief Dr Tredos A Ghebreyesu as saying. “The number will grow in days and best bat against Omicron is testing and the high rate of vaccination”, he said.
(Kuldeep Chauhan is Editor and administrator, HimbuMail, voice of Himalayan people)
