XE, a new transmissible Covid variant is here. Should India be worried?
The world is slowly going back to the normal, pre-Covid era. In India, Covid restrictions have been lifted from maximum states. Delhi, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Telangana have also removed fines for not wearing a mask. But is it the best time to do so?
The latest updates on Covid from the rest of the world do not paint the same rosy picture.
As we see all our friends, friends of friends, family, relatives and basically everyone enjoying their vacations, a new variant is also gearing up for the upcoming season.
A new Covid variant has been found in the UK. This new variant is called XE, which is believed to be more transmissible than any Covid-19 variant (so far). WHO has also warned against this mutation.
THE MOST TRANSMISSIBLE VARIANT SO FAR
Till now, the Omicron BA.2 variant was considered to be the most contagious Covid-19 variant. But the XE variant is 10 percent more transmissible than the BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron, according to WHO.
The XE variant is a recombinant, which means it is a mutation of BA.1 and BA.2 Omicron strains.
When a person is infected by multiple Covid variants, the variants mix and form a new variation. This mix-up leads to recombinant mutation.
FIRST DETECTED IN JANUARY 2022
The XE variant was first detected on January 19 this year. Till now, 637 cases have been reported in the UK. A sharp spike in Covid cases has been reported in the UK over the past week. East of England and London are reporting the maximum cases of this variant.
XE is not alone
Other than XE, two more hybrid strains, XD and XF, have been detected in the UK. XD is a mutation between BA.1 Omicron variant and the French Delta variant.
On the other hand, XF has been formed with the mutation of the UK Delta variant and BA.1 Omicron.
Is this really the time to remove all restrictions?
Getting back to normal did not come easy. India saw three devastating Covid waves, and now, eased restrictions are quite a relief.
But these new relaxations on Covid restrictions are surrounded by too many ifs and buts. Each Covid variant came as a surprise and upended many lives. A handful of cases shot up exponentially within just a few days.
Therefore, one of the biggest lessons learned here is: Never take Covid lightly.
With too many predictions on the fourth wave and variants like Deltacron emerging in the country, it is wise to stay alert. As we know, Covid does not take too long to travel the world.
Removing the basic Covid restriction - wearing a mask - seems like celebrating the win before the actual announcement.
Therefore, unless Covid packs its bags and moves out to another planet, do not ditch the mask.
Remember, we don’t wear a mask to escape the fine but for our and others’ safety.