Northern India is already braving cold weather conditions. In addition to the dropping mercury levels, fresh fears of COVID are on the rise. As India gears up to fight a potential resurgence of the Covid virus in the country, the BF.7 Omicron sub-variant once again hogged the headlines as it is currently on the move in countries like China. BF.7 is a sub-lineage of the Omicron variant BA.5 and has the strongest infection ability. Also called the Omicron Spawn, this new Omicron variant was first detected in China and India has seen its first case of this variant in Gujarat.
Is BA.7 severe? Know the risks
BA.7 is most infections so far since it is highly transmissible, has a shorter incubation period, and a higher capacity to cause reinfection or infect even those vaccinated. According to health experts, the new variant quickly bypasses the immunity that a person has developed through a natural infection with an earlier variant or even if the complete course of the vaccines are taken. Due to this, there is an expectation that the world might see a fourth wave of the pandemic. Initially in the pandemic, the virus mutated several times and the WHO declared the Delta variant as the most severe one.
Symptoms of Omicron's new BF.7 sub-variant
The symptoms of the new BF.7 sub-variant are similar to common flu and include cold, cough, fever, body pain, etc. Health officials say the virus results in severe throat infections besides, body aches, medium to high fever but not life-threatening, unlike the deadly Delta virus. However, as it is highly transmittable, it spreads to a larger group of people within a short duration.
Precautions to take as COVID fears surge in India
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It is important to be careful in public places since we do see that people have become a little careless as many of the norms and the rules that are put forth during Covid-19 have been lifted, say experts. So, it is now important that we at least follow the basic measures, they add.
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-- with agency inputs
