BENGALURU: In the backdrop of apprehension among the public over new cases of Covid variant JN1 in the state, Dr Rajath Athreya, member of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), said people need not press the panic button just yet, but have to stay cautious.
“We have lived with the Coronavirus for three years now. We have crossed the pandemic stage and have entered a phase of endemicity where people have varying immunity to the virus-- by infections, exposures and vaccination.
Coronavirus has been in circulation at a low level and the viruses will keep mutating and we can expect new variants like the JN1,” said Dr Athreya, also senior consultant and HoD of Paediatrics and Neonatology, Sakra World Hospital.
As a public health measure, the state government has issued guidelines and it holds good even after the detection of the new variant.
“In countries where the new variant is already in circulation, World Health Organisation and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have found that it has the potential to evade immunity and infect and is spreading fast, but has not led to any spike in hospitalisation,” he said.
Dr Athreya added, “All the elderly who are 60 years and above, ones with co-morbid conditions, pregnant women and lactating mothers, should avoid visiting closed, poorly ventilated spaces and crowded areas. When they head out they should wear face masks.”
Ahead of the New Year celebrations that sees gathering of a large number of people, Dr Athreya stressed on following Covid Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) of social distancing, face masking, hand-sanitization and respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette. He called upon people with symptoms to come forward and get themselves tested.