BENGALURU: Hours after the Centre announced the detection of the Omicron variant in two samples from Bengaluru, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who held a meeting with Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in New Delhi on Thursday, said an emergency meeting with experts will be held in Bengaluru on Friday afternoon to discuss the state’s strategy to contain the spread of the new variant.
The CM said there is a need for new guidelines to contain the spread and they will decide on it after Friday’s meeting.
“Preliminary reports indicate that though the new variant spreads (fast), it doesn’t require hospitalisation. However, we will get all the details once we get the complete lab test reports on Friday, which will also give us an idea on treatment protocols,” Bommai told media persons in New Delhi on Thursday.
Bommai held two rounds of talks with Mandaviya — once before the Centre announced the detection of the Omicron cases, and again in the evening to discuss the Covid-19 situation.
The National Centre For Biological Sciences (NCBS) lab report has confirmed the Omicron strain in two persons, the CM said.
Mandaviya appreciated Karataka’s Covid management: CM
“We are alarmed, but cautious. Our duty is to track and trace such strains wherever it is found and also their contacts. We are already at it. We are trying to get experts’ views and also the Government of India guidelines on this,” the CM added.
Sources said the reports were ready on Wednesday night and announced by the Centre on Thursday.
Responding to a question on some states demanding a ban on international flights from countries that are reporting cases of the new variant, the CM said he had held discussions with the Union Civil Aviation Minister, who informed him that they need to take a comprehensive look at it.
Earlier in the day, the CM said he had sought the Centre’s opinion on administering booster doses of the Covid vaccine to health and frontline workers in the state.
“He (Mandaviya) appreciated the Covid management and vaccination drive in the state and asked us to maintain the pace. We have enough stocks of vaccine to continue the drive. On administering booster dose to our health workers, the Union Minister informed us that a decision will be taken after discussions with experts and it will be conveyed to the states,” the Chief Minister said.
Symptoms different from that of Delta?
While WHO says the symptoms of Omicron are not different, South African doctors say most Omicron patients have mild issues, such as extreme tiredness, body pain, besides sore throat, dry coughs and fever. Loss of taste or smell & low oxygen was typical of Delta