Omicron: India to overview Covid SOP, international locations impose journey curbs, and different key developments immediately

In view of the menace posed by the Omicron variant of Covid-19, an pressing assembly was chaired by Union Home Secretary Rajesh Bhushan after a overview of the scenario by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Home Affairs mentioned on Sunday.
MHA mentioned that taking into account the present world state of affairs, methods to strengthen preventive measures had been mentioned within the assembly. The Centre will now overview SOP on testing and surveillance of worldwide passengers, particularly from international locations within the ‘at risk’ class. Moreover, genomic surveillance for Covid-19 variants will likely be additional intensified.
As experiences emerge of the Omicron variant spreading to extra international locations and the Centre mulls steps to forestall the opportunity of a contemporary spike in Covid-19 circumstances, listed here are the highest developments of the day:
Test worldwide travellers, deal with genome sequencing: Centre tells states
With WHO having labeled Omicron as a variant of concern, the Health Ministry has directed the states to overview the detailed journey historical past of passengers arriving by way of worldwide flights and to utterly make sure that travellers from “at-risk” international locations are examined. All samples which check Covid-positive needs to be promptly despatched for genome sequencing, the ministry mentioned.
Union Health Secretary Bhushan, whereas highlighting to the states the necessity for rigorous surveillance of worldwide passengers, mentioned that there’s “already a reporting mechanism for obtaining past travel details of passengers coming through international flight”.

The Health Ministry has directed the states to overview the detailed journey historical past of passengers arriving by way of worldwide flights. (AP)
The Health Ministry has requested the states to make sure steady monitoring of hotspots, that are areas the place a current cluster of optimistic circumstances have emerged. Bhushan has additionally requested the states to implement intensive containment measures, undertake energetic surveillance to make sure Covid-appropriate behaviour is adopted, and improve vaccination protection.
Omicron variant could bypass vaccines: AIIMS chief
The new Omicron variant has reportedly acquired over 30 mutations within the spike protein area, giving it the potential to develop an immunoescape mechanism, and thus the efficacy of vaccines towards it must be evaluated critically, AIIMS chief Dr Randeep Guelria has mentioned.
The presence of spike protein facilitates a virus’ entry into the host cell and is liable for making it transmissible and inflicting an infection. “The new variant of coronavirus reportedly has got more than 30 mutations at the spike protein region and therefore has the potential of developing immunoescape mechanisms. As most vaccines (work by) forming antibodies against the spike protein, so many mutations at the spike protein region may lead to a decreased efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines,” AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guelria informed PTI.
In such a state of affairs, the efficacy of vaccines together with these in use in India must be evaluated “critically”, he added.
‘Covid not over yet,’ PM Modi warns in ‘Mann Ki Baat’
Amid experiences of the Omicron variant having unfold to many international locations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned within the 83rd episode of his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio programme that the “pandemic is not yet over”, urging folks to stay vigilant and undertake all doable precautions to forestall the unfold of the lethal illness.
“Never forget that corona has not gone yet. It is our responsibility to take all precautions,” PM Modi mentioned earlier than signing off.
On Saturday, PM Modi had chaired a high-level convention with prime officers to debate the doable impression of the brand new variant in addition to mitigation methods.
Kejriwal writes to PM requesting him to cease flights from sure areas
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday, requesting him to cease worldwide flights from areas seeing an increase in Covid-19 circumstances.
“Our country has fought a tough fight against Corona for the last one and a half years. With great difficulty and due to the selfless service of millions of our Covid warriors, our country has recovered from Corona. We should do everything possible to prevent the new variant of concern, recently recognised by WHO, from entering India. A number of countries, including the European Union, have suspended travel to the affected regions. I urge you to stop flights from these regions with immediate effect. Any delay in this regard may prove harmful if any affected person enters India,” he wrote.
BMC pronounces new restrictions for worldwide passengers
The Mumbai civic physique has launched new restrictions for worldwide passengers arriving within the metropolis and sounded “extreme vigilance” within the regard.

According to the newest pointers issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), worldwide passengers travelling from or transiting via South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana — the three international locations the place Omicron has been detected – must endure necessary RT-PCR assessments on the Mumbai Airport. If a traveller assessments optimistic for Covid-19, they are going to be despatched to institutional quarantine and the samples will likely be despatched for genome sequencing. Until just lately, a passenger testing optimistic was despatched to residence quarantine.
All passengers arriving on the Mumbai airport must get their passport scrutinised on the immigration counter for journey historical past of the final two weeks.
South Africans who had been Covid-positive had been contaminated with Delta variant: Official
The two South African nationals who examined optimistic for COVID-19 in Bengaluru had been discovered to be contaminated with the delta variant, a Bengaluru Rural district official mentioned requesting anonymity.
He mentioned the duo had examined optimistic on November 11 and November 20, elevating fears they had been contaminated with the brand new COVID-19 variant ‘Omicron’, which has grow to be a brand new explanation for fear globally. According to him, from November 1 to 26, 94 folks had come from South Africa, out of which two examined optimistic for normal Covid-19.
Australia confirms two circumstances of Omicron variant
Australia confirmed on Sunday that two folks arriving from Africa over the weekend had examined optimistic for the Omicron coronavirus variant, including to a rising variety of international locations preventing the extremely infectious pressure.
Health officers in New South Wales, probably the most populous state, mentioned each passengers had arrived within the state capital, Sydney, on Saturday night and examined optimistic for Covid-19 late that evening, earlier than genome sequencing confirmed the Omicron variant on Sunday.

Australia joined Britain, Germany and Italy in detecting Omicron circumstances over the weekend as extra nations imposed restrictions on journey from southern Africa.
Indonesia to ban arrivals from 8 African international locations
Indonesia will ban the arrival of travellers who’ve been in eight African international locations to curb the unfold of the brand new Omicron variant of Covid-19, an official doc confirmed on Sunday. Indonesia, residence to standard vacationer island Bali, is not going to permit individuals who have been in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Eswatini or Nigeria up to now 14 days.
Israel bans international travellers
Israel moved to ban entry by foreigners and mandate quarantine for all Israelis arriving from overseas.
“Restrictions on the country’s borders is not an easy step, but it’s a temporary and necessary step,” Prime Minister Naftali Bennett mentioned at first of the weekly Cabinet assembly.
Dr. Ran Balicer, head of the federal government’s advisory panel on Covid-19, informed Israel’s Kan public radio that the brand new measures had been essential for the “fog of war” surrounding the brand new variant, saying it was “better to act early and strictly” to forestall its unfold.
South Africa slams international locations for imposing journey bans
South Africa’s prime well being federation on Sunday slammed the 18 nations which have imposed journey bans on the nation, saying the world should keep away from such “knee-jerk reaction” if it desires “transparency” within the sharing of essential medical knowledge.
Students from the Tshwane University of Technology make their approach again to their residence in Pretoria, South Africa (AP)
The choice by 18 international locations to ban flights to and from South Africa was “premature, as there is still not enough information on how dangerous the variant might be”, Angelique Coetzee, Chairman of South African Medical Association (SAMA) mentioned.
Coetzee additionally defended the choice to announce the findings, mentioning that South Africa needs to be lauded and never vilified for this. “My suspicion is that because our scientists are very alert and doing a lot of sequencing in the background, maybe those European countries missed it because of the symptoms,” Coetzee informed the TV information channel Newzroom Afrika.
(With company inputs)