A wary India has begun to prepare for a possible new covid-19 wave amid a virulent resurgence of the disease in China.
China, which removed its zero-covid policy abruptly on Dec. 7 following protests, subsequently witnessed a searing rise in the number of covid-related cases and deaths. Hospitals are overwhelmed in affected regions and crematoriums are reportedly “packed.”
The US has sought clarity from China on the situation. The BF7 strain of the omicron variant of coronavirus, which is believed to have fueled this resurgence, has been detected in India, too.
“There has been a trend; covid starts spreading from China, Korea, Brazil, and then comes to South Asia. It reached India in 20–35 days. We have to remain vigilant,” news outlet NDTV quoted the health ministry as saying.
India’s wariness stems from the fact that besides being neighbors, India and China have thriving economic and trade ties, with frequent movement of people between the two countries. India’s first case of covid-19 during the first wave in 2020 was a student pursuing her studies in China.
Having witnessed the severe repercussions of China’s easing of its zero-covid policy, India is taking no chances.
What steps is India taking?
The Indian aviation ministry today (Dec. 23) issued an order asking airport operators to begin randomly testing 2% of those flying into India from abroad. The order will come into effect at 10 am tomorrow.
The Indian health minister has informed parliament there won’t be any flight restrictions.
“We are taking all possible precautions that we have learnt in the past two years to manage the spread of infection in the country...if required, in the future, we can increase it (random testing) further and can also make it mandatory for all arriving passengers to get tested,” he said in the Rajya Sabha.
Prime minister Narendra Modi yesterday reviewed the public infrastructure’s response and sought a ramping up of testing and operational readiness. His government has also advised states to be prepared.
Indian hospitals are, meanwhile, preparing for a possible wave of the outbreak. A mock drill will be conducted in hospitals across the country on Tuesday (Dec, 27), PTI reported.
“The mock drill will be done to ensure the operational readiness of the Covid-dedicated facilities, with a specific focus on oxygen plants, ventilators, logistics, and human resources,” the PTI report said.
India today reported 185 new infections, while the number of active cases declined to 3,402.