New Year begins with Omicron fear

The New Year has begun with increasing unease, fear and uncertainty of a new threat, Omicron variant, rattling Europe and America.

This variant of concern diverges from the original virus by about 50 mutations, including two dozen in spike protein, Nature reports. It was spotted early because of South Africa's contribution in sequencing, which has allowed us to take swift actions in terms of developing updated vaccines and revising health protocols. Despite progress in vaccination, there is a growing concern among health experts that our country is not prepared enough to combat the new variant.

Covid cases and hospitalizations are surging all over the world. The scenario tells us that the highly infectious Omicron variant will dominate our country in a matter of days. The variant might seem less menacing in some parts of the world, but it can bring enormous disturbance to our health service, education and economy.

Concerning the loss of human life, the threat is immense for our senior citizens. According to the data of the past one and a half years, 80.83% of the deceased has been above 50 years or more at the time of death from covid infection (Frontiers in Public Health). This age group, besides being vulnerable to a higher infection rate, is susceptible to reinfections. Omicron's ability to dodge immunity from two doses of vaccines and earlier infections, make our seniors even more vulnerable.

Pharmaceutical companies are working on modifications to their vaccines. In the meantime, the government has already decided to administer booster doses to front liners and populations aged 60 years and above. What comes next is still unclear to most of us.

As the Omicron variant is now gaining momentum in Europe and the USA, how should we prepare to face it in the coming days? Our present economy cannot afford another countrywide lockdown, even if needed. Many small and medium-sized businesses have permanently shut down, pushing millions of workers under the poverty line, during the last two waves of the pandemic.

On the other hand, our doctors, nurses and health officials are already exhausted by the disasters of the last two waves. If the country faces another surge in covid infection, our healthcare service will be shattered.  

We have made some progress in our health facilities in the last one and a half years, which could leave us better positioned in the coming weeks. However, maintaining the gains will require a continuing commitment, funding, monitoring and controlling corruption.

This year, the biggest challenge for the government will be to offer health services and ensure appropriate treatments of Covid-19 to such a huge population, especially to a large segment of our population who are even deprived of primary health care. If we recall the TV and newspaper reports on our health sector from the past few years, government hospitals have repetitively got accused of mismanagement, unprofessional behaviour and corruption.

Private hospitals have not earned lesser criticism in this regard. The cost of Covid-19 treatment in private hospitals is double that of public hospitals, a recent study by the health ministry's Health Economics Unit (HEU) and the Dhaka University's department of economics claimed.

However, for those who were unfortunate to go to private hospitals during the last two waves of Covid-19, their experiences were worse than the report. In addition to the service, behaviour, and billing, private hospitals are often accused of pushing for unnecessary tests and medicines. Moreover, the medicine cost is beyond the reach of the poor and the middle-class.

While the Covid-19 cases drop in our country, we have seen influxes of tourists in different tourist spots. Shopping malls, local markets, private and public offices have begun to work at full capacity. In short, our nation has returned to a pre-pandemic lifestyle, keeping aside all health guidelines.

With Omicron 'spreading at lightning speed', the lack of awareness, irresponsible attitude to and practice of health protocols invite an ominous sign for the entire nation, especially for our elderly generation. How should we save lives as well as protect our economy simultaneously? Should we not rewrite our current approach to the new variant?

Mass inoculation, booster shots, washing hands, social distancing, and masking remain the only hope for our protection, experts emphasize. One study from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the USA found that a surgical mask with a cloth mask, known as double masking, reduced exposure to coughing particles by 83 per cent.

Several other laboratory studies have also documented that a standard mask protects the person even if everyone else in the room is not wearing one. However, it works the best when others wear masks because it traps viral spread at the source.

Therefore, in addition to reinforcing social distancing and resuming online activities, we must ensure strict masking in public gatherings. The vulnerable population must receive booster shots on a priority basis as early as possible before the Omicron variant hits our country.

Above all, the government should act responsibly with swift actions considering expert opinions and minimize mismanagement from the public and the private health sectors to protect our nation from the looming 'Omicron tidal wave'.
MdKawsar Uddin is an assistant professor of English at the International University of Business Agriculture & Technology (IUBAT)