With new coronavirus variant emerging, no room for complacency
The Hindu
Low level of testing, heterogeneous nature of immunity in population concerns
The anxiety expressed by the Centre that the lack of sustained COVID-19 testing levels across States would “hide the true level of infection in a geography” seems to be justified now that a new SARS CoV-2 variant, B.1.1.529 or Omicron, has been reported from many nations.
With the waning of the second wave of COVID-19, a sense of complacency and a general feeling that the end of the pandemic is just around the corner, had set in everywhere. COVID-19 testing rates, which had dropped everywhere, might be back in relevance now that the vigil is being heightened to look out for the new variant.
From an average 1.3-1.5 lakh tests daily during the thick of the pandemic, the State’s testing had dwindled to about 50,000.
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