Don’t Panic, Be Vigilant: AIIMS Director Dr Guleria Tells People in Video Message
17 Jan 2022
· People should not resort to storing oxygen cylinders, medicines etc.
· Need to stick to the basic Covid protocols at all times
· Omicron has emerged as a key reason for the massive spike in COVID-19 cases globally
The best safeguard against coronavirus — including the new variant — is to stay vigilant and be careful of the surroundings
As the figure of Omicron tally inches up day by day, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi director Dr. Randeep Guleria has advised people to stay careful, instead of getting scared of it.
In a video message released by AIIMS, Dr. Guleria advised the people of India “not to panic, but to be vigilant”, while wishing New Year greetings.
He said, “As we move forward, it is important for us to understand that the pandemic is not over, yet we are in a better position.”
He added: “There are a large number of people in our country who have been vaccinated, yet we are seeing increasing cases. This is why it is important that we follow the rules, which includes wearing masks, maintaining physical distance and avoiding crowds so that we do not have super spreaders anywhere.”
In his video message, Dr. Guleria also advised people not to store oxygen cylinders and related medicines that can lead to an emergency, the kind of which experienced by the entire country recently during the unprecedented second wave caused by the Delta variant.
What is the Omicron variant?
The Omicron variant of COVID-19, or B.1.1.529, designated as a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization (WHO), has quite a lot of mutations, which can affect how it spreads. There is a lot of research in progress to assess its transmissibility, harshness and the risk of mortality.
Insofar as what the medical experts are getting firsthand data from across the world, the rate of transmission of this variant is of real concern. It has emerged as a key reason for a massive spike in COVID-19 cases globally. And while a few experimental studies have summarized that the variant is less deadly, it will still be highly dangerous to take the new variant of COVID-19 lightly.
Be Careful of Your Surroundings:
The best safeguard against coronavirus — including the new variant — is to stay vigilant and be careful of the surroundings. Also, it is suggested to follow the standard protocols for COVID-19, as laid by the WHO and other health organizations. Some of the common and effective measures include:
· Getting vaccinated
· Getting a vaccine booster dose if eligible
· Wearing a mask
· Social distancing public areas
· Avoiding indoor crowds
· Washing hands frequently
In addition to these precautionary measures, many experts believe that removing fine particles from the air indoor can also be effective in curbing the transmission of COVID-19. But trying out an ordinary air purifier will hardly be useful in fighting the new variant—it must be efficient to capture most of the air pollutants unfailingly.
PetriMed CA Air Purification System is the sole product that comes fitted with a HEPA filter, built-in air ionizer, and UV-C disinfector to nourish the air with 99.999% efficiency.
Conclusion:
While there is no reason to panic in the current circumstances, one must not lower the guard at any time. Also, even if a person is immunized, he or she should still be considering investing in an advanced air purification system to keep the harmful microbes and viruses at bay.