According to Dr. Charu Dutt Arora, Consultant Physician and Infectious Disease Specialist Head, Ameri Health, Asian Hospital, Faridabad, the recent surge of COVID-19 infection-positive cases in China, Japan, Hong Kong, Brazil, and the United States have generated concern around the world, including India. He says that the tweet of Mr. Eric Dengi, an epidemiologist from China stating that “this virus can lead to deaths of millions across China in next few months” is concerning.

Vaccination Helps Prevent COVID-19 Infection

The virus Omicron BF.5.2.1.7, often known as BF.7, is responsible for the COVID-19 outbreak in China. It is an Omicron variant mutant with the highest transmissibility of any COVID-19 variation so far. According to studies, the R0 value of this mutant is roughly 10-18.6, implying that each infected individual can infect 10-18.6 people around him. This virus also has a faster infection rate, in hours, making it difficult to detect in RT-PCR tests. People who have not been vaccinated or have weakened immunity, such as the elderly, youngsters, pregnant women, or those with several co-morbidities (cancer, uncontrolled diabetes, cardiac or kidney disease), are at a higher risk of contracting this virus.

According to Dr. Amitabha Ghosh, Consultant, Internal Medicine, Manipal Hospitals, Gurugram, the new variety, while not as lethal, transmits faster than earlier Omicron variants.

COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shot Can be Helpful

“Just like other variants of Omicron, BF.7 is also another subvariant that has a very fast transmission rate. As per several data, the rate of fatality is not high for this variant but surely it transmits faster than the other Omicron variants. In India, there are very few cases of mortality and hospitalization but it also depends on various factors including a person’s immunity and pre-existing comorbidities,” says Dr. Ghosh.

While the symptoms are modest, Dr. Gupta estimates that the wave will kill one million people in China alone. He believes that the fourth dose of vaccine could help prevent these deaths.

Symptoms of Omicron BF.7 Variant

“The symptoms remain the same as with any other upper respiratory infection such as fever, cough, sore throat, and running nose. There is suspicion that this wave could kill one million people alone in China. It is also probable that if people get three to four shots of the vaccine, they may get protected. It is therefore very important for everyone to be more vigilant and responsive to taking COVID-19 vaccines. A fourth vaccine might help prevent this serious gruesome scenario. A person infected with this virus, even if they are asymptomatic, can transmit the virus to another 10-18 people. Only time will tell, what happens in the next few months, but we should be vigilant, should seriously follow COVID-19 appropriate behaviour, and avoid traveling as much as possible,” says Dr. Gupta.

“The common symptoms include common cold, fever, fatigue, sore throat, headache, and body pain. Cough and respiratory symptoms are also present in infected patients. People are also presenting with abdominal symptoms such as stomach pain and loose motions,” says Dr. Arora.

“The signs and symptoms of BF.7 are pretty like other Omicron variants fever, sore throat, runny nose. Cases of pneumonia with the BF.7 variant are lesser and the ones that are seen in an elderly population or people with underlying conditions. We are not seeing too much hospitalization with Omicron and early data from countries that are seeing BF.7 also tell us that the mortality of BF.7 is low,” says Dr. Trupti Gilada, Infectious disease specialist, at Masina Hospital, Mumbai.

Precautions to Avoid the Spread of Omicron BS.7

To avoid infection, Dr. Ghosh advises maintaining proper hygiene, wearing a mask, and washing hands. He claims that persons with low immunity should be extremely cautious and that vaccines and booster doses can help reduce mortality and problems from the subvariants.

“Till now it is not clear which age group it affects the most, but it is certain that people with low immunity are at a higher risk. Also, now that people are more exposed to COVID-19 and its variants, they are automatically developing immunity against this virus and the upcoming variants. With the help of vaccines and booster shots, people are now able to tackle the virus in a better way and it has helped in preventing the complications of the subvariants,” says Dr. Ghosh.

“It is imperative that one must follow COVID-19 appropriate behavior and rules as laid by the local bodies to control the spread. With restrictions eased out worldwide and the festive season in swing, it is important to continue the mass vaccination drive. Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate is the most important strategy to check this infection and its community outbreaks,” says Dr. Arora.

“Going forward the yardstick to measure the severity of a COVID-19 wave should not be a mere number of cases because most of these will be mild. The yardstick should now be the number of moderate to severe cases of those requiring oxygen or those requiring hospitalization. So public health action needs to be based on severe infections because mild infections will be common every time there is a new mutation. And India paid its price with the Delta wave where we lost a lot of our people and those who survived have good immunity to COVID-19 and so is the status of our very good vaccination. So, for India per se, we have a comparatively immune population and those who will be infected with BF.7 in future should be mild while we are on the watch out, we should continue to do genomic studies and understand what every variant looks like, and it still should not be a cause of panic,” says Dr. Gilada.

Source: Medindia