Omicron COVID-19 Variant Three Times More Transmissible Than Delta, Activate The War Room Immediately, Centre Tells States

The Centre asked the states and the union territories to consider the imposition of night curfew, strict regulation of large gatherings, curtailing numbers in marriages and funerals besides increasing testing and surveillance.

Issuing fresh warning the Centre on Tuesday said that India must prepare for the worst since the Omicron spread is rapidly increasing across the states. The Centre said that the new Omicron variant is at at least thrice more transmissible than the Delta variant which led to the ferocious second wave of COVID-19 in India, earlier this year. "Activate the war rooms, keep analyzing even small trends and surges and keep taking strict and prompt containment action at district and local levels," the Centre told the state and union territories.

Impose Night Curfews And Strict Restrictions To Stop Omicron Spread

The centre sent a letter to all the states and union territories where it advised the authorities to implement strategic interventions for containment like imposition of night curfew, strict regulation of large gatherings, curtailing numbers in marriages and funerals besides increasing testing and surveillance.

Here are some of the highlights from the letter:

• At the district level there should be constant review of emerging data regarding the population affected by COVID-19.
• Authorities must keep a close check on the geographical spread, hospital infrastructure and its utilization, manpower, notifying containment zones, enforcement of perimeter of containment zones etc.
• The Centre also mentioned the measures that needs to be taken in view of initial signs of surge in cases of COVID-19 as well as increased detection of the variant of concern Omicron in different parts of the country.
• The letter also mentioned that besides Omicron, Delta is also circulating at the moment.
• All cluster samples must be sent to INSACOG Labs for Genome Sequencing without delay.
• The centre also asked the states and union territories to ensure door to door case search, testing of all SARI/ILI and vulnerable/co-morbid people and right proportion of RT PCR tests in total tests being conducted daily.

Activate War Rooms To Fight Omicron Surge

Urging immediate strict actions to contain the spread of the highly virulent Omicron variant of COVID-19, the Centre told the states to activate the war rooms. "Kindly activate the war rooms/EOCs (emergency operation centres) and keep analyzing all trends and surges, no matter how small and keep taking proactive action at the district/local level. Regular reviews with field officers and proactive action in this regard will definitely control the spread of infection and flatten the curve."

How To Prepare For The Omicron Surge

The centre has asked the states to stay alert and prepared for the upcoming Omicron surge. The letter highlighted that test positivity of 10 per cent or more in the last one week or bed occupancy of 40 per cent or more on oxygen supported or ICU beds should be main elements of the framework to be used by states and union territories to facilitate decision making at the district level.

"Based on current scientific evidence, the VOC (variant of concern) Omicron is at least 3 times more transmissible than the Delta VOC. Besides, the Delta VOC is still present in different parts of the country. "Hence, even greater foresight, data analysis, dynamic decision making and strict and prompt containment action is required at the local and district level. The decision making at the state and UT and district level must be very prompt and focussed," he said.

The centre has asked the states and union territories to increase bed capacity, other logistics like ambulances, mechanism for seamless shifting of patients, availability and operational readiness of oxygen equipment, buffer stock of drugs to be ensured by prompt utilization of Emergency Covid Response Package (ECRP-II) funds released by central government and other available resources etc.

(With inputs from Agencies)