Omicron RF.5 detected in Tamil Nadu: Are vaccines still effective against new variants?
Tamil Nadu COVID Updates: After a brief pause, the deadly coronavirus is back! As per the latest reports, several parts of India are currently witnessing a sudden surge in cases, and many have reportedly been asked to quarantine after showing mild symptoms.
In the latest report, a report from the Tamil Nadu state health department has confirmed that the recently detected Omicron RF. 5 strains have been detected in all 20 COVID-positive samples sent to the lab. "All 20 COVID-19 positive samples sent from Tamil Nadu for genome sequencing between January and May this year have turned out to be the Omicron RF.5 sub-lineages," said Dr A Somasundaram, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicines.
Taking cognizance of the situation, experts have asked everyone to follow pandemic safety precautions, such as washing hands regularly, avoiding crowded areas, and wearing a mask in crowded places if unwell. Experts also noted that those at higher risk, people above 65 years of age, pregnant women, and patients with kidney disease, cancer, or weak immunity should avoid large gatherings.
As of now, the state tests only high-risk individuals and pre-operative patients for Covid-19, Somasundaram said. Usual surveillance is being continued under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, along with tests for pre-op patients and those with refractory acute respiratory illness.
With cases linked to this variant seeing a sudden spike in the country, everyone needs to take note and understand it better. It is also of utmost importance that everyone gets a clear view if the existing vaccines are still effective against these new strains that are detected.
To begin with, although India is witnessing a sudden surge in cases linked with the Omicron RF.5 variants, experts note that this strain is not new and that it has been there, circulating for a year now.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) continues to monitor circulating SARS-CoV-2 lineages, including RF.5. However, based on the evidence available so far, the variant has not been linked to increased severity or a rise in hospitalisations.
Some of the most common symptoms linked with this variant infection include: Fever, cough, sore throat, or breathing trouble. Apart from these, doctors have also urged everyone to remain vigilant about the classic COVID symptoms such as sore throat, runny nose, loss of smell and taste, headache, muscle ache, pain in joints, etc.
Vaccines are known for their ability to provide the body with extra immune support that can help it fight a particular type of virus. However, over the past six years, experts have repeatedly stated that vaccines against COVID work as a shield that can provide relief from suffering severe symptoms that can lead to hospitalisation, but not from catching the virus completely.
We spoke to Dr Samir Garde, Director of the Dept of Pulmonology and Lung Transplant, Gleneagles Hospital, Parel, to understand how dangerous this new strain is and if it can trigger any severe complications within the body.
"Though COVID-19 is no longer classified as a global health emergency, it continues to circulate among us and has the potential to cause serious illness. Vulnerable persons like the elderly, pregnant women, those with chronic illnesses, and those with compromised immune systems are particularly at risk," said Dr Garde.
Other than Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh is among the states where this variant has been detected in the current wave. The variant was also reported in Singapore and parts of Southeast Asia, following two Covid-19 deaths and a related case at a Vellore hospital. Tamil Nadu has recorded 335 Covid-19 cases so far in 2026, the health department said in an earlier release.
Earlier in 2025, TN had recorded a total of 1,250 Covid-19 cases, and in 2024 it recorded 990, taking the cumulative count to 2,557. Coming to the point, if COVID is still a threat, experts noted that NIV Pune's genome sequencing shows the strain currently circulating causes mild illness and spreads at low levels within communities.
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